Saddles for Older Riders?

Hello @WobblySue - welcome to the forum. Just to let you know, this is quite an old thread (10 years old) - you may get more engagement on the subject if you start a new thread of your own.

:)
 
After a serious operation in 2008, in my 70s, I used wi fit balance exercises. Recommended by an RI who used to be on NR . I can still do balance exercises given after I broke my ankle. It was not broken while riding.
 
I not sure I like to classify myself as old (I'm 45) but I have noticed that I am finding it harder to dismount from the pony I ride because the cantle of his saddle is so high. The pony is smaller than what I am used to riding and I find it quite difficult to swing my leg over the back of the saddle to get off. He doesn't have a huge neck like my old horse did, so I find I don't have anywhere supportive to throw my body. I'm also not very fit right now and have put on weight (which I am now losing) but that wouldn't help either. I also think about saddle fit from the horse perspective but it is important that the saddle fits the rider as well.
 
Ohh yes as you get older you figure out how much you don't bend and bounce..
Preservation is very Important.

I used to take My own saddle to jumping lessons a Crosby XL H
Luckily it worked for the horses too

The schoolmaster had a very specific saddle but thankfully it felt great

My biggest problem is being short.
And with Dressage saddles
I needed shorter flaps
I had stuben scandicka
And duette.

I'm primarily a western rider
And they can be heavy
Tucker are not too bad and
Barrel saddles are a bit lighter.
As are partially synthetic like
Fabtron
I used to be partial to rough out.
Buy the smooth leather Tucker is great

I got rid of my jumping saddles a few years ago
And some others I probably wouldn't use

I kept the stuben Dressage

I mostly use the circle y barrel saddle now

I would not have any western that does not have the twisted and wrapped stirrup leathers

Years ago ugh it was soak them in
A bucket of water and put a broom stick thru the stirrups til they dried.
There are still a lot of saddles that do not come pre twisted

To the comment of someone hitting the pommel jumping in a western....

Other than a tiny jump in a trail..or versatility
Class.
Or in Gymkhana
Or some little log on a trail.

They are really not designed to jump in.
 
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I find it quite difficult to swing my leg over the back of the saddle to get off.
Mary P. Do consider the cavalry dismount which I was taught at my very first lesson. After a very elderly and very experienced male rider got back from a solo hack and fell onto the cobbles. My RI (first lesson) said to me, That is never going to happen to you. You dismount this way. It means putting your weight in the left stirrup but one does that every time one mounts so it is no big deal. I could never have ridden without that work round.
It is very important not to bend the left knee - otherwise it becomes a Western or USA cavalry dismount for which one needs to have stretch and to be fit!

The other way people on the present yard have suggested to me is to dismou nt onto the mounting block, but I beg them to let me go on with what I am used to. May be because Covid divided people over and under 80, people on the yard are very patient with me. It sort of surprises me to know how young you are. I was raised by a Nanny very like Mary Poppins. She was born in 1906.
 
Mary P. Do consider the cavalry dismount which I was taught at my very first lesson. After a very elderly and very experienced male rider got back from a solo hack and fell onto the cobbles. My RI (first lesson) said to me, That is never going to happen to you. You dismount this way. It means putting your weight in the left stirrup but one does that every time one mounts so it is no big deal. I could never have ridden without that work round.
It is very important not to bend the left knee - otherwise it becomes a Western or USA cavalry dismount for which one needs to have stretch and to be fit!

The other way people on the present yard have suggested to me is to dismou nt onto the mounting block, but I beg them to let me go on with what I am used to. May be because Covid divided people over and under 80, people on the yard are very patient with me. It sort of surprises me to know how young you are. I was raised by a Nanny very like Mary Poppins. She was born in 1906.
I fear the saddle would slip if I tried that. Harry is quite round and his girth doesn’t do up as tight as I would like so I would worry about putting weight into one stirrup. I tend to jar my knees when I get off him as he is so much smaller than Ben that the ground meets me sooner and it’s always unexpected when I drop have that big drop down.
 
I fear the saddle would slip if I tried that. Harry is quite round and his girth doesn’t do up as tight as I would like so I would worry about putting weight into one stirrup. I tend to jar my knees when I get off him as he is so much smaller than Ben that the ground meets me sooner and it’s always unexpected when I drop have that big drop down.

Yes it's not something to do on horses of a certain shape! I also found getting off big horses easier, I could slide down the shoulder and had time to prepare my landing. Worst of all are smaller horses that ride big so you expect to have that time - ouch!
 
Yes it's not something to do on horses of a certain shape! I also found getting off big horses easier, I could slide down the shoulder and had time to prepare my landing. Worst of all are smaller horses that ride big so you expect to have that time - ouch!
Exactly this! I have no time to drop, I swing my leg over and am then on the ground!
 
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Cavalry dismount slowly and western stirrups with foam inserts keep me comfy age 66. I slither down gently and bend knees so no hard impact as my knees are rubbish
 
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Are you finding it difficult or is it just a getting used to thing?
Only mention that as when I switched from one horse to another I kept catching me leg dismounting on the back of my saddle. It wasn’t that I couldn’t but I guess I auto swing off and have done it for so long on a lower cantle that I automatically do it and so started catching a higher cantle. As soon as I was used to it it was fine.
 
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