Your email address will not be published. The British Standard for saddle trees, so we are confident as to the quality and reliability of our product. Its *free*! I dont have a Spanish horse, but this is still a very interesting thread. I will draw pictures later to explain more. They fit the broad-backs really well, and are more budget-friendly than most. A broad-backed horse will probably take a wide saddle, but be aware that those with very wide twists can be uncomfortable for the rider, so be sure to look for saddle designs that fit you, too. For these horses, youre probably going to be looking for a V-shaped tree, especially if your horse is angular, but dont rule out the hoop-shaped tree if hes broad in his back. We have a lot of draftxs around here from the Amish. Then as he stopped growing he decided to get a little bit of a wither. Then a saddle will be built around the Steele tree that fits best. I have seen very narrow to XXW, curvy and flat, little wither to the tallest Tbs. Because hoop trees tend to have shorter tree points, it does not support the front of the saddle enough for him. Kate liked it much better than the Roosli I have on him for dressage since the channel is much wider. Too wide and it could sit too low on your horses spine. Recently purchased a saddle and i couldnt be happier. If youre not already receiving the EQUUS newsletter, click here to sign up. I did have some issues trying to complete the purchased on line but once bought everything went really well. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Duett saddles are reasonably priced, well designed and crafted, and are known for their comfort. The saddle arrived quickly and was in excellent condition. region: "na1", , Nightwind Dressage Saddle by Smith-Worthington. I recently purchased a Kent and Masters cob saddle through Equestrian Hub. Number of bids and bid amounts may be slightly out of date. Please note this is only a guide. That kind of repetitive concussion can contribute to soundness issues down the road., Likewise, some behavior problems may be traced to discomfort related to saddle fit problems. And looking from the side id say this horse is a poor candidate for a hoop tree because he does have a wither. The answer is a resounding yes! Over the last several years, innovations in saddle making have made it possible. Use and reproduction by permission only.. Ethereal theme. For best fit, we recommend drawing diagrams of your horse's back by following instructions in our. All riders know that their horse changes shape due to changes in diet, work program and maturity, and naturally they get frustrated when they discover their saddle no longer fits their horse perfectly, says Ron Bates. For U head plates are you talking like a Stubben U? For more information or to find a retailer, go to www.thorowgood.com. No matter which type your horse has, be sure theres no pressure there either before or after you ride. Black. On the other hand, says Temple, Many in the natural horsemanship community, as well as other fitters and veterinarians, feel that fitting a horse with a too-wide saddle and using shims to lift the front is actually advantageous. saddle tree fitting journey inside measurement though hard HOOP TREE: a broader and low profile tree with inverted U shape head and slightly flatter through the body. Command Performance: Remembering how a dressage champion helped honor Linda McCartney, 10 Important Facts about Horseback Riding Helmets. A narrow twisted tree as seen below which is often a favourite for riders comfort will either have a narrow gullet or alternatively the panels will sit either side of this and not be supported sufficiently. Now lets take a look at three of the most challenging equine physiques. The Nightwind is a minimalist saddle with maximum comfort. One thing I have learned is that there are no absolutes with horses, so it is always best to work with a knowledgeable fitter in person. Yes they do tend to not have a lot of space for a saddle. Chances are, youd wind up with painful blisters on your feet, and you might end up with a backache. Duett saddles, as I mentioned to Anon, are pretty budget-friendly, and do have hoop trees. Will definitely be purchasing any other saddles i might need through The Saddle Hub. In a Western saddle, look for a wide bar spread throughout, a substantial bar width (to offer better weight distribution) and a flatter bar angle. It really depends on where he is at in his development. He grew a withers between 6 and 8 somewhere. In general, they tend to be very board in their spinal processes and need a lot of space between the rails and at the head of the tree. Lifetime tree warranty. WARMBLOOD TREE: as the name suggests, designed specifically for the more modern warmbloods which are now featuring higher wither profiles than before but still with the broad spine and back structure. There are no magic saddles despite what a lot of people think. It must distribute the riders weight evenly over the horses back, while keeping pressure off his spine. Allegany Mountain Trail Saddles offers a fully customized fit. Gullet width is a very popular topic recently but for good reason. This has a removable gullet bar which allows for more flexibility of fit within the saddle itself. Heres how to find one: Saddle fit starts in the tree. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. kept completely in a stall for training until she got him. Small thigh block under the flap gives gentle leg support.Built on a hoop tree, the Nightwind gives freedom of movement to Baroque breeds, draft crosses and other broad backed horses. Sometimes that broad back crops up in other types, like Baroque horses or gaited breeds. CLOSE CONTACT TREE: a continental style tree which in turns offers a close contact minimal style panel, as opposed to the previous two which allow for greater panel and gusset depths. I hate when people say this is a saddle for X bred. Theme images by, Having a Fit: Hoop Tree Vs. Standard Tree, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. More regularly used on Jump saddles only. Very lucky! Its just as uncomfortable on the horse as a saddle thats too narrow, warns Buzzard. Are they on a hoop tree? These are just some ideas on fitting the Spanish type horses. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If I go find 1000 andalusians, a much larger amount of them are going to need a hoop tree. the service was great! Always go above and beyond to make sure customers are happy with their saddles . Personally not happy with the quality of the Customs. Real life adventures in saddle fitting at Panther Run Saddlery. } The tree forms the framework, it is the chasis of each and every saddle This is why it is so imperative that the correct profile is selected by your saddle fitter, to mirror the shape of your horses back in order to distribute the weight of the rider effectively over the maximum acceptable surface area of the horses back, thus reducing pressure. The panels of the saddle in order to disperse pressure must be supported by the rails of the tree so it is vital that they are broad enough to do this. They offer a traditional range of wool flocked, custom made English saddles which have been designed around the intricacy of pro saddle fitting. And often traits that seem to go together naturallytall and narrow, round and short, and the likedont when it comes to equine withers and backs. Sadly, the saddles I ordered were not quite right but that wasnt an issue - service remained exceptional, easy return process and I now have them on the hunt for other options for a hard to fit horse. Works well with the majority of profiles from TB through to some of the finer Warmbloods. The company sends out nine saddle forms, and the customer photographs and videos the horse wearing the forms, both standing and in motion. The steel and wood spring tree can be adjusted many times as your horse matures and changes shape throughout his life. Then as he grew and got stronger and his back flatten out, he went to a Black Country Hoop. Riders find the open seat and rearward placed sweet spot with gentle, extra soft ramp leading up to the pommel unrestricting and comfortable. saddle arrived bubble wrapped inside a box. He looks like a bulldog from the front, with a concave pocket behind his shoulders and a fairly average back. Black.Bench made in Walsall, England. You can see that they lack the extra breadth across the top of the arch that they'd need to be hoop-shaped. View for FREE now, Looking to BUY or SELL a horse? We take great pride in offering as many payment options as possible, we accept Mastercard, Visa Card, PayPal, direct transfer or through interest free finance, to approved purchasers.*. His front and back conformation dont seem to belong to the same horse. Not a big fan of the ship and test method as its a great way to use up your budget fast. Now, for the first time riders can monitor these changes and even do something about them. Go to www.batessaddles.com. So, i am guessing the saddle is too wide at the pomel for him? Anon, I'm sorry, but none of those saddles have a hoop tree. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Aside from a little tweaking here and there, the basic design of the saddletree hasnt changed much in almost 2,000 years. I got a quick reply. Some manufacturers work on cms for measurement but this can vary depending upon the length of the tree points so we prefer to work on angles as tabled below. Go to www.americansaddlery.com. Whether your horse is the full-figured type like a lot of Haflingers and Fjords or angular and athletic like many Thoroughbreds, or even if hes one of those in-between horses whos either still growing or has conformation that doesnt fit the mold of the average horsetheres a saddle out there to fit him. Wide channel accommodates the broadest of equine spines. Very clean and tidy and was exactly as advertised. The Loxley by Bliss range of performance saddles is brought to you by their same team at Bliss. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. You can be in a very wide Fidelio and be amazed at how comfortable it is. Other ideas include suspending the tree slightly over the horse, but that can mean a loss of contact. If youre unsure what tree is in the saddle, ask the retailer or manufacturer. The longer tree points in a saddle helps the saddle stay in place better. So now he is in a Ryder Native. The latest "bunch" has been Broad Horses and the Saddles That Fit Them (or Don't). Think of the tree as the skeleton of your saddle, says Buzzard. Some are flat and some are actually deceivingly curvy. I am in the Midwest, so a ton of quarter horses, Arabs, draft crosses along with halflingers, fjord, connmera crosses ect. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions. Shoulder gussets and a dropped panel are a must to fill in the area behind the shoulder and lift the saddle enough in front to clear those withers.. Its function is simpleto provide stability and support, both to the saddle and the rider. Saddles for purchase and trial available directly through us. Are any of the older plain flap model saddles like courbette, collegiate and crosby hoop trees? You would never want to put a flat tree on a horse with a bit of a sway in its back or vice versa. Fast delivery on my saddle was great however, it was disappointing that there is damage that wasnt described. Now made in England ~ Call for a demo today. Bar crowns that fill in gaps or hollow pockets, bar flares for beefy shoulders or high croups, and a substantial sweep or rock for the dippy-backed horse work well. One never knows what ones horse is going to do over the years, and having a saddle that can be converted to adapt to changing shapes, or even fit a different horse down the road, is a wonderful thing.. Measurements are proportional for other sizes. 774-217-4346 His first saddle was a Fairfax classic. It fitted my cobs and me really well. Younger one is going very nicely in a Trilogy Amadeo. A better understanding of how to achieve a perfect fit will pay off in a quiet and focused ride. There is so much variation in this group that youll want to consult a certified saddle fitter or speak with a few manufacturer representatives to be sure. My PRE went in a MW Black Country Vinici, and then graduated to a more generous MW Albion SLK LH. formId: "c0821545-1ccf-456c-aac1-23a381a2ece0", We sell direct to the public. She got him when he was 5 and was a stallion. There is no additional charge for this service. Your email address will not be published. Offering a slightly wider gullet and flatter rails often works well on profiles of Baroque, Draught, Native and some heavier old style Warmbloods. This topic came up on another thread and I did not want to take away from the original poster, but wanted to answer some questions. Holliston, MA 01746 BUY the saddle, RIDE in it and make sure both you and your horse are happy before you DECIDE if this saddle is the answer to your prayers. The adjustable stirrup bars allow you to adjust the stirrup bar location for perfect ear-hip-heel alignment. If you have any further questions on this topic please feel free to CONTACT US. A flatter horizontal profile for straighter long backs and flatter lateral profile at the back for broader backs. My own gelding, Cappy, certainly does. After she bought him gelded him. The bar spread determines the width of the saddletrees channel or gullet. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Curvature of the tree is important to the fit of the saddle, says Buzzard. Fortunately, there are literally hundreds of variations in bar spread, flare, width, rock and length that can enable saddletrees to fit the contours of any equine back comfortably. His are more prominent. I probably annoy a lot of people. I will say though, it is a little bit of a peeve of mine when people recommend saddles saddles Spanish horse, because I want to say, Which Spanish horse? I know quite a few and their shapes and saddle needs/fits vary. The idea that its OK to fit a saddle too wide and then pad it up is erroneous. One of mine needs a hoop tree and quite a few of my clients horses need them too. Marks, damage or wear: Leg and stirrup wear, scuffs on cantle, some fading on knees and cantle, light wear on pommel Measurements are proportional for other sizes. Take one look at those withers and you might think narrow saddle. Working with riders at every level, from beginners to Para-riders to International Professionals all of which have their own demands when it comes to finding their perfect saddle. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. My older lusitano has a Custom Wolfgang Constanze saddle. Some horses have shark withers that drop off sharply. A horse with a flat topline for instance, will need a tree with very little rock or sweep while a swaybacked horse or one with a dip will need a tree with significant rock to it. However with a hoop tree, the saddle is even more unstable than normally. Of course. Here are a few suggestions for high-withered horses: Black Country Saddles specializes in custom-built saddles for a number of English disciplines, including dressage, endurance, jumping, polo and hunters as well as Icelandic and general purpose. Flap length: At least yours has a wither to hold the saddle in place. Unit 2 Haywards Industrial ParkBrickyard Road, AldridgeWest Midlands WS9 8SR. On the other side of the equation are those shark-withered Thoroughbred types who sprout white hairs even under a sky-high gullet. CLASSIC TREE: a classically styled tree, built with an shaped head and gentle curve in the body. The bar can be changed, as necessary, if your horse changes in size. But my original comment on the other thread was more of an in general, not a hard and fast rule. I messaged late one evening after finding a saddle I had been looking for. Up until just a few decades ago these breeds were rare in the USA so hoop trees werent really a thing. The close contact is therefore suited to horses with a good top line. Bar angle is comparable to the pitch on your barns roof. Thanks SO much for your help. When it comes to saddles, some horses are just hard to fit. jQuery(window).trigger('resize'); Northernmigal, the two fitters I have listed in MI are Jeff Kalman in Ann Arbor (I know he travels occasionally, his email is kalman.jeff@gmail.com, phone is 734/726-0197) and Pam Omer, who's actually closer to you, in Williamstown, MI. For that reason, your saddle search begins with a solid understanding of tree shape and how it relates to saddle fit. so happy to receive my little Stubben saddleso easy ..so efficient..so good. We provide virtual saddle fitting services from the beginning of the process until the end. And sometimes saddle slips occur even after youve tried everything to prevent them: riding in a wide saddle, using a nonslip girth and pulling the cinch as tight as your core strength allows. Many of us know the sinking feeling that comes when you put your foot in the stirrup and feel your saddle roll sideways. If the tree fits the contours of your horses back, everything else will fall into place. Understanding the following terms can help you make an informed decision. But Ive sold wide hoop-tree saddles for just about every breed there iseven Thoroughbreds.. But thats an all-too-common mistake. Amounts shown in italicized text are for items listed in currency other than Canadian dollars and are approximate conversions to Canadian dollars based upon Bloomberg's conversion rates. Size stamped: 18 Give these folks a shout, and if they can't help, I'd be happy to work long-distance with you. Gullet measured: XW The leather models feature short, rounded skirts for the short-backed horse. Some angles are narrow and steep; others are flat. If you do not love your new saddle simply return it and receive a refund, of course there are some Terms and Conditions. A dippier hoop tree. Do you know anything about the Thorowgood cob saddles? Follow up message after purchase to ensure the fit was good. Collegiate Saddles offers hand-crafted leather saddles for a variety of English disciplinesincluding dressage, eventing and jumpingall with the Easy-Change Gullet System, which allows you to select a gullet bar that best fits your horse. I do sell a fair number of hoop trees. I completed my order and was given all the tracking details as soon as it was processed. He loved the Takt 37, but my sister did not like.