Hunt seat saddle

[BlairASB]

Just wanted to chime in here.

Recently have gone through fitting issues with my gelding.

Best investment EVER has been a Flexicurve to do saddle tracings- takes me WAY less time than messing with a wire hanger (which I tried first, but didn't think I was getting it as accurate as I would lhave liked and the horse didn't think my prodding was very polite on his sore back)

I bought mine for about $12 at my local JoAnns.

Saddlebred backs can be deceptive, I think. I used to have a wide tree saddle and it was too wide for my first mare who was built like a tank with a HUGE barrel.
but with my current gelding, who is pretty narrow and can use a 40" show girth, his tracings actually put him comfortably out of your average wide tree. I had a Stubben Tristan (32 cm tree- 31 to 32 are Stubben's Wide trees)

I have an all purpose saddle en route to me thanks to Hastilow Saddlery- a Cob model Thorowgood T6 which they think could work for Andy based on my tracings. (Trumbull Mountain will do the same thing, i believe) I did my tracings using their instructions: http://www.hastilowusa.com/old-site/...-fitting.shtml More in depth than a simple wither tracing- also gives you an idea of how curvy the horse's back is, the angles that the saddle panels would need to take at the rear of the saddle, etc.... If you're having trouble getting a horse's back comfortable, it may be worthwhile to seek out a fitter... Hastilow didn't charge for the service for their certified fitter to analyze the tracing. Looking forward to receiving the saddle and seeing how it works.

[luvtoshowcp]

"I'd like to go to a store with a decent selection and sit in some, with or without the horse. I am close to the OH/KY/WV border. Where within about 3 hours would you suggest going?" ...Perhaps someone on here that can post to CoTH can enter in your geographic area and find a tack shop that deals in hunt specifically and has a large inventory of new and used. Also keep your ear to the ground for tack swaps in your area, I recently went to one and had about 2 dozen different saddles to sit in. Make sure and take a tape measure tho... lots of peeps have no clue what size their saddle is

[Tack Collector]

I will be in Harrisburg, PA next month for a few days, also

Too bad I just dropped in here today.

Shady Acres in Pittsburgh, maybe? More than a 3-hr drive, but look at their Facebook and they have hunt saddles stacked to the ceiling. Pittsburgh would be about 4 hours drive from Charleston, WV, straight up I-79.
595 Dorseyville Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

[3kidsandahorse]

Originally Posted by Tack Collector

Too bad I just dropped in here today.

Shady Acres in Pittsburgh, maybe? More than a 3-hr drive, but look at their Facebook and they have hunt saddles stacked to the ceiling. Pittsburgh would be about 4 hours drive from Charleston, WV, straight up I-79.
595 Dorseyville Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Unless I do ebay, that's the closest place I've found. I often go to Morgantown but the drive on up to Pittsburg is LONG. Thanks, TC.

[3kidsandahorse]

A series of unfortunate events later...

I now have a BIG QH. I'm hoping this one will be a better fit for me. For now he's gonna be a trail horse but he could do about anything--hunt seat, reining, western pleasure. I'm not really into cows but may get there someday.

I've been riding him in a western saddle. However, I really don't like them after a decade of cutbacks. I like the stability of a western but the stirrup "leathers" feel like plywood. Plus it feels like I'm riding a whale. I can't really sit down and feel the horse moving.

So here's two questions:

1. Is there something else I can ride in besides a big ol' cowboy saddle? Cause I just don't have the boots for it lol. Endurance saddles seem kinda missing something. Aussie saddles I know nothing about.

2. If not, how do I tell if a western fits me/him? The local cowboy has a few for sale but they are $$$. At least the horse is there to try them.

[velveteer]

This is probably a little late to add my piece.

I ride in a hunt seat saddle (all purpose) and am only just beginning to start saddle seat.

I am 5'7" with long legs, and I ride a 17" deep seat all purpose (hunt seat) and 21" deep seat saddle seat. From what I've read you add 4" to your all purpose size to get saddle seat size (or vice versa). Bear in mind that a deep seat saddle will measure a little longer than a flat seat. I.e., 17" deep seat is about 16.5" flat seat, although you do have more flexibility in the flat seat where you put your butt. I can ride comfortably in a 16.5" and OK in 17.5" flat seat (because I can sit forward), but 18" deep seat is too long.

You need to have your feet underneath you with the stirrup leather vertical, and you should be able to stand up without shifting your weight or moving your feet. If you can't do this, the seat size is wrong. Make sure the stirrup leather is vertical. If you are used to sitting behind your feet (like a chair seat), you may be pushing them out in front. I bought a too-long seat at first because I wanted to sit this way.

My saddle is a Kieffer Aachen AT (all purpose). It has a narrow twist, deep seat, and thick knee rolls. These features put me in correct position and make me feel very secure. I can move around a little, but it makes me want to sit where I should be. Other riders prefer a flat seat with less thick knee rolls that allows them to move around more to adjust to their horses' balance.

One thing that I had trouble with when trying out different saddles was finding one where my knees and thighs were comfortable. Often the stirrup bar and buckle would be placed to dig in. This seems to be an individual matter, and you have to sit on the saddle to know.

The tree width on all purpose/hunt seat saddles varies widely by maker. Mine is called a MW, but it seems to me to be really a Wide (they probably had big warmbloods in mind for their sizes). You need to find a tree that exactly follows the shape of your horse's shoulder and back. If the tree is right you can get the saddle flocked to fit.

Trees can be fiberglass or wood. Fiberglass lasts forever and can also be adjusted a little if needed. Many of the top makers prefer wood, but I like my fiberglass tree.

The best saddles are flocked with wool, and you will have to have them fitted and reflocked regardless of whether you buy it new or used. The new ones go light on the flocking under the assumption you will add flocking for fitting. Used saddles will have the flocking compacted and shaped to the horse and rider that used it. Mine was so bad when I bought it that it looked like the saddle didn't fit my horse. Many, many riders do not realize that saddles need to be reflocked, so they never do it.

Your saddle fitter will tell you you have to do it every year. It depends on how often you ride. I'm going on 3 years and the saddle is still fine.

I will also add, that when I first sat in my new saddle, I knew at once it was the right one for me. There's a feeling of comfort. If you are used to riding saddle seat and going to an all purpose/hunt seat, you may not get this full feeling, but you should get part of it.

Good luck.