[RC] Need a Saddle for "Widebody" That's Streamlined and Reasonably Priced... - Jillcohndc
Hi All,
I have a 16.1" H tall NSH--out of a Saddlebred so he looks like that--who's been injured terribly by a traditional endurance/western style saddle. We've had to stay off him for over a year and, with great Chiropractic care and good supplements, etc. he appears to be approaching rideability status again. We are in the market for a new saddle for him. Yesterday we tried 3 of our own saddles on him. Two were endurance-style, a Specialized and a non-brand off EBAY. He totally freaked at both of them--too close back there to his injury (lower thoracic segments). We also tried a nicely padded Dressage saddle that he didn't seem to mind, but my husband doesn't want to ride trail in a dressage saddle, so that's out. We also have a BMSS treeless but hubbo's not interested in that, either. We're selling an Orthoflex Plantation, which is close to perfect, style-wise, for both of them (see ad in RideCamp Classifieds if you're interested) but it doesn't fit the big heartgirth of this horse. Based on these parameters, which seem pretty hopeless to me, does anyone have any good ideas for a saddle that is reasonable but would work for both horse and rider? (the "reasonable" parameter is because we don't want to invest more than $1,200 in this horse who could never be ridable again and his saddle fit is quirky.) Thank you for your thinking.
