ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Saddle recom.for Hal/search for perfect saddle/Ortho Flex

Re: Saddle recom.for Hal/search for perfect saddle/Ortho Flex

TrotALongK@aol.com
Mon, 2 Jun 1997 01:51:48 -0400 (EDT)

> am wf the person looking for 'the perfect saddle' for gaited endurance
> and it's gotta be a ladies saddle.

I assume your mount is a TWH or Fox Trotter or maybe a Rocky Mountain Horse.
We have 2 Fox Trotters (my boyfriend just recently did his first 30miler on
his 1300lb gelding - high withers and deeeeep girth). The saddle that fits
this horse as well as my butt the best is my Ortho Flex Stitchdown - it's my
all time favorite saddle because it`has a wonderful padded seat and is really
roomy but still somewhat "english". (By the way, my boyfriend doesn't like it
to much - does that make it a "ladies saddle"?). I heard or read somewhere
that the Stitchdown was designed after the plantation saddles which would
explain why it fits the gaited horse so well. Unfortunately it doesn't fit my
favorite horse, a seven year old Arabian with low withers and tiny body.
Although we got all As at the vet checks I noticed that he started to rub his
loins and slowly become sore. I switched to an OF all purpose saddle that I
was actually trying to sell for a friend. It fits the horse well (with
balance shims in the back) but I myself first didn't like it. I tuned it up
with EZ stirrubs and a fleece cover and now it's actually not bad. I'm still
debating though wether I should invest in a gel pad for my sensitve rear
end... Anyway, I agree with Jan that an Ortho Flex saddle will fit most horses
. The flexible panels are a great idea, unfortunaltely Ortho Flex doesn't
seem to have figured out the best concept yet. Every once in a while they
come up with a newer, better panel version and if you want to have your "old"
saddle modified it's $250 plus shipping - for a saddle that is totally
overpriced to start out with. I didn't go for that deal, also because I heard
a lot of bad stories about their costumer service and I didn't want to see my
beloved saddle go back to Missouri - the latest grapevine rumour is that
they're going bankrupt.

If you decide to get an Orthoflex look for a used one and try it on your
horse first. The good thing about them is that they seem to have a descent
resell value (at least in California). OF is having a special promo deal
right now for the Patriot ($1000 - if you're getting the Endurance News I'm
sure you saw the add). I saw and sat in one of them at the Broken Horn (big
tack store in Los Angeles area) and it looked and felt pretty good.

Good luck saddle hunting, Kirsten.

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