Ridecamp: [RC] dressage saddle

Thanks to all who responded to my post about the dressage saddle. I had a 
saddle fitter/repair guy out yesterday and he felt the dressage saddle fit 
well. He commented that my horse's back is pretty short and the offending 
saddle is too long. The dressage saddle is much shorter in length.

19 inch panels seem to be what I need. Which saddle companies make a shorter 
saddle? I have had lots of emails recommending the orthoflex. How long is it 
from pommel to cantle?

BTW regarding the size issue. My ponies are 13 hands.... in fact the average 
Icelandic horse is 13 hands. and they are the only horse used in Iceland. 
I've seen some pretty big Icelander men ride these horses no problem. They 
have been bred this way for a thousand years, and can carry heavy weight all 
day long. One think that is different about them is bone density. One of my 
guys has short 8 inch cannons, which are bigger than my 15.2 Morgan mare who 
by no means is refined.

As for length of stride, one of my short guys can easily keep up with the 
average "big guy." I've won many "trotting race sprints" up against 16 
handers <g>. Those short legs and move! 

OTOH one of my other guys can't scatter his own poop (which is why it took me 
so long at Norco)! I think we were trotting at a blazing 2 mph. 

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