out on my mutton withered, wide flat backed gelding. This was the
older model with the nylon fabric on the bottom. It fit him well,
was
plenty wide. I could see that this model would not fit a really
high
withered horse. It was too wide in the front tree and not high
enough
in the gullet. I ordered a SS and after 3 months it arrived. It
wasn't
the same saddle. It had a fleeced bottom to the panels but it was
higher in the gullet and would definitely be a better fit for high
withers than the older model. Although I was told that the only
difference between the two saddle was the fleece I know that the
one
saddle fit my table top Arab and the one I bought (of course) was a
bit too narrow. I denied it for months but it became obvious.
So, if you have a horse with signifcant withers the present model
will
probably do you fine. It will conform down into a "swayed" or
curved
back quite nicely. I've seen a few TB's over the years that have
high
knife-like withers that could use this saddle but those are few and
far between. If however you have a really wide withered horse you
may
find like me that the standard SS is too narrow in the front
fork/tree. It may be possible to get a wider fork made for you or
possibly you could find a used older model to try/buy.
My story does have a happy ending as the wide gelding got sold and
the
new anglo-arab mare is doing great in the SS. She has TB type of
withers and a curved back. The saddle fits and stays put when I
mount
and do hills. My favorite girth? A wool string cinch.
Bonnie Snodgrass