This message is from: Genie Dethloff <[email protected]>
I use an Albion K2. It has a more open seat and a more forward flap
so it doesn't force you into a set position which I like. It is also
the least expensive Albion dressage saddle and has been around for a
long time; they keep it in production partly because the tree is
made for wider rounder backed horses. Because of Pjo's short fjord
back, they scooped the back of the panels up so I could have a 17.5"
tree but it would fit her back. This saddle's tree also has good
curvature from front to back which fits a short backed horse well.
This saddle in an extra wide is quite wide. Albion is one of the few
companies that make their own trees so for little more money they
can modify a tree for your horse. I think mine is a wide but they
stretched out the bottom of the tree points a little to fit her. The
only downside is it has a wide twist which is uncomfortable for some
pelvis shapes.
Albion has an optional tree called a U or hoop tree for their for
their more expensive dressage saddles. If you imagine a standard
tree being an upside down V, then the hoop tree is an upside down U.
It doesn't slip on wide backed horses because it has more contact
points with their back than a V tree.
Other companies that had saddles that fit fjords well in my saddle
searches are: Black Country, Frank Baines, Duette, and Prestige.
Black Country also has a hoop tree if I remember right. The Duetts
are very reasonably priced, but I didn't like the early ones but they
have come up with more models since I last shopped for saddles and
they come in extremely wide trees. Stubben now makes an extra wide
warmblood tree for their newer saddles; their tree flexes some and
has a very forgiving fit.
One of the best companies to work with, that will send saddles on
trial is Trumbull Mountain in Vermont www.trumbullmtn.com. ALbions
have to be fitted by a saddle rep, but they then come out and deliver
the saddle in person and do final flocking on site. If you buy a
saddle from them, you don't pay for the first visit or the delivery
visit, if their policy has not changed.
Equestrian Imports in Florida rents saddles from several of the major
dressage saddle companies. I used them to try a saddle I thought I
wanted to buy, and then kept the saddle on rental for two months
while my saddle was being made.
http://www.equestrianimports.com/shop/
Where do you live as I have several tack people around the country I
have worked with? I can also send you a list of other tack shops
that will send out saddles on trial.
This message is from: "Debby" <[email protected]>
Would love to know/hear what dressage saddles work on your fjords. And if
anyone has one for sale, or one they aren't using...give me a chance to try
it...Or had dressage saddles they'd used before and thought they worked really
well with fjords. My two are both short backed, one being taller than the
other, but they both still require the extra wide tree and the taller one,
though seems loner, his back is still not that long. He just has a big
butt...
thanks for any info.
Debby
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Genie Dethloff and Pjoska
Killingworth, Connecticut
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