[3Bays]

FancyDocsGal, you asked what area I'm in...I guess you thought I found it here? Nope! Found it in Maryland and I'm in Arizona. So, that's why I posted the sites in the previous post/message. Sorry I didn't follow up on your question!

[jumpthemoon]

Originally Posted by 3Bays

Hey, there, FancyDocsGal! Thanks for posting!

Well, as I type this, I'm waiting for my DH to come home with it from the post office!!!

To say I'm anxious about this one is an UNDERSTATEMENT! I am SO hoping it works out! I CANNOT say how sick of saddle hunting I am...not to mention I would like to do something other than bareback with my OTTB by now!

I'm concerned about the tree fitting my OTTB as he's just got that high withers that dip in situation going. One site I've looked at says the Kieffers all come as MW!! I nearly fainted...my boy is NOT a MW!

THEN, I read that in Europe, MW is something like a 29 or 30 cm size, Regular is like 28 cm. Well, makes sense as my Pariani (which I bought in Europe and rode TBs for years in) is a 27.5 cm! This business of "medium" being 31-32 cm is truly an American thing...maybe because of the breeds of horses available here versus there?

Anyhoo, I read every review I could and every site I could...and came away totally confused and realizing that it's just going to come down to the real saddle on the real horse with my real butt in the real saddle! ONLY then will I know. Sighhhhhhhhh.

SO, perhaps this evening, certainly by tomorrow, gang, I'll know if this might work! I got a smoking deal on this saddle if it fits as I'll get it for just less than half the cost of a new Kieffer Aachen.

FancyDocsGal: what seat size do you take? I take a 16.5"... If this one doesn't work for me, I'll post you and let you know exactly where I got it and then YOU could try it out! As for authorized distributors...it's bugging me that I KNOW just yesterday I found one that sells several models of the Kieffer line and I just can't remember it...but I promise you I'll look through my "favorites" listing of saddle shops and track it down for you, OK? Just that right now I have to run...but i'll do that for you for sure!

WEll, guys, wish me luck! Believe me, I'll be reporting back whether good , bad or ugly!

PS: JUST in case it doesn't work...what's the word on Ovation saddles?

I owned a couple of Kieffer dressage saddles a Rhein and a Ulla Salzgeber (sp?) model. I borrowed a friends OLD Aachen AP and it was great to start my then young horse in. I believe her saddle is thirty years old and the ONLY thing about it was that the seat on that saddle was really, really hard. If they one you get is newer than thiry years old, I bet the seat wouldn't be as hard as my friend's saddle.

The dressage saddles I had were fine and the Ulla was cushy. The leather on the Kiefer's is really very nice and they stamp saddle codes (for year made, seat size and tree width) on the sweat flap. Kieffers only come in whole number seat sizes although individual saddles will vary. The are marked with a 0=16", 1=17", 2=18". Kieffer's tend to fit Tb's and TB types (horses with withers) the best so I hope the one you get works for you.

[riding_reaper]

so, how is it?

[3Bays]

I cannot believe it, but it didn't fit!

I know that the tree can be adjusted and such, but it's more than that... it just didn't work for his overall build (which,as I'm finding out, is kind of odd). I also am not as happy with the feel of the saddle as I'd like to be for myself and so it goes back.

Ironically, about an hour after this fiasco of trying to fit him, one of my riding pals stopped by with a friend of hers who used to DO saddle fitting (in another state...she's just moved here)! So she did a fitting for me!

The good news is this: I now have good "stats" on what my TB needs: the best fit would be a 28 to 28.5 cm tree (NEVER more than 29cm she said). He needs about 2.5 to 3 inches in the gullet channel width. And, of course, a high pommel or cutback pommel for his high/narrow withers.

My Pariani is kind of close...it's a 27.5 cm tree which seems to not bother him much, but she said he'd be more comfy during longer working sessions with a slightly larger tree. The problem with this saddle is that the gullet channel is quite narrow and butts up on the sides of his spine, so I can't use it much. (Also, it's just about past its prime since it's over 42 years old! AND I need something that's more of a general close contact/AP kind of saddle to use...the Pariani is a more "extreme" forward hunt saddle).

SO, the good news is that I now know what works for him (and for me that narrow twist and recessed stirrup bars) and that I need a 16.5" seat...BUT WHERE DO I FIND THIS WONDER????

If ANY of you have any ideas, DO suggest! (And, NO, I can't afford a "custom" saddle to be made). It's really frustrating!

I'm thinking of looking into Thornhills as they have a "Standard" tree size which may be close, Courbettes with the Federbaum German trees because they can be ordered in centimeters, and of course maybe a used Stubben? The biggest difficulty I'm having is finding a tree size with my seat size as a "match" for Ol Sharkfin and Me.

Help?

[Abberlaze]

3bays...i've actually been searching for a saddle for a horse exactly opposite of yours (rolypoly. lol) and i keep coming up with thornhill and how they fit the really really wide flat-backed horses. But these people mostly ordered the wide/xtra-wide gullets so i'm not sure if it would change with a narrower gullet and be more designed to fit a tb type or if they're mainly for wide horses. They do generally get rave reviews about quality and comfort for their reasonable price.

county saddles are really nice and come in tons of tree sizes. they are around 3000 new i think, but they hold up really well so i think a used one would be a great bet.

i think you mostly find narrow trees in higherend saddles...although anyone feel free to correct me. so i guess used is probably the way to go.

have you contacted Rick's Heritage Saddlery - West Chester, PA - Carrying a full line of new and USed Saddles ? They have a HUGE selection of used saddles and i've heard are great with fitting saddles.

[riding_reaper]

aw I'm sorry it didnt fit. Good luck finding something.

[FancyDocsGal]

I am so disappointed for you. I really thought you were going to be okay with the saddle you described. My only other suggestion would be a niedersuss, but they are so dang expensive. Nicer than keiffers, top, top quality. Keep trying and thank goodness for a return policy. Hang in there,sister!

[3Bays]

Hey there, gang...

Yeah, Abberblaze, the Thornhills' DO have some reallllly wide models, but they also have some "slimmer" types...I've been looking over that ProAm VS saddle and a Germania 2 Phase...they also have a few close contact styles... so maybe? AT any rate, do check out their wide ones for your "rolypoly"!

And, you've got a good suggestion on the County saddles...I never could afford a new one ($3k!!! YIKES! )...but a nice used one may fill the bill...I'll do some searching on that.

Yep, you know, I've noticed that the "higher end" saddle brands seem to carry the narrow trees more often, too...wonder why that is? I mean us lowly folk have the narrow TBs too!

FancyDocsGal, appreciate your support! Does Niedersuss do just dressage styles or do they have other styles, too?

Appreciate the support, Riding Reaper...it's tough sometimes with this saddle search stuff...sighhhhh. But, you guys know how it is--- if you want to be sure your horse is comfy, sometimes you gotta spend the effort... and I think my boy is WELL worth the effort! I just hope this ends before it gets so dern hot here again! I don't have alot of months of rideable weather, so I want to get ON with it so he and I can ENJOY the pretty weather!

Anyhoo, thanks everyone for your terrific support!!! I needed that! I'll keep you all posted on the NEXT adventures of The Sharkfin TB And His Saddle Search!

[Lizard]

I did NATRC in my Keiffer Wein. It was great!!! The vet at the ride like it so much he bought one like it. That was quite a while ago.

[jumpthemoon]

Originally Posted by Lizard

I did NATRC in my Keiffer Wein. It was great!!! The vet at the ride like it so much he bought one like it. That was quite a while ago.

Lizard

This thread is two years OLD. I responded to your current thread.