Looking for saddle fit opinions

[TacheteTreasures]

Someone at the barn is selling her almost new HDR because it doesn't fit her horse. I tried it on Ranger today and I wanted some opinions, as I don't really know much on saddle fitting. I think it sits a little high on him, but it's not pinching anywhere. It settled down a little after I rode in it so it wasn't as high, and it still didn't seem to be pinching anywhere. It's a bit big for my little butt, but it sure is comfy.
I'm not sure how to take pictures to best show how it fits, but if you need different angles I can get them tomorrow.
The saddle pad pics are after riding, without the pad is before, not cinched up or anything
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/saddle014.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/saddle013.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/saddle012.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/saddle006.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/saddle005.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/saddle002.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/saddle001.jpg

[zoel_222]

I'm not good with fitting english saddles, but I can tell you these are not great saddle fit pics. When you're zoomed in so close you can't really see how it sits on the horse. You want shots where you can see the whole angle of the shoulder/back etc

[TacheteTreasures]

I wasn't even zoomed in. I had to stand kind of close because otherwise his mane gets in the way, but I can try to get others

[Remali]

I can't tell from the first photos.... but I can sort of get an idea from the last one..... and it seems to look OK to me. What brand saddle is it? Looks like a nice saddle. You should be able to fit a couple fingers (2 to 3) between the withers and pommel area. Too narrow of a saddle and the saddle will sit too high over the withers.

LOL.... nevermind the brand.... I see it is an HDR.... nice! What tree size is it? Is Ranger sort of stocky? Both my horses were 14.3hh and stocky, and always needed a wide tree. My two didn't have much for withers tho, and were fairly broad.

[TacheteTreasures]

The tree size is either a wide or extra wide. Ranger doesn't look very wide from the side, but you can tell when you are on him or looking straight on. It's certainly not too narrow imo, it seems to give him plenty of room around the shoulders and such, but his build just makes it seem to sit high, which is something I have noticed with most saddles on him.
When I first put it on I could fit my entire hand and a little extra between the withers and saddle, but once it was all tightened up and I was on it sunk a little but I could still fit my hand in, although not with it totally straight (probably the distance that would be about 3 or 4 fingers for a normal person, I have small hands)

[TacheteTreasures]

I stand corrected. I just asked the owner of the saddle and its only a medium. My trainer was under the impression it was wide

[Remali]

Depends on the saddle, and of course the horse. I found some medium trees to be too narrow for my horses (when I had horses, lol). Some saddles tend to run more narrow than others (I was told that the Courbette saddles run more narrow). Is there perhaps a wide tree you could try on, just to see how it would fit? If the saddle sits a bit high, it may be too narrow for him.....

[TacheteTreasures]

The owner of the saddle says that the HDR seems to run kind of wide. Even my wide HDR CC sits high on him. I've also tried a few wide dressage saddles on him that still sit high. This saddle seems right to me except for the sitting high, whereas the CC I have that is wide just looks wrong all over, I dont know how to explain it, it just sits funny.
The saddle he is currently ridden in is a county which is a medium tree and fits him well and he has been worked to the point of sweating pretty well and ends up with even sweat patterns.

[Remali]

Well, that doesn't sound too bad then, if it didn't fit properly you'd be able to tell during and after riding. I used to have a County.... aren't they nice?! I've never ridden in an HDR, that one you have there looks very comfy. :) My two Arabs were built like tanks, so they needed wides....lol.

[TacheteTreasures]

I really like the support that the HDR gives me. The knee rolls are so nice and I felt like I was posting a lot more from my legs then my feet like I tend to do, and I also felt like I was landing much more evenly, where I feel some saddles tend to make my rock my legs forward and land very hard on my butt. And when I cantered it was like sitting on a big soft rocking couch.

[Remali]

Sounds like a really nice saddle. I've ridden in a lot of dressage and all-purpose saddles, some almost made it impossible to stay in the saddle....lol. But when you find the right saddle it really helps you keep a nice deep seat and steady leg. One reason I loved my County dressage saddle, it made riding easier, it gave me such a secure seat and my leg was so steady. The HDR sounds a lot like the County I had.

[TacheteTreasures]

The county is alright, but there is nothing amazing about it for me. I rode in a really nice dominus that my trainer had gotten last year and really liked it but it didn't fit Ranger. I like the quality of HDR stuff, its not way too expensive but the quality is good. In addition to my CC I have 2 HDR bridles.

[Remali]

The HDR really looks like a super-nice saddle. And you've already got the two HDR bridles, it will look very nice on Ranger. :)

[zoel_222]

I didn't mean literally zoomed in with the zoom button, I just meant up close.

[3equines]

It actually looks OK from what I can see. Not too narrow in the shoulder, and that is going to be where you have the most trouble. A bit narrow in the back, but looks like you have a Haflinger, eh? and their back is broader than the shoulder, which makes so many saddle fit issues..... but with the English saddle I do not think you have anything to be concerned about other than you may feel a tad downhill until the padding breaks in a little under the cantle.

Better pics taken from a distance would be nice, you can braid the mane to get it out of the way or get an assistant.

Seeing you mounted up and riding in the saddle would tell me a little more, too.

I really think it will work for you, though.

[TacheteTreasures]

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/001-2.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/004-1.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/005.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/012.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/SpottinTreasures/017-2.jpg
Here are more pictures from today. He worked up a good sweat and the sweat patterns looked even.

[madelequestrian]

Looks pretty good if you ask me! Ranger should be your biggest opinion giver! If he is nice and soft and using his back well with even sweat patterns I would say go for it!

[3equines]

looks good

[Remali]

I think it looks real good too. We have nice warm weather in Wisconsin for riding today! :)

[TacheteTreasures]

So I hadn't officially bought this saddle yet because the girl selling it went to florida for a while so I didnt see her. She told me yesterday that they only want 200 for it now, and I can have the girth with it.
I didn't have my checkbook on me, but I told her that I definetly want it and she said thats fine just give it to her next time I saw her.

[Fork]

Sounds like a great deal. :) Congrats! It seems to fit him pretty well, and that's important.