Here are two pictures of me sitting in the trial saddle. I think I’m sitting further back than I ultimately was when I was working P, it felt like I had plenty of room. I still kind of wish I had a little more flap, but this is an Antares 5AA and I don’t think I can find anything used that’s bigger. I feel like a mammoth that I can totally take up that huge of a flap. Evidently the original owner of this saddle was a 6’1″ man…
Friends please weigh in!
ETA this next photo, thought maybe a further out shot would be helpful.
In case you wondered P was good as usual. We didn’t do anything crazy since I was trying to get a feel of the saddle. Although I guess I did take him over a couple X’s. 🙂 I have some great pictures to share of the boys soon.
That’s about how my leg fits my saddle flap. It’s a regular, and I have a long thigh bone so could use a bit more. For me, I still feel secure and safe in my saddle but I’ll be honest and say that I have only had saddles fitted to Simon and not me so I’m probably not an expert.
For some reason it looks smaller in the first picture. I think for me it would depend on what you’re going to do with P and how secure you feel in the saddle. I think you could stand to have a little more room but if it’s used fits him well and isn’t going to break the bank and is still comfortable I say go for it.
I am currently in my own saddle adventure (fml) and right now am feeling like my saddle is too small for me. So I guess you have to determine if you can handle the fit. I never should have ridden in the saddle that’s causing my angst bc I love it so much more than mine. Especially after jumping in it.
Grrr, typed a response on my phone then it went poof. I don’t think I’m sitting perfectly straight, especially since these stirrup leathers need to be replaced (been waiting for a new saddle first!) P and I have no big aspirations but to enjoy each others company at his age. We do all kinds of flat work and the occassional small jump. I dislike the Pessoa so much though, that I find myself riding bareback just to avoid sitting in it, lol. I would love for this saddle to fit my next horse, because I know the Butet certainly won’t, but to some extent I know that would be asking a lot. The pictures are a bit false (taken right after I got on), because I was sitting more forward in the saddle and my knee was closer to the front of the flap once I really got going.
Let me say that I LOVE shopping for saddles for other people (I’d do it for a living if I could make $$$ at it) but I despise looking for myself because I’m just too tall. It appears that I need a saddle made for a 6’4″ man with a long thigh…
The saddle I have on trial is only the second 5 flap I’ve ever seen for sale and the other saddle was a wide tree so was out from the beginning.
Are you twisting your left leg forward? Or is the saddle doing that? Look at the stirrup leathers. The right is hanging perfect, the left is shifted forward of the girth and is making your knee slip forward. I wonder if I do the same thing (my pixs looked the same way although I think I was opposite legs).
Did you feel comfortable in this one? I know you mentioned last night that the points seemed to pinch his shoulder, but the ogilivy pad seemed to fix that. Did that feeling continue during the ride?
Yeah, I’m not very straight and my stirrup leathers need to be replaced they are so crooked, lol.
I want to try it with the mattes Friday because it slid back a little. It took me a bit to get used to not feeling cramped but the balance is way better than Pessoa.
It does look on the small side :/
The flap or the seat? I was told the seat was good once I sat in the right spot. Should have gotten new pictures of that probably.
Ps I just added another photo to the post that’s less close up.
Ok nvm, it looks fine now lol
I’m already paranoid, lol. I’m pretty certain the seat size is good, just nervous about flaps. Probably can’t be that picky with my height and finding something used sadly.
Hmmm IMHO your knee looks cramped … but if you are comfortable and feel it fits then thats all that matters. I have super short legs so we have complete opposite problems lol!