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Discussion on Collegiate saddles?
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 9:33 am:
Good morning! I'm in the process of looking for a new saddle for my large TB (built like a warmblood). He went fabulously in a dressage saddle for 2 months. When I tried my new close contact wide tree saddle for a month, he was no longer happy, and hopped around like he was lame. The vet did an exam, and did a chiropractic adjustment. He told me I need a medium tree saddle (wide was coming down too far and pinching him). I told him about my horse going so well in the dressage saddle, and he recommended I try an all-purpose style saddle. Problem is, all of them that I've tried so far don't fit me. I'm very long from hip to knee, so my knee pokes out past the flap by 1-2" and with raised leathers for jumping, would be even further. I'm looking at the Collegiate Convertible close contact saddles with the interchangeable gullet system, which would give him more room in the shoulder area. Does anyone have any experience with these types of saddles or recommend another brand that would give him plenty of room in the gullet & channel? Thanks!
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Member:
cpacer
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 10:20 am:
I just got the Collegiate Senior Eventer with the changeable gullet and absolutely love it! I wanted a dressage saddle but I couldn't find one in brown and they are very pricey, so I got this Eventer. It has a pretty nice deep seat and adjusts easily to fit various horse sizes. I have read a few reviews of people reporting a chair seat with this saddle, but most are able to correct it. The only other negative is that I don't think it has wool flocking, but you can have it wool flocked for only about $100, which I'm going to do once it's more apparent how it's wearing to my horse.
You could probably do a test ride from Dover, but I got a great deal on mine from a store online (can't remember the name now, but could look it up if you're interested). Saddle, gullet change system, and Collegiate bridle for only $995, with no charge for tax or shipping.
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Member:
dwinans
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 11:43 am:
Coincidentally, a close friend of mine just bought a Collegiate Convertible close contact for her warmblood. She had a saddle fitter bring a bunch of saddles and this was the best fitting one in her budget. He has a very flat back and wide withers - the medium tree fits well right now but she can put the medium-wide tree in if he bulks up at all. She is very happy with it. She said it's very comfortable. She is not very tall so she has the regular flap but I believe you can get a long flap.
One thing you should be aware of is that if your horse doesn't have a flat back it probably wouldn't fit.
She test rode one from the local tack shop and then found the deal on the Dover website so she bought that one.
Good luck!
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 12:14 pm:
Thanks for the feedback. I did a withers tracing last night (a few actually) and took some pictures of his back, which I'll tack to the local Dover shop this weekend. Attached is one of the pics-it's not ideal since he's eating, but gives a pretty good view of his back. Is this what's considered a flat back? 
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Member:
dwinans
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 12:23 pm:
Good photo of his back.
No, I would not say that is a flat back. See how it dips down after the withers and then back up again?
It may still be worth a try but the saddle fitter said the Collegiate fit my friend's horse so well because he didn't have that dip at all - his back was straight across.
I would definitely recommended test riding it first before ordering it. If you don't, you may have to send it back.
I learned a lot from the saddle fitter - there are many, many variables in saddle fitting - not just the withers. It was worth the $50 he charged. The local tack stores here will do a free saddle fitting but I found he was worth the money because he was independent and MUCH more knowledgeable.
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Member:
dwinans
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 12:25 pm:
Nicole,
I just looked at the photo in your profile - is that your horse that you are fitting? If so, his back looks flatter there - maybe the closeup photo was a little deceiving because it didn't have everything in proportion.
Good luck!
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 1:09 pm:
Hi, Dawn. Yup, that's my boy in my profile (pic was taken 3 years ago). Here's another pic of him taken last year and you can see the dip there too. I think the closeup is a little deceiving because he's eating and probably not standing level. He hasn't been in regular work in about a year (he's accident prone) and is 150 pounds overweight, so his back shape will change some. He's pretty sore in his back still, so I have to wait another week or two before riding him again. The vet's having me do the tummy tickles to get him to raise his back up (which he doesn't like-hard for him to do).
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Member:
dwinans
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 1:26 pm:
I think his back is similar to my friend's horse. He was sore because of the too-wide tree that she was using also. She just exercised him by lunging for a couple of weeks, had a massage therapist work on him, and then when he seemed like he felt better started riding him with the Collegiate. She said he was a different horse with the new saddle.
Love your horse - I love "plain paper bag" bays (look at my photo on my profile). How tall is he?
BTW - I don't think he looks overweight at all - but I hate skinny horses.
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 1:57 pm:
Thanks! I'm partial to him myself. Your guy is very handsome, too! Bobcat's 16.2 1/2 and weighs 1,456. The vet wants him closer to 1,300. I like him on the plumper side, but since he has DJD in his hocks, better to not let him be too fat. We cut his grain back hard, and he's now wearing a grazing muzzle (out on good pasture for 10-12 hours a day).
CP-thanks, I found the Senior Event on line and saw the good deal on it. I'm hoping to try one out this weekend. (It claims it's wool flocked, btw.)
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Member:
cpacer
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 3:34 pm:
I thought it was then heard it wasn't and never checked-up on it again. Glad to hear it!
That's one big horse!
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Member:
maggienm
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Posted on Sunday, May 20, 2007 - 12:32 pm:
nIce looking horse. I am in the process of looking for asaddle also. May I recommend a book called,"Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book".
Not only did I learn much about fitting a saddle I learned about back anatomy, how a saddle can affect a horse performance, how to recognize pain and changes in gait or performance that could be related to back/saddle pain and also about saddle construction and how that helps determine fit for different horse types.
All this in an easy to read format.
The book is written by Joyce Harmon, I ordered it off the 'net.
I feel much more qualified now to make such a significant purchase.
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 8:49 am:
Thanks, Lori. My friend has the book you mentioned, so I'll be able to borrow it from her. I borrowed one of the wintec/bates/collegiate tree/gullet measuring tools yesterday, but he was off the chart. I placed it 2" behind the end of his shoulder. His withers don't take up the room in the tool, it's his shoulders that spread it so far apart. Maybe I'm not doing it correctly?
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Member:
maggienm
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Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 6:24 pm:
Well, I am not sure about the tool you are using.
When you measure the withers are you measureing the highest spot of the wither?
Do the directions for the tool say to measure the shoulders two inches behind the shoulder to measure the shoulder?
That doesn't seem to make sense...
The book also talks about how to take measurements.
Right now I am looking at a Gilbert Passier, it fits us both quite well.
I rode a lesson in it the first time I used it, I wasn't the least bit sore, stiff and boy could I get my leg right.
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 8:22 am:
I was using the tool incorrectly. Imagine there being directions on the back of the thing! Duh! I practiced measuring my old saddle, which I know doesn't fit, and it measured a narrow (which I know to be right). You're supposed to put the points of the tool on the saddle where the tree points are, then position the points exactly on their back where the tree points would be. I called a saddle fitter yesterday and as soon as my assortment of saddles come in, and his back gets better, I'm going to have her come out. I've gotten the last 2 saddles wrong, and want to make sure I get it right this time.
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Member:
cgby1
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Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 2:41 pm:
Hi Nicole, Just thought that I would add my 2 cents. My mare is a 5/8 thoroughbred Quarter cross and I bought a GT Passier dressage saddle in a medium-wide tree and it fits her great. I have been using it for about 2 months now and she is showing no signs of soreness. My old all purpose saddle was a passier medium tree and I have never had problems with it. I also have an arab gelding and both the saddles fit him as well. I hope you find the right size for both of you. Cynthia
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Monday, Jul 16, 2007 - 8:57 pm:
Thought I'd post an update-I ended up with a Collegiate Convertible close contact "Diploma." I took Bobcat out to the vet for another chiropractic adjustment 2 weeks ago and took 3 medium tree saddles for the vet to check the fit. Took an HDR Rivella, the Collegiate, and an expensive Pessoa XP3 that also has the changeable tree system. The HDR did not fit at all-rocked back & forth on his back, and the Pessoa was too wide, though it was a medium tree. The Collegiate fit and was the one I liked best. The vet liked the fact that I can change the tree if I need to.
Had to get 1/2" bigger in the seat than I needed and a long flap to accommodate my long hip-to-knee measurement. I've ridden in the Collegiate a few times-it's comfortable and the quality appears to be good. I've checked the saddle pad after the workouts, and the dirt/sweat marks are even on both sides of the white pads. Oh, and he's lost 147 pound, looks very handsome, and is back in work!
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