>>> Ofeig is now backed and being ridden on the lead rein for 5 mins at a >>> time. The problem is she is so wide that Corrie's saddle (Wintec >>> adjustable) is still too narrow with the new extra wide gullet. I need to get an inexpensive saddle that can be adjusted as she grows and will allow her to move.
I've been there and sooo done that! I went throught the Wintec gullets - the standard gullets are all too narrow for any of my Icelandics except some of the youngest ones. The Wintec Wide has a spinal channel for warmbloods or drafts - too wide and just not shaped right for any except the very largest ones. The Balance Saddles are nice, but pricey (very good quality though) and many of them were too long for Sina's short back - but I liked them. The Heather Moffet Fhoenix was just ok, but very pricey...but it's waaaay too thick for a person with a long torso, putting their center of gravity too high above the horse. (That killed it for Cary.) My experience is that a 4-5 year-old Icelandic will still widen by several cm, making most treed saddles that fit at five worthless by age 6 or 7. The best answer I've found for Icelandic's is the Sensation. They are stable for the rider, so comfy for horse and rider, and they have no rigid parts to dig in. I know there are dealers in the UK, so see if you can get a demo. I hope you don't have to go through the pain (and expense) that I did to find a saddle! My 6'2", 235-pound husband and I (5'0" 138 pounds) both ride in them, so they can accommodate a variety of rider sizes. We sometimes put a treed saddle on our young horses intially, but basically we start them in treeless saddles, usually the Sensations. Karen Thomas, NC
