[jumpingmaya]

So I am hoping that the COTH expertise can help me
I am 5'9" and am ALL LEGS... well let me rephrase, my tibia (knee to foot area) is normal... but I am very very long from hip to knee...
Currently shopping for a new saddle... because my current saddle fits my horse but however not so much... me... Tried a Tad Coffin last night and . It felt like where the stirrup leather is attached was way far forward for how I am built (this was a forward flap, trying a regular flap this weekend). This was throwing me very forward and I fought the motion the whole time... Back and shoulders were killing me by the time I got off. So does anyone know of any brands/models that have the stirrup leather attachment set back more (not so forward on the saddle).... I am looking for a saddle that offers some security over 4' plus fences... Considering contacting CWD to see what their insight is. I am in Tampa, Florida and know their is a rep in the Palm Beach area. Also, need a saddle with a wide tree and wither clearance (the TC isn't so great on the wither clearance side...)
Thanks in a advance
I can't possibly be the only one with this kind of problem

[hunterhorse22]

I had the same problem! I'm 5'8 and all leg. I have a really long thigh and I had trouble finding a saddle that was proportionate to me. I currently have a Crosby Centennial w/ an extra long flap and medium-wide tree. I've had it for about 5 years and love it. I have two warmbloods that it fits well and I really like it. At the time I didn't have the budget for a CWD, Butet etc. and I found this saddle worked well for me and my pockets- something that was hard to come by! If I could afford something more custom, I certainly would go that route, but like I said, my budget was limited and my horses were young so I couldn't see spending $5000 on a saddle that may not have fit my horses a year or two down the road. Good luck in your search!

[sch1star]

I'm several inches shorter than you overall but am also very long hip to knee. I had the same off-balance results as you with many saddles I tried. I settled on a County Symmetry (now called a Stabilizer I think) with a larger seat size than my butt would suggest. It's kept me 100% stable and in balance over 3'7" in the stadium ring and also Prelim xc. I think the style would also be acceptable in h/j.

Good luck, saddle searching is one of my least fave tasks. Bring on horse searching any day!

[jumpingmaya]

Good to know I'm not the only one
I've been fighting the motion riding for so long that I feel I could be a much more effective rider if I had a saddle that really fit "ME"...
I'm going to try to get a hold of a CWD rep. Would be very happy to find a saddle that is 1-2 years old... but if it takes me going brand new in order to work... oh well.... Does anyone feel like the stirrup leather attachment is to far forward in certain saddles?
This then throws my knee pretty much over the saddle flap (and the TC that I rode in for example yesterady was a long flap.... even though it's a beautiful saddle)
Ahmmmm....
Thanks for the help... it is greatly appreciated!!!

[Liver Yang Rising]

Battling with the same issue myself. Have a Pessoa saddle that fits my horse like velcro, I love it very much, but wish the stirrup bars could be moved back.

Can this be modified on an existing saddle? Wondering. Gonna ask the saddle maker down the road . . .

[xabbracadabra]

I had the same problem as you. I ended up getting a Beval Devon with a long flap. However, if you don't like flat saddles it is not the saddle for you

[sisu27]

Ok, I have this problem too coupled with a big shouldered horse (I need forward flap...it bugs him). I love my saddle but am now wondering if the problems I am now having with my jumping postion might not have something to do with the position of the stirrup bars??? I have never had this problem before this horse and this saddle (been riding for...20ish years). I don't have a good pic of the saddle but here it is:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...03114374oVUGGd

My saddle fitter spent some time making sure it was a good fit for the horse but she didn't see me ride in it. How do you judge where they should be in relation to your leg?? When leg is in correct position leather should hang perfectly straight??? I hadn't even considered this problem.

[pandasgirl]

I am the same height as you, and have the same problem. I searched for years, literally, years, for a saddle worth buying. I lucked out with a used Antares that fits like a glove. It is a long, forward flap (4AB for French saddles I believe). I found that similar well-made saddles with a knee pad tended to fit me much better, and like you, i wanted the extra security over a larger jump. It also might help to find a close contact saddle with a bit deeper seat. I have discovered that the balance point is a little further back, and the stirrup bar tends to sit a smidge further back as well. Not a deep-seated saddle, but not a super flat like the Tad coffins tend to be. Maybe try some of the new Pessoas, they were my next choice before I lucked out with a gently used Antares (Devoucoux is also very nice, but pricey).


Good Luck!!!

[bornfreenowexpensive]

funny...you and I are the same height and have the same issue. I ended going custom....a custom Stackhouse. http://www.stackhousesaddles.com/stackhousesaddle.html Worth its weight in gold. It was really an issue for me jumping bigger fences...I also event so the bigger drops xc were also difficult. I struggled to find anything off the shelf that fit my horses (big shoulders) and my leg and put me in the right balance. You really need a forward flap....but if they just add a forward flap without adjusting the balance....it really didn't work for me over the bigger fences (I would start feeling the issue first xc and then over anything bigger than 3'6"). My custom saddle fits so great that I use it for both stadium and xc.

[twiggy38]

I am also 5'9" with a long upper leg. I have an 17.5 Antares with the long flap and a medium tree so it seems to fit most horses. If you don't have the budget call Antares and see what they have in returns or I see saddles all the time on my local craigslist.org

[Easton]

My daughter has the very same problem. Was told it was the longest length ever measured!! Purchased an Antares, had always owned Butets (4) before. I felt Antares was excellent and she LOVES the saddle and will never change. Their customer service was perfect. And, fit the rider and horses perfectly. We're VERY Happy. Had to try many different saddles but they were determined to get the correct fit. Good Luck!

[seejp083]

I also had really good luck with a Crosby Centennial saddle - mine had extra long, extra forward flaps and fit my legs really well. Now, I'm riding in a Jeffries Flyover (I event and love the Flyover's monoflap design and feel for xc), however, I had to get a 19" seat to accomodate my long legs (I used a 17.5 in the Crosby). Best of luck!

[trakehner013]

My sister is also very tall(around 6')and she got a bevel butet and she loves it.

[Irish Ei's]

County Stabilizer here....

Seat size is ALL about that leg length, not Butt size...

[mango1612]

You whiners! I'm 6'0"!
Kidding, kidding.

Seriously, though, mine is a county stabilizer with a long forward flap. I've had it for a while now, so I don't remember the ones I did try. Before this saddle, it was a county with a long flap, the long forward flap was definitely the way to go for me.

[Bogie]

6' here with "freakishly long femurs" according to one of my trainers.

I have a County Extreme that you couldn't pay me enough for, especially as they stopped making that model.

[neigh.neigh]

Try Beval Butet
I love them

[Go Fish]

Forward flap, not necessarily long flap. Stirrup bars set back. You may also need a seat 1/2" to 1" larger than you'd normally ride. I got this set up on my semi-custom PJ and it's pretty near perfect, but my knee hangs over on my Tad Coffin, even though it's the most forward flap he makes. It's because you can't get the bars set back on this saddle (at least you couldn't back when I bought mine).

[lohsela]

Hi! I'm 5'8" and have really long thighs too... I ended up with a Prestige Meredith... I had trouble fitting it to my narrow TB, but had a saddle fitter take out the foam and flock it with wool... works great now for both of us!! Oh, did I mention that I needed an 18" seat and a +2 forward flap!! But the saddle balance is great and really secure for jumping the bigger fences... GOOD LUCK!

[jumpingmaya]

Thank you so much everyone
I know I'm not the tallest one out there... but just unproportioned I guess!
My old trainer used to tell me I was built like the perfect thoroughbred... Short cannon bone and long femur Always made me laugh!
I'm going to check out the Stackhouse, Antares, Devoucoux and CWD... and weigh out my options. Thanks very much for everyone's feedback!
Finding the perfect for me plus the beast sure is a challenge... but will be well worth every penny when we can both be comfortable!!!