[PSD]

I have a 17.5 inch used PJ Light with the extra long flap. My knee still goes over the fron flap when I am in jump length. I measure 19 inces from the outer hip joint to the outer knee and 18 inches from the back of the knee down to the bottom of my heel.

Can one find a flap long enough for those measurments on a off the shelf saddle? I just don't have the time or money to do a fully custom made saddle. Would going up to 18 inches help? Thanks!!!

[hundredacres]

I think you should try some larger saddles - people always try and put me in a 17" saddle based on my pant size...but I need bigger because of the flap.

[purplnurpl]

I'm just a tad longer than you.
and the answer is no.
sorry.
~you'll need to never sit in anything but an 18". That will help a lot!

then you'll have to buy custom unless you don't mind sitting in a saddle that is a wee-tad small.

I could not afford another 3K+ saddle and bought an off the rack (ebay) 18" Prestige for the hunters.

not terrible but could be better.
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p.../meredith1.jpg

too small. oh well. : )
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p.../meredith2.jpg

here is my custom prestige. I only had 1" added all the way around the flap.
It's actually still small. I should have gone for the XXL.
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...m/eventer2.jpg

then the next issue is finding saddle pads that fit the large saddles.
Award pads don't fit my 18" saddles. Nor do the contoured pads.

[hntrjmprpro45]

I am a bit longer in the legs than you but I have yet to find an off the shelf that'll fit. Personally I dislike going up seat sizes because I find that the balance feels off and usually you won't gain a whole lot in flap length.

My suggestion is to get fitted by a custom dealer (Antares, delgrange, cwd, etc) and then keep an eye out for a used one. It might take a while but you can eventually find the right one that fits you personally and not pay full price. If your like me your saddle size will look more like a street address due to all the numbers and letters

Good luck- I know it really sucks!

[Petstorejunkie]

stay away from french and italian saddles they are designed best for tiny people, and sadly fall short for rider with long model-esque legs.
Don't laugh, but I own a collegiate nobility 17.5" and a passier precision in an 18" that both fit with room to spare in the knee, and I have the same measurements as you. I did fit in the collegiate diploma, but the flap leather made my leg swing

[Bogie]

My femur is longer than yours and I feel your pain. I can't afford custom but I've found a couple of used saddles over the years that were custom made for someone with freakishly long femurs.

Most recently I found a Stackhouse saddle with extra forward, extra long flaps. It's amazing to see my knee right where it belongs!

You might also look at saddles that are for eventing. Some of the XC saddles do have more forward flaps.

If you find a saddle with the right flap configuration you will not need to go up a seat size. A saddle with a flatter seat and with the stirrup bars set back often is the trick.

[woops]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Richard-Castelow...item3f06189bb3

not sure this will work but his saddles are fabulous

[Rhody Ram]

What you need is not a longer flap, it's a forward or extra forward flap. Although you're not in the market for a new french saddle, here's something you may want to consider. CWD and Antares, and perhaps Devoucoux will send saddle reps out for free. That saddle rep can tell you what seat and flap to look for in a used saddle. Then you can stalk ebay/used saddle sites for the exact combination you need. I know that in CWDs, a 2 flap is forward, and 3 is extra forward.

French saddles are not made for tiny people, I don't really understand that comment. But you will definitely have trouble in most/all off the rack saddles, and if you keep upping your seat size to get a flap to fit, you will have even bigger problems. You don't want to be swimming in the seat- it will throw your balance off and make you insecure.

Most used saddles sites, like Ricks Heritage, will send the saddle on trial to you. You can send it back minus the shipping cost if it doesn't work for you.

Good luck

[woops]

The saddle I posted is a very forward flap with a 17 to 17 .5 seat .
Everyone is right do not go up get the right flap

http://cgi.ebay.com/Richard-Castelow...item3f06189bb3

[PSD]

These are all GREAT suggestions!!! I am going to get busy on this right now!!
THANK YOU!!

[hunter-jumper-rider]

I know that in CWDs, a 2 flap is forward, and 3 is extra forward.

This is incorrect. The "2" means standard length, not forwardness. "3" is a slightly longer than average flap......the numbers refer to length, not forwardness.

Example......in an Antares and Devoucoux the more forward saddles (like what you need) will be annotated by an A or AA or even AAA. The more "A's" after the initial flap length number will indicate the level of forwardness in the flaps.

For instance an Antares 3AAA would be a flap that is slightly longer than "average" usually for your 5'7-5'9 height rider or a leggy shorter person.......the flap would be very forward as indicated by all of the A's.

HTH!

[europa]

And...I want your PJ!!

Everyone is giving good suggestions about the forward flap. I hae a custom Exselle Debut Forward flap and I also have a cheapie Ovation Showjumper forward flap. Both fit me great and I am 6 foot.

[Lion1024]

I am actually longer in the femur than you are and searched for awhile to find something "off the rack" that fit me.

In the end, I went with a 17.5" Luc Childeric. It's the M tree with a 3A flap. (forward)

Finding them used is next to impossible, but search and keep searching. They retain their value extremely well if you should decide to buy new.

Something like this:

http://www.horsetopia.com/for-sale/l...addles/l348343

(not my ad). No one is getting mine anytime soon!

[gottagrey]

some of the saddles might have a more forward flap which helps w/ long legs -might take some time unfortunately but often you can tell by looking at the flaps - if it looks like it goes more in a vertical line down then chances are your knee will go over it; if its rounder in the middle - its a bit more forward so might fit the knee better; and different brands fit differently. A couple of ladies at my barn are about 5'6" and fairly thin but they are in 18" saddles from Antares... whereas I'm about an inch shorter, and heavier then than and I fit good in 17" Bates...

you might look at some saddles geared towards eventing as often they have a bit of a more foward flap?

good luck -

[Starhouse]

I measure 19.5" from knee to hip. My entire adult life I've been riding in 17.5" saddles to accommodate my leg and still my knee has ended up in front of the flap. I've also had an awful time with the chair seat issue since in order to get my knee behind the front of the flap, my butt was pushed backward and then my feet ended up out in front of me to keep me in the saddle, but there was just nowhere else for my leg to go.

I ended up getting a 16.5" Stubben Edelweiss NT with a forward flap in their recent sale. I got it for a song and it fits me SO well. It fits my horse well, too! It is a lot different from the saddle I had before it (typical Stubben harder seat) but I am getting used to it. I had a very limited budget but was lucky to find this saddle.

[hntrjmprpro45]

I'll add that I'm a smidgeon longer than you and I fit in a 17.5" 4AAB Antares (extra long and forward) and am a 17.5/18" 6A in the partition (Delgrange).

I vow that when I become really rich and famous, I am going to start a line of products specifically for the taller riders (5'9"+) including off the shelf saddles! I hate having stuff not fit well and I also hate spending a small fortune on custom stuff!

[Arelle]

If you can't afford a new custom - search for a older used whose owner moved on to bigger and/or better things.

I am 5'7'' and from hip to knee I measure 22''. I have been riding in a 17'' Collegiate with knee rolls forever and while I could get away with it for a while, I am in the process of buying a new saddle (Merry Christmas to me).

Anyway, I wasn't sure what I wanted but I've currently got a (drum roll, please) 16'' Beval out that I'm going to be purchasing.

But a 16'' saddle is for a junior rider!

I was surprised, too, but it's a custom and obviously was made for a kid with gangly legs - long and forward flaps. Because of the way I'm built, it fits me properly and I no longer slip and slide in the seat and lose control of my leg on a too small flap.

If you have somewhere to go with a variety of saddles that would be your best bet - I've found it's like shoes, I can wear a 5 in some brands and a 7 in others.

Best of luck!

[Rhody Ram]

This is incorrect. The "2" means standard length, not forwardness. "3" is a slightly longer than average flap......the numbers refer to length, not forwardness.

Example......in an Antares and Devoucoux the more forward saddles (like what you need) will be annotated by an A or AA or even AAA. The more "A's" after the initial flap length number will indicate the level of forwardness in the flaps.

For instance an Antares 3AAA would be a flap that is slightly longer than "average" usually for your 5'7-5'9 height rider or a leggy shorter person.......the flap would be very forward as indicated by all of the A's.

HTH!

Sorry, I only posted that because I had a CWD rep come out last week and that's what he told me.

[horseymichelle]

You shouldn't have too difficult of a time finding a used French saddle with the extra forward flap. They are fairly common, even the AAs come up from time to time. Keep in mind that when looking at CWDs, they use "C" for forward instead of "A" like Antares and Devoucoux.

If you can afford to buy a used French saddle with a flap that fits, I would definitely recommend doing that. Buying a saddle with a larger seat so that your leg fits the flap better is not ideal - you can definitely have the best of both worlds - a saddle that fits your leg and seat.

I am very long from hip to knee as well, and until I sat in a Devoucoux for the first time, my knee always hung off the front. It is such a relief to have a saddle that fits!

[Go Fish]

stay away from french and italian saddles they are designed best for tiny people, and sadly fall short for rider with long model-esque legs.

Oh, baloney.

You don't need a longer flap, you need a more forward flap.