Working hunter saddle recommendations??

[kate1984]

What working hunter saddles have you got?
Are this type of saddle suitable for jumping open tracks??
Any recommendations please for make etc...

[sectiondcrazy]

Iv got an Oakfield Sanatana...very comfy and also looks good in the flat classes
xx

[vikki85]

I have an M&M GP from native pony saddlery. I personally find standard WH style saddles to straight cut for the larger courses, but other people seem to cope so I guess it depends on you and the horse/pony

[livtom]

I had an oakfield made for my boy last Christmas, it was made for me based on a workers saddle but had the side flaps cut a bit straighter so we can use it in the flat classes too, also had suede seat and knee rolls.

[lfd]

i had an oakfield santana made and hated it ended up changing it for a Fylde Majorie (which i most definatley couldnt jump an open track in!) but the Fylde Ray looks a lovely saddle and is quite popular with the workers i think

[keepsake]

I have a Black Country Grafter saddle! Fantastic saddles!

[livtom]

I love fylde but found them too close contact for the larger tracks

[sbloom]

It will of course depend on the shape of your horse - we do WH saddles on four different trees for example! Our adult models are very straight cut as vikki85 says so many people do buy our GP model instead - you need it to be need and low profile for it to look totally suitable for showing, if you like the picture to be right . A square cantle helps.

I would say I have an equal number of clients doing open workers in WH and GP saddles. What I will say is that many showing saddles, WH included, don't offer much protection for the horse from the tree - a decent, "only" semi close contact panel, is much kinder and offers more scope for adjusting the fit. The ultra close contact ones are often foam which is less adjustable - over time the tree points can even be felt through them! - and tend to sit cantle low, so they don't always spread the rider's weight well.

[kate1984]

Who does everyone recommend to fit these saddles?

[baggygirl]

I use a pessoa and a fylde majorie ( i think) for open workers and eventing

[vikki85]

Native pony saddlery have their own team of fitters, sbloom is one of them

[farrellperdi]

I do open workers in a saddle company close contact jump, it's buffalo leather with suede seat and knees, I also have dressage girth straps on it for a closer feel on the flat.
I love it and being 6ft 2" I can't jump an open course in any WH saddle. Tried the saddle company's, most of the Flyde models etc... However I have found alot of people doing workers are going for a VSD which often tends to me somewhere inbetween a WH and a GP.
I think it's all down to the rider and the horse. As my maxi cob is just too big at the shoulder to have a jump saddle so I have to make do in a WH for working cob!