|
|
Post by natlee93 on Oct 19, 2014 21:56:25 GMT
Lookin at the thorn deluxe saddle pad for my welsh cobs and connemaras for showing and some whp does anyone use them and what's your experiences? They seem ideal but just wanting opinions
|
|
|
|
Post by dancer on Oct 19, 2014 22:11:59 GMT
We have the Thorn Deluxe Plus & my daughter loves it - even chooses it over her new treed saddle  ?! Both ponies she rides in it move more freely, & have given a real 'extension' for the first time in years & she completed the Badminton Fun Ride I. It (complete with jumps!). Thinking about buying the standard version as an every day saddle & keeping the Deluxe for show days! |
|
|
|
Post by highlanderlass on Oct 19, 2014 22:47:07 GMT
I also have one and both my ponies are moving so much better since buying it. It doesn't seem to move, which was an issue we previously had. Both jockeys and ponies love it!
|
|
|
|
Post by titch on Oct 19, 2014 23:26:10 GMT
Do you need special numnahs, girths or leathers to go with them ? I am thinking of getting one.
|
|
|
|
Post by Philippa on Oct 20, 2014 6:10:28 GMT
Thorn do make leathers and births with flatter buckles for the pads.
I'm still undecided after trying one. I love the pads and they look great but I'm yet to commit!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by angscott on Oct 20, 2014 11:16:27 GMT
My daughter loves hers, and so do the ponies - they go so much freer in them :-)
|
|
|
|
Post by heidi1 on Oct 20, 2014 11:39:52 GMT
Again my daughter loves ours. We have a deluxe pad which I managed to source second hand and our Welsh A moves much better and is much happier in it than he was in his treed saddle. We have no issue with ours moving and my daughter canters, gallops and jumps in hers. We use a standard girth and fortunately the courtlea we had for our previous saddle fits it.
|
|
|
|
Post by dancer on Oct 20, 2014 18:44:00 GMT
We use a standard girth & stirrup leathers (you need safety stirrups as they attach to loops rather than bars) & a thick quilted, fleece lined Mattes numnah with shims to provide some padding!
|
|
|
|
Post by lottiemayday on Oct 20, 2014 20:08:34 GMT
Had nothing but trouble with our "proper" saddle constantly moving and hurting pony's back...first day in her thorn pad she was like a different pony couldn't believe it...my 4 year old and 2 year old seem to have a more secure seat as well...I even had a little go the other day and was surprised at how comfey it was...really rate them happy pony and rider what more could u want xx
|
|
|
|
Post by muggley on Oct 20, 2014 21:02:28 GMT
Will these soon become the new 'In Thing' in the show ring? I have been riding in Shetland pads of various styles for years and to be honest I do much, much prefer them. I have never tried a Thorn Saddle but I do agree that ponies tend to move out better in treeless saddles. The rider however must be well balanced and not thump up and down as here really is very little between them and the ponies back.
|
|
|
|
Post by Louise Dixon on Oct 21, 2014 6:41:04 GMT
I got the Thorn girth too to go with our pad as thought the les sbulk under my tiny lttle boy's tiny twg legs the better, and I am very mpressed wth the quality and value for money.
Agree that safety stirrups are essential due to closed stirrup bar. My son is so tiny we are using top quality spur straps instead of stirrup leathers, but he only weighs 13kg.
|
|
|
|
Post by Louise Dixon on Oct 21, 2014 6:45:26 GMT
Sorry abot the typng somethng has happened to m key board!
|
|
|
|
Post by nici on Oct 21, 2014 8:10:07 GMT
Is it a sign of an overweight pony that the only thing that fits is a flat pad? It's certainly the case with the Welsh C mare we've recently acquired - my daughter is riding her in a Shires Shetland pad because her back is so wide and very very flat. This is only a temporary measure though as I think it's unhealthy for a pony to have such a flat back with no visible spine or withers, and the pony is on a diet and exercise programme to help her lose the excess blubber. Once she has lost enough weight to be able to get a saddle to fit properly we will get one for her. I would worry about using a flat pad on our other Cs, which are both fit and in much healthier condition than the new one, as it would rub on their withers and put pressure on their spines. They both have treed saddles, properly fitted by our local saddler.
|
|
|
|
Post by natlee93 on Oct 21, 2014 9:08:51 GMT
Is it a sign of an overweight pony that the only thing that fits is a flat pad? It's certainly the case with the Welsh C mare we've recently acquired - my daughter is riding her in a Shires Shetland pad because her back is so wide and very very flat. This is only a temporary measure though as I think it's unhealthy for a pony to have such a flat back with no visible spine or withers, and the pony is on a diet and exercise programme to help her lose the excess blubber. Once she has lost enough weight to be able to get a saddle to fit properly we will get one for her. I would worry about using a flat pad on our other Cs, which are both fit and in much healthier condition than the new one, as it would rub on their withers and put pressure on their spines. They both have treed saddles, properly fitted by our local saddler. Problem is for showing condition has to be on top form and I try to stick to the lowest end of needing condition however even in winter my ponies still don't have withers that's including my ds my connemaras and my b's there is only my 15yr old b that has a wither and especially in winter they live out unrugged and unfed so loose a considerable amount of weight yet still no wither to be seen I currently have fylde and Farringtons saddles that fit fine but it's more of a personal choice of wanting to feel the horse more underneath especially for my youngsters I don't think I exactly 'need' one its more for my choice and if it helps them move freer then it's a done deal for me to go ahead and buy was just wanting to see if anyone had any bad experiences but so far no one has |
|
|
|
Post by maddiesmum on Oct 21, 2014 11:37:04 GMT
I cannot recommend them enough!! It fits anything, so a massive saving for us having multiple ponies, I have gone from 4 saddles to 1 pad!!
My daughter does everything in it from pony club camp to HOYS qualifiers. And it is fabulous for encouraging an independent seat & correct position.
|
|
|
|
Post by dancer on Oct 21, 2014 12:31:29 GMT
Is it a sign of an overweight pony that the only thing that fits is a flat pad? It's certainly the case with the Welsh C mare we've recently acquired - my daughter is riding her in a Shires Shetland pad because her back is so wide and very very flat. This is only a temporary measure though as I think it's unhealthy for a pony to have such a flat back with no visible spine or withers, and the pony is on a diet and exercise programme to help her lose the excess blubber. Once she has lost enough weight to be able to get a saddle to fit properly we will get one for her. I would worry about using a flat pad on our other Cs, which are both fit and in much healthier condition than the new one, as it would rub on their withers and put pressure on their spines. They both have treed saddles, properly fitted by our local saddler. Problem is for showing condition has to be on top form and I try to stick to the lowest end of needing condition however even in winter my ponies still don't have withers that's including my ds my connemaras and my b's there is only my 15yr old b that has a wither and especially in winter they live out unrugged and unfed so loose a considerable amount of weight yet still no wither to be seen I currently have fylde and Farringtons saddles that fit fine but it's more of a personal choice of wanting to feel the horse more underneath especially for my youngsters I don't think I exactly 'need' one its more for my choice and if it helps them move freer then it's a done deal for me to go ahead and buy was just wanting to see if anyone had any bad experiences but so far no one has One of ours is a Section C & even when he drops weight over the winter he never has any withers to speak of! We have had several saddles 'fitted' & made for him over the years (including very popular showing saddles) & they have given him nothing but problems, resulting in almost a year off having physio for muscle damage  When he was ridden in a treed saddle he would walk with his neck twisted to the side as soon as it was removed but from day 1 in the pad he has moved straight after being ridden so for us that is enough proof that he is more comfortable - obviously each pony is different & the pad won't suit all of them  |
|
|
|
Post by Louise Dixon on Oct 21, 2014 13:23:40 GMT
Re Nici's point, possibly. However, the reason we went for a Thorn pad for our smaller shetland was that he is very narrow for a shetland with considerable wither, and the cub he came with was too wide even moving the pads to the narrowest, and rocked from side to side, and the Thorn pad was much cheaper than having a treed saddled made to measure, with the advantage of being able to move it on to the next pony.
|
|
|
|
Post by nici on Oct 21, 2014 13:41:06 GMT
I agree Shetlands can be a difficult shape for a saddle, hence they've traditionally been ridden a lot in pads (which is why I happened to have the Shires pad available in my tackroom for our new girl!) I remain to be convinced for other ponies though - maybe our new girl will convince me, if we don't succeed in getting her to what I would consider to be a healthy pony shape. In the 4 weeks or so that we've had her, she's gone from having a significant gutter on her back to having a flat back, so I remain confident we will be able to get a proper saddle for her before too long. We will certainly need something better than the Shires pad - it's proving a useful reminder to my daughter about the importance of remaining balanced in the saddle, but she definitely wants a real saddle before taking the pony hunting.
|
|
|
|
Post by highlanderlass on Oct 21, 2014 17:06:06 GMT
I have to say that my Dartmoor was harder to fit than my Shetland. We were fast running out of ideas after having saddle fitters tell us that what we had 'would do' when it most certainly wouldn't - as he demonstrated to us. I was extremely disappointed as we are limited with saddle fitters where I live. We decided to try the pad until our Dartmoor finished maturing and then looking down the route of a made to measure. He is a totally different pony in the pad, definitely more comfortable and moving freer which will do for both us and him just now.
|
|
|
|
Post by muggley on Oct 21, 2014 17:06:23 GMT
Only the welsh cob here has a wither - dartmoor, fell, numerous shetlands, welsh B and the C I had years qgo have never had visible withers.
It's not just native ponies though. My tb moves so much better bareback than in any saddle he has ever had. Unfortunately I can't see a ride just being too impressed with being presented a saddle pad to ride in!
|
|
|
|
Post by dancer on Oct 21, 2014 19:03:13 GMT
Unfortunately I can't see a ride just being too impressed with being presented a saddle pad to ride in! Unfortunately I think you're probably right although the pony's comfort should come before the judge's preference! Having said that I would now be very wary of entering classes with a ride judge (we don't come across many in Native classes) as they would need to be light balanced riders! |
|
|
|
Post by hedgehopper on Oct 21, 2014 19:45:39 GMT
I tried various makes of saddles, all fitted professionally, for my slim but non withered fell,she was never comfortable and I spent a fortune on Physio,so tried a thorn pad and have never looked back. I use it for everything, showing, hunting,sponsored rides and jumping. I use an ordinary girth, just much shorter, and thin numnah except when showing. Keeps your bum warm too!
|
|
|
|
Post by ashleighjones on Oct 22, 2014 20:53:58 GMT
I'm looking to order a thorn saddle pad for my welsh c. Just wondering how sizing works? She has an 18" Fylde Samantha at the moment so would I order an 18" pad? I've seen nothing but great reviews for these pads so I'm really excited about getting one
|
|
|
|
Post by dancer on Oct 22, 2014 21:04:26 GMT
We had an 18 Haydon but I think the Fylde saddles come up small so bought a 17" Thorn, although you may be OK with 18" because it's flexible so no pressure from the cantle |
|
|
|
Post by cholderton on Oct 23, 2014 18:57:25 GMT
Fabulous little pads! My daughter (age 19) has been riding in one for years. She uses it on her full up Shetland, 13-2 Exmoor, and even occasionally her 16hh dressage horse! She does EVERYTHING in it, and all the horses prefer it, and go so much better.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kerbeck on Oct 27, 2014 11:43:11 GMT
I am thinking about ordering one of these for one of my fells, he is really difficult to fit a saddle to as he has a very very wide but short rib cage and everything we have had him in moves! Even now he is a good weight and fit we still have problems, has anyone got a picture of their pony in one?
|
|
|
|
Post by dancer on Oct 27, 2014 21:44:06 GMT
Did you just want a picture of the saddle on a pony or an actual action shot?
|
|
|
|
Post by clipclop1 on Nov 2, 2014 17:16:34 GMT
I have just got one for my fell, every saddle I got for him went up his neck. I love it I have been hunting in it today and was amazed at his comfy it was thought I might have been uncomfy but I wasn't |
|
|
|
Post by titch on Jan 7, 2015 12:35:00 GMT
Any photos of ponies being ridden in these?
|
|
|
|
Post by dancer on Jan 7, 2015 22:41:39 GMT
|
|
?!
