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Is the saddle in the attached photo too long for horse?

Just feel for the last rib, follow it up towards the spine and the saddle shouldn't go past that rib. Looks like it could go forward an inch or so but you have to feel for the back of the scapula too.

Thanks for the reply
My mare is so darn hard to fit for a saddle. I plan on having a fitter come out and help us find something that works, but that's a few weeks away.

AGree with Flight, that the saddle looks a bit too far back. But depending on where your horse's ribs fall it may or may not be too long. What size is the seat?

There are some saddles that have special 'pony panels' to accommodate a larger seat size on a smaller back, but I actually suspect your horse won't need that. It does look like she might need panels that are a bit more upswept/curvy however.

17.5
I also wondered about the panels.

Kamama wrote:17.5
I also wondered about the panels.

More than one saddle fitter has told me that nearly any horse can accommodate up to size 18 saddle without it being too long. But of course there are other factors--shape of panel, etc.

There is no replacement for a good fitter in person. but if you are in an area where there are limited choices of fitters with a variety of inventory (only reps, no independnet fitters, for example), you can do tracings and work with Pelham saddlery and/or Trumbull Mountain, I've had good experiences with both and they always have many options in a wide range of prices.

blob, is your experience with Trumbull Mountain recent? I think their customer service may have deteriorated for at least a while after the store was sold several years ago. I remember reading complaints (maybe on another BB) about people having trouble with them, not getting paid after their saddles sold there on commission. Maybe they've improved in the last few years.

FWIW, I'd look into Kitt at Panther Run Saddlery for long distance fitting. She used to work at Trumbull Mountain but has been on her own for quite a while. I have found her blog very helpful in learning about saddle fitting http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/ I have no personal experience with her, but she used to post on a bulletin board when people had fitting questions, and her advice always seemed helpful and well-founded.

Canyon wrote:blob, is your experience with Trumbull Mountain recent? I think their customer service may have deteriorated for at least a while after the store was sold several years ago. I remember reading complaints (maybe on another BB) about people having trouble with them, not getting paid after their saddles sold there on commission. Maybe they've improved in the last few years.

It is not recent! shame to hear there have been issues. My experience with Pelham is much more recent (2 years ago).

Another potential to work with is Flying Star Saddlery. I bought my used Patrick from Kim last year and ended up with a nice fit closely following their video instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhipknaocDg

I'm hoping to be getting the right saddle soon.
Photo of pony from side so you all can see why she is hard to fit.
She is a 20 yo Saddlebred/TWH/Hanoverian.

Hard to find a saddle that won't bridge.

I had a 20 plus thoroughbred with a similar back. Although it wasn’t perfect the best saddle I found for him was an older Otto S….(can’t remember the name) model started with a P. Someone here help my poor memory! Anyway this brand model was very cut back and worked on the dippy back with a mattes half pad with some inserts. Also this horse was wider through the rib cage and narrower in the top line. Although he was a rangy thoroughbred he was sometimes mistaken for a Saddlebred with more bone. He was a very good jumper who also learned dressage through 3rd level in his 20s so that conformation didn’t stop him from being very athletic. Good Luck on your saddle search!

Otto Schumacher?

That’s it! Thank you! It was an Otto Schumacher Profi.