tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post6086420098728486811..comments2022-11-02T04:00:01.341-04:00Comments on ...Upon a White Horse: Ladies of Comfortable PorportionsSmartAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06219182373225762230noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-70675709706913525672011-09-25T08:46:22.456-04:002011-09-25T08:46:22.456-04:00I hope you read new comments on old posts...
I fou...I hope you read new comments on old posts...<br />I found the woman selling the Pretal. it's still for sale. She also has a 23" M&M for sale. I found her on the ISSO facebook page. She's emailing me pictures of both, if you'd like me to forward them on to you I can. you can probably get my email from this comment, but I'll post it discretely (damn bots!) lexwells AT gmail DOT com.<br />Good luck on your saddle search, I've just started.Lexiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12332936223545104003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-43609483213771996302011-02-20T20:08:00.509-05:002011-02-20T20:08:00.509-05:00Let's try this without the typos...
Besides p...Let's try this without the typos...<br /><br />Besides padding and fit to the horse, I'm sure both my position and posture are affecting how the seat size works for me. I need to learn to straighten (and strengthen) my lower back. Every saddle I've ever owned, I've sat on the back edge and let my pelvis tip back. A clinician I saw back before my teen years would have called it not a "chair seat", but a "toilet seat". <br /><br />When I referred to this saddle as a "starter saddle" both the seller and the saddle had a bird... are you reading this Kathie and Lillian? <br /><br />Buying a saddle, sight unseen, from thousands of miles away, having not sat in a side saddle for lo these many years (as in 25) is bound to start you on the far end of the learning curve. Which, I fully accept. It's a process.SmartAlexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06219182373225762230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-76366585896885656692011-02-20T20:06:28.711-05:002011-02-20T20:06:28.711-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.SmartAlexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06219182373225762230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-55421448181142559562011-02-20T13:15:54.149-05:002011-02-20T13:15:54.149-05:00Sometimes though Robin you get stuck between a roc...Sometimes though Robin you get stuck between a rock and a hard place :( There are very few sidesaddles available in New Zealand, and when I was looking the few I found were usually in appalling condition (and we have no saddlers to restore them) and very narrow.<br />Unfortunately the sidesaddle community is not very obliging here and they will not lend or loan out sidesaddles, so if you want to "have a go" you have to find a cheap starter sidesaddle. My Elan got me going, fitted me & my horse and confirmed I had the sidesaddle disease! lol Then I saved up my pennies for my current sidesaddle.<br />My long term goal is the win the lottery and go shoppin at Leila's favourite tack shop and take arm loads of sidesaddles back to NZ... :)Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17131270953218930833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-26400578009060941732011-02-19T17:40:48.583-05:002011-02-19T17:40:48.583-05:00Tell me this...would you pay good money for any ot...Tell me this...would you pay good money for any other saddle that was Pakistani made? I saw an Elan that a sidesaddler had split down the center with a bandsaw so you could see right down to the tree. I couldn't believe how terrible the construction was. And don't get me started on the quality of the leather.<br /><br />I read this yesterday on the net, "There's no such thing as a good cheap saddle or a cheap good saddle."<br /><br />I'm afraid that sentiment is true pertaining to all aspects of horse owning.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15873896030893234257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-87463936232018159462011-02-19T01:01:23.581-05:002011-02-19T01:01:23.581-05:00I am 5'8" and my sidesaddle is a 21"...I am 5'8" and my sidesaddle is a 21". It could have ideally been another inch longer, a 22" would have been much more comfortable BUT my mare is only little and as it is I worry I am too far over her loin. <br /><br />I had a 22" Elan which was comfy & workable but the quality of it nearly made me cry, especially when I waited for so long for it to come from the States... I did wonder what the quality of them is like these days (I got mine about 6 yrs ago) a local girl has just ordered one and I would hate to see her as disappointed as I was.Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17131270953218930833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-24907009759005862202011-02-18T16:54:48.037-05:002011-02-18T16:54:48.037-05:00Having seen the photos in your posts I have a hard...Having seen the photos in your posts I have a hard time believing that you need a 23". There are so many factors involved in saddle fit other than seat length and width. I know it's a pain, but the best thing you can do is arrange for a professional sidesaddle fitting. Yes, it means hauling your horse for hours, but that is something that I do yearly for reflocking even though it involves extra expenses for motels and stabling. But if you end up buying a saddle that doesn't work you've spent far more; I wouldn't be in a hurry to purchase another saddle unless you're certain it will fit you both.<br /><br />I'd stay away from Elans; the quality has really suffered in the past few years and these days they're hit or miss.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15873896030893234257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-65799510533373137752011-02-18T14:42:36.391-05:002011-02-18T14:42:36.391-05:00I feel your pain, I am 5'9" and over 200 ...I feel your pain, I am 5'9" and over 200 lbs ( I am what I like to refer to as "comfortably curvy"). I haven't gained or lost a significant amount of weight in over a decade, no matter what I tried. I have a 22" Elan on hold at the moment, between my measurement from the back of my knee to the back of my bum being 23" and my horse being a kind of odd shape, I have had hell finding anything even close that I can remotely afford. None of the vintage saddles would fit the horse, wheres the large seated ones would fit me fine. I can deal with the seat being a smidgen small for me, as long as the horse is comfortable.scaequestrianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08725843325015172766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-2345439950844846702011-02-18T12:11:48.247-05:002011-02-18T12:11:48.247-05:00Ahhh yes, now I've found it. It was the Preta...Ahhh yes, now I've found it. It was the Pretal at Side Saddlery that was withdrawn from consignment.<br /><br />We'll all just have to keep our ears to the ground. I'll take a photo of my saddle with a tape on it so you can see for yourself on the UK measurement.SmartAlexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06219182373225762230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-79422386292753513052011-02-18T10:57:54.351-05:002011-02-18T10:57:54.351-05:00I've seen a couple saddles with very generous ...I've seen a couple saddles with very generous seats but they weren't for sale. I'll keep my eyes out too! I think you'll have better luck looking down in the US or UK, sidesaddles are few & far between up here. <br />Talk to Linda at the Sidesaddlery too, she's really really good at helping people find what they need.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08465319094506033832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-75779437682090028362011-02-18T08:51:18.726-05:002011-02-18T08:51:18.726-05:00Hmm, it seems you have longer legs than me even th...Hmm, it seems you have longer legs than me even though your only 1/2" shorter! LOl, I feel stumpy now :)<br /><br />What is the length from the cutback pommel to cantle (UK measurement)? I'm on a side saddle searching mission so if I come across a big 'un, I can let you know. If I get to go back to that tack shop where I got my off-side from, I can measure that really big seated saddle for you. That was a Mayhew. <br /><br />What tree fitting do you need?<br /><br />I seem to remember a 24" side saddle around too, I think it was a girl named Melody in VA who was selling it. It was a Pretal but I don't think she's selling it anymore.sidesaddlegirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01880609395632608422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-62638027442101992182011-02-18T08:31:00.283-05:002011-02-18T08:31:00.283-05:00Jason... shush. I guess I've been relegated t...Jason... shush. I guess I've been relegated to weighing myself on the feed scale.<br /><br />That measurement illustration came from William Kerr's Riding for Ladies 1891. My upright pommel is one of the sloped ones. If I had a slim, older style pommel, my guess is that my saddle would measure a little under 20".<br /><br />I am 5' 8.5" and my BMI is just over the tipping point of overweight by one point. I do have fairly long legs instead of having my height in my torso so that could be a contributing factor.<br /><br />Yes, I have the two Side Saddle Heaven 23"ers on radar. I thought somewhere over the past few months I saw a 24" seat, but where ever it was, it's gone now. I've measured my own saddle a dozen times to make sure I'm not stupid or something, and it is 22.5" (from the front of the upright) by just over 13"SmartAlexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06219182373225762230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-3283470568796077822011-02-18T03:07:52.087-05:002011-02-18T03:07:52.087-05:00The photo with the ruler shows the UK way of measu...The photo with the ruler shows the UK way of measuring a side saddle (England tends to lag behind in everything, even shoe sizes are measured the old way which is why I take a size 8 instead of a 10!!).<br /><br />I can't imagine you taking a 20" (UK measurements) seat though. I'm 5'9" and considered "obese" by weight charts (lol) and 17 1/2" is plenty big enough. The biggest I've seen is 18 1/2"- 19" and that was a massive seated saddle (both length and width wise!!). That was at the tack shop where I got my off-side saddle from.<br /><br />Side Saddle Heaven has two 23" saddles, a Knoud and a Martin & Martin, did you see them?<br />http://www.sidesaddleheaven.com/pages/saleslist.htm<br /><br />Pretals which were made in the 1970's often had 23" and 24" seats (US measurements).sidesaddlegirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01880609395632608422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5754692800167543110.post-13328576941641067892011-02-17T23:31:25.430-05:002011-02-17T23:31:25.430-05:00I *have* to come up with a suitable and politicall...I *have* to come up with a suitable and politically correct response to this excellent post. It's the second part I'm finding hard !Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09092424684260339977noreply@blogger.com