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A simple guide to changing gullet bars - Kent & Masters, Thorowgood and Fairfax

By Jade | December 1, 2020
  1. Buying a saddle
  2. Saddle fitting solutions
  3. Fairfax
  4. Kent and Masters
  5. Thorowgood

How to change your bar in your saddle

Adjustable gullet saddles have become increasingly popular, for their ease of altering the width should your horse change shape. However, many people are unsure on how to change the gullet bar in their adjustable saddle. Here we will look at each step to remove and replace the gullet bar in your Kent & Masters, Thorowgood or Fairfax Saddle.

Which bar do you need?

First you will need to check whether you need an R-bar (long) or an S-bar (short). 

For Thorowgood and Kent & Masters saddles:

  • R-bars fit high-headed trees with long points and a round cantle.
  • S-bars fit lower headed trees with shorter points and a square cantle (excluding the s-series jump, which takes an R-bar despite having a square cantle).

Fairfax saddles all use the R-bars.

Removing the bar

Once you have the correct bar, you will need to remove the current bar from the saddle:

  1. Undo the bolts at the front of each panel.
  2. Slide each panel off the point of the tree.
  3. Fold back the flap covering the gullet bar.
  4. Undo the bolts holding the gullet bar in place (2 each side).
  5. Remove the gullet bar.

Replacing the bar

  1. Ensuring the bar is the correct way round (note the angled ends - the angled side should be at the front) lay the bar in place and line up the holes.
  2. Insert the bolts, doing them up loosely to begin with.
  3. Once all four bolts are in, tighten each one firmly.
  4. Replace the flap of leather over the bar.
  5. Insert the ends of the bars back into their 'pockets', ensuring all girth straps are laying flat and the right way around. 
  6. Replace the bolts at the front of the panel, tightening each one firmly. 

 

Try a Kent & Masters Saddle

If you would like to try a Kent & Masters adjustable saddle browse The Saddle Banks current selection here.

Try a Thorowgood Saddle

If you would like to try a Thorowgood adjustable saddle browse The Saddle Banks current selection here.

Try a Fairfax Saddle

If you would like to try a Fairfax adjustable saddle browse The Saddle Banks current selection here.

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