Equestrian Learning Centre
Dressage
High Wither Saddle for High Withered Horse.. Which is best?

High Wither Saddle for High Withered Horse.. Which is best?

By Jade | January 24, 2020

Many Thoroughbreds and other athletic riding types sport high withers that make saddle fitting difficult and require a high wither saddle. On an initial inspection you may assess the withers of a horse and immediately consider a narrow saddle but this is generally a misconception. Many of these horses have high withers that taper into a broad, athletic back with a well-sprung rib cage. A narrow saddle on this kind of horse will probably cause pain.

High-withered horses will benefit from models with thicker gussets which fill in hollow areas behind the shoulders.

Front Gussets

Front gussets are an additional piece of leather stitched onto the front, which allows for more flocking in this area. This is great for horses with high withers, as it can be flocked to lift up the front, eliminating pressure on the withers.

Deep Rear Gussets

Having a deeper rear gusset on a high withered helps to support and balance the saddle, a standard depth rear gusset can often cause the saddle to lift up at the back and then drop and pinch the wither as is isnt balanced.

In high withered saddles the rear gussests are around 3-3.5 inches deep.

A selection of brands that accommodate the high withered horse include;

Thorowgood T4, T8
Kent and Masters
Wintec
Albion
Arena
Bates

With so many different models available we have made a video of our favourite High Withered GP saddles, simply watch below!

But it isn't only GP saddles available for horses with High Withers! Here are a few brands and their models that could suit you!

Thorowgood T4 and T8 High Wither Saddles

Thorowgood have designed a high wither option for both their dressage saddles and GP saddles.

Surface Dressage block (T8 only) - Features a large surface mounted thigh block that will help keep the rider comfortable and stable and slim line panel provides a close contact feel
Dressage Moveable block - Designed with a moveable support block, secured by Velcro under the saddle flap, which can be positioned to suit the rider. The panel is also designed with a close contact feel.
Original GP - this saddle has board panels which works well for most conformations and features high wither gullet depths to suit the high wither profile. This is a very versatile saddle and would suit a rider who wants to participate in jumping and hunting as well as hacking or schooling.
S-Series Compact GP - Designed with a compact, neat seat for petite, slim riders, or those with narrower hips.

Kent and Masters High Withered Saddles

K & M are essentially a full leather version of Thorowgood saddles, offering a similar range in fit and design. Kent and Masters have designed a high wither option for both their dressage saddles and GP saddles.

Surface dressage block - Features a large surface mounted thigh block that will help keep the rider comfortable and stable and slim line panel provides a close contact feel
S-Series Dressage Moveable block - Designed with a moveable support block, secured by Velcro under the saddle flap, which can be positioned to suit the rider. The panel is also designed with a close contact feel.
Original dressage - Features a moveable thigh block, which gives rider the flexibility to adjust the position to their preferred position.
Original GP - this saddle has board panels which works well for most conformations and features high wither gullet depths to suit the high wither profile. This is a very versatile saddle and would suit a rider who wants to participate in jumping and hunting as well as hacking or schooling.
S-Series Compact GP - Designed with a compact, neat seat for petite, slim riders, or those with narrower hips.
S-Series Universal GP - An Alternative to the Compact GP in the S-Series range, the Universal has a wider flatter seat, suited to riders who like the feel of more 'room' in the seat or have slightly wider hips.

If you are looking for a High Withered saddle from either Kent and Masters or Thorowgood, look out for the codes on the saddles below, these are the ones suitable for high withered horses;

HGP = High wither GP (HGP)

HGC =High wither compact GP (HGC)

HDS= High wither dressage with surface mounted block (HDS)

HDM= High wither dressage with moveable thigh blocks (HDM)

UGH = High Withered Universal GP (UGH)

Bates, Arena & Wintec

As well as having High Withered models within their ranges of dressge and All Purpose saddles, Bates, Arena and Wintec due to their CAIR Panels and Easy Change Riser systems can be fitted with the risers to create even more of a deeper rear gusset and offer the support needed for high withered horses with precise fitting.

Read our super handy blog here on how to fit and use the riser system.