What is the Best Saddle for a Thoroughbred?

It is important to note that every horse is different. Within a specific breed you can also find variations in conformation. Therefore you must take your horses conformation into consideration when finding a saddle. Your local qualified saddle fitter is the best person to advise you on what will/won't work in terms of saddles for a Thoroughbred following an assessment of your horse. However, this blog should help you understand a bit more about why it is really important to get the right saddle for your Thoroughbred.

We are being extremely general here when we say 'saddles for Thoroughbreds', as Thoroughbreds can come in all different shapes and sizes. However, we are going to focus on high wither Thoroughbreds and the types of saddles that may work well for them.

Why Having a Good Fitting Saddle is Vital

A correct fitting saddle is vital to your horses health and happiness. In return, your horse will be able to move freely and perform the moves you would like him/her to do, whether that be dressage, jumping, or riding out on a gentle hack.

A badly behaved or underperforming horse is often the result of a poor fitting saddle. Poor fitting saddles restrict your horses movement and can cause serious short and long term pain and damage. Your horse's only way of telling you their saddle does not fit is by acting up, such as rearing, bucking, rushing, stomping their feet, refusing to move forward, etc. When horses misbehave, they are often punished. As you can imagine, this is a vicious circle for a horse, therefore, regular checks with your local saddle fitter are important.

You can find out more about when the right time to call out your saddle fitter are in our Recognising Saddle Fit Issues Course. 

What to Look for in a Saddle for a Thoroughbred

A 'typical' Thoroughbred as it is known throughout the equestrian world would be a lean, Thoroughbred horse, with a high wither. This type of horse will require drop panels, front gussets and deep rear gussets. A saddle built on a tree designed for Thoroughbreds would also be required. This would help with providing enough clearance over the withers.

Brands and Models that May Work on your Thoroughbred

Albion Saddles for Thoroughbred Horses

Albion offer a great selection of saddles which work really well for high wither Thoroughbreds. With Albion, you can request their Thoroughbred tree and deeper rear gussets. Common models such as the K2 GP and K2 Jump can work really well.

Browse Albion Saddles for Sale here.

Kent and Masters Saddles for Thoroughbred Horses

Kent and Masters offer a range of saddles available on their high wither tree. These saddles will be stamped with a H, such as HGP, or HGC or HDR for example. They have full front gussets and deeper rear gussets to accommodate the high wither horse. A benefit of Kent and Masters is that they are an adjustable gusset, therefore the width can be adjusted easily.

Browse Kent and Masters Saddles for Sale here. 

Thorowgood Saddles for Thoroughbred Horses

Thorowgood are another manufacturer within the same brand family as Kent and Masters, therefore, Thorowgood saddles offer the same features as Kent and Masters saddles. Thorowgood are made from synthetic materials.

Browse Thorowgood Saddles for Sale here.

Other Brands of Saddle for Thoroughbred Horses

Of course there are many brands of saddle that work well on high withered horses. Ideal, Jeffries, Loxley, Bliss, Black Country, plus many others offer a fantastic range of saddles available on trees specifically designed to work well on high wither types. These saddles will often come with all of these features mentioned above such as drop panels, front gussets and deeper rear gussets.

Work with your local saddle fitter to find the perfect saddle for your high wither horse!

Learn more about how saddles should fit….

If you are a horse owner or rider and would like to learn more about saddle fitting, and how the saddle can impact your horses performance and welfare, click on the image below.