Saddle for loan pony dilemma.

[Mirage]

We are going to see a little 11.3 Section A tomorrow for dd2.He is up for loan and providing all goes well with our tryout,they can deliver him on Saturday,and we can trial him at home for as long as we want.The only problem is,he has no saddle,they are using his old saddle on their new pony,a 12.2,so I will need to find one.I haven't the faintest idea about buying saddles,but the owner reccomended a Wintec 14 or 15".I'm reluctant to spend a lot because he might not work out and have to go back,leaving me with a saddle I can't use.I've found a couple of unbranded 15 " saddles on ebay,but don't want to get something that doesn't fit and causes problems.No one I know has a small saddle that I can borrow either,so I'm stumped.

If anyone can advise I'd be really grateful,my head is spinning.
Thankyou

[Mirage]

Oh,forgot to say,he is a Pendock pony and looks quite fine compared to others I've seen,but has been out of work for a while so may have got a bit chubby.The dds ride 6 days out of 7 so that may rapidly change.

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

Oooh! I've got a mare by pendock legend. Got any pictures?? I'd just buy a nice pony pad. Dd12 still rides on hers, she hurtles about everywhere and jumps in it too. It's great for balance improvement.

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

What's it's breeding??

[Mirage]

Thankyou saggy,I'll look pony pads up,that sounds just the thing.

I don't know his breeding exactly yet,I'll ask when we go tomorrow.Apparently he was a show pony reject because he has a tiny bit of white on his tummy,other than that he is chestnut with a white blaze.

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

sounds lovely. Pony pads are great. AKA as felt pads or donkey saddles. Ebay is a good place to look.

[olderyetwider]

Mirage, worth trying Mimms Johnson, who's the local Pony Club second hand tack lady (phone number on Quorn Hunt branch website). She'll let you take a number of saddles to try. You could also try Firecracker saddlery (Melton but web-based) and Sue Johnson at Rearsby Lodge (0116 2606853) has a good selection of 2nd hand saddles which you can return if they don't fit

[Butkin]

We normally buy Fyldle saddles on Ebay then send them to the company to get refitted to whatever pony we're buying it for.

However in your situation we'd call a local saddler and ask them to bring a range of 2nd hand 14/15 inch saddles and see what they have to say.
Let them know your budget and also that you'd like them to include some synthetic ones liks Wintec.

Normally they will bring quite a few if they are a reputable firm.

They will advise you on what fits or they could make small adjustments.

We normally find that if you work with the better known brands they fetch almost the same 2nd hand as you buy them for so think of them as an investment! We actually sold our old Safari Cub on Ebay for what we'd paid for it 5 years previously having used it on DD's first pony and then for backing her 2nd pony!

[marge2]

I think you should most definitely get a proper saddler out with a selection of saddles. Let them know your budget. The wrong saddle can cause all sorts of problems.

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

Dont forget that the pony is on trial, the op probably doesnt want to spend the earth. A cub or a pad is a good place to start, and are pretty universal.

[Mirage]

Thank you all for your help.Sadly he isn't the right pony for us.We took along a very experienced teenage rider who rides problem horses for people, with us to see what she thought.She has ridden dpony for us and helps out with the girls riding,so knows dpony and the dd's capabilities.The loaner was fine when ridden in walk and trot by the dds,but when our teenage friend cantered him she struggled to hold him back, and told me that there is no way that 6 year old dd2 could hold him if he wanted to go.A shame really as he was lovely in every other way,and the poor teenager was very apologetic,but told me that if my dds were hers,she wouldn't let them have him.I told her that she didn't need to apologise as I valued her opinion and that was why she had come with us.There is no point asking for advice and then ignoring it.So we are back to square one and on the lookout again.We were very lucky finding dpony,she is fabulous,finding another pony like her may take a little longer I think.

Olderyetwider thankyou for that info-I didn't think of Rearsby Lodge,and they are very helpful there.Are you going to the opening meet?

[olderyetwider]

Mirage, probably going to opening meet and we're autumn hunting on Saturday (probably). I dreamt last night that I went out as well, so you never know!

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

It's a shame you don't live in Essex, I have a great traditional Shetland that will be looking for a sharer in the spring. I'd like her to stay put though.

[Mirage]

Olderyetwider,we are going to the opening meet,our helpful teenager is the terrier man's dd and she is going to take dpony out for the morning and give her a blast.I will be meeting her up there with the dds and take some photos of the dds on dpony before they set off and then follow them around for a while -fretting over dpony- watching.So if you see a harrased looking woman hoicking small girls onto the back of a grey mare,that'll be me!

Where are they this Saturday? Last week was Ingarsby I think,my friends went.

Saggy what a shame.It's always the same,the good ponies are all miles away from me.I've found one locally on the PC website but it has mild sweet itch and I've never dealt with that before so haven't enquired about it.Other than that it sounds just what we were looking for.

[olderyetwider]

Mirage, I wouldn't rule out mild sweet itch, it can often be managed with good fly rugs and the like. It would be worth a discussion with the owners about how bad it is and how they manage it if the pony's good in all other ways.

[marialuisa]

Mirage-there's a nice grey on the Meynell branch for sale section?

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

It's ironic, all the good buyers are all miles from us! Apparently we are out on a limb! I'm hoping a nice local person will loan her from our yard.

[Mirage]

Thankyou all.Have emailed about the sweet itch pony,but not had a reply-she has probably gone already.marialuisa,thankyou,that pony looks wonderful,but is too good for dd2 at the minute,she just wants to hack about.Dd1 would absolutely love her,but she is ok with dpony for now.

Saggy,it is strange isn't it? Everytrhing seems to be in the south west or northwest atm.MIL lives in the NW but knows nothing about horses [she thought dpony was a boy] so I can't even ask her to do some horsehunting for me.

Anyway,on the plus side Dd1 had her first gallop on dpony today,scattering grandad's sheep far and wide as she went.She was chuffed to pieces as well,because an aquaintance stopped to admire dpony and said to me that she'd heard that both the dds were good little riders.I'm happy because I have bought a hacking jacket and 2 pairs of French Jodphurs from a friend for £20,so that is both dds kitted out for the opening meet now.

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

Quite really! Dd wants to go out with the blood hounds, but hasn't got anyone to take her!

[Mirage]

Saggy,this time they are only going to sit on dpony and have their photo taken.Our teenage helper is riding dpony as she hunts a lot and knows what she is doing.As soon as we find a suitable pony,she will take one of the dds on lead rein,leading off dpony until they are a bit bigger/more experienced.

How old is your DD?

Dh just asked me what I'd like for my birthday,would I like some riding lessons? I said I'd like a horse.

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

Dd is 12. She is a lovely little rider, but has just progressed up a pony, so wouldnt be hunting any time soon!

[Pissfarterleech]

Mirage, whereabouts are you and what are you after?

[Mirage]

I'm in Leicestershire.We are looking between 11-12.2 hands,not bothered about breed or sex,preferably an older pony as dd2 is only 6 and young rider+ young pony not a good combination.It must be good in open spaces and bombproof as we spend a lot of time hacking around the villages and across the fields.We only school once or twice a week but ride 6 days a week with a private lesson once a week.If it has hunted or done Pony club that would be a bonus.

Ideally,we'd like to loan,because in a couple of years,dd will have outgrown the pony and I just know I'd be rubbish at selling them on.I'm quite happy to let prospective loaners vet us/our yard.Thanks for asking.

Saggy,I see what you mean.

[Pissfarterleech]

Mirage, I have messaged you!

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

OOOH! Curse the fact that you are so far away! Ducky would be right up your street!