Ponies

		z
	above - pony wearing The Pony Pro Jump
	left - Show Pony wearing The Marjorie Ramsey saddle
Ponies, a very broad term that is used to describe many different equines under 15 hh

Very often the shorter the pony the harder it is to get a saddle to fit, from the small lead rein to the top show jumpers. The pony with some withers and shape, more alike in top line to a horse, is easier and a smaller version of an adult saddle may work but the wider flatter backed pony often with a good deal of Welsh or Arab blood is far more difficult
The tree needs to be fitted very carefully for this conformation - a flatter tree with flatter rails which is wide enough in the arch to let out across the withers and with long enough points to get some purchase either side of the wither – otherwise the saddle will sit too far off the back, slip forwards or to one side. A wider gullet in the saddle that fits a horse with higher withers rarely works, - if the fit looks right across the front, the back of the saddle will be off the horse’s back, causing all the rider’s weight to be taken by the points and the stirrup bars. Likewise if the rails of the tree are at too great an angle, excess pressure will be taken on the outside edge of the rail – and this can happen however flat the panel looks.

Realistically nobody gets to see the tree in their saddle but the illustrations are to concentrate the mind and demonstrate that at the National Saddle Centre we have addressed these issues

Illustration of the angle of the arch to look for and one measuring the same across the points but which is too narrow in the head of the arch,

Flatter tree with wider arch to address saddle problems associated with this conformation or problem To view larger image click Tree with more curve for higher withers and associated problems To view larger image click

 
NSC saddles which address the problem
General Purpose/ Show/Jumping - Pony Classic, Marjorie Show, Pony Pro Jump
Dressage - The Original Dressage and the New Aotearoa Mark 2 Flat Back Pro Dressage
Full Description of all above under Products