The challenge of fitting a native pony
Native breeds such as Welsh, Highland, Dales, Fell, New Forest, Connemara, Shetland and Dartmoor ponies tend to be round, well sprung through the ribs and often comparatively flat across a broad back. Many have low or filled-in withers and a generous shoulder. These are exactly the features that off-the-peg saddles, designed around taller and narrower horses, struggle to accommodate.
A saddle that is not wide enough can perch and pinch, while a flat-backed, low-withered pony gives the saddle little to settle against, so it may slip or rock. Showing also places its own demands on the cut and balance of the saddle.
What to look for
For a native pony, fit considerations usually include:
- A genuinely wide tree and panels shaped for a broad, often flat back.
- Stability on a back with little wither to hold the saddle in place.
- Clearance around a frequently meaty shoulder.
- The right style and balance for the job, whether showing, riding club or general work.
Smaller ponies also need a saddle scaled appropriately for a child or smaller rider while still fitting the pony’s shape.
How IDEAL saddles and Designed to Order can help
IDEAL produce British-made saddles in wide fittings and in showing styles that suit native types. For ponies that fall outside standard shapes, IDEAL’s Designed to Order service allows tree width, panel and balance to be specified around the individual pony.
Prices include the saddle and the fitting. The wide-fitting and general-purpose ranges are popular for natives, alongside showing saddles.
Why remote fitting works well
A native pony’s broad, stable shape is well captured by a back template and clear photographs, which makes remote saddle fitting a practical option, particularly where no local fitter stocks suitable wide saddles. See how it works.
A note on welfare
Ponies can change shape quickly with grass and condition, so fit may need reviewing through the year. Pressure marks, rubbing or behavioural changes require assessment and are not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Related reading: wide cobs, short-backed horses and saddle slipping sideways.
If you have a native pony that is hard to fit, start your saddle enquiry and we will guide you through it.