2manyhorses
Posted : 8/2/2009 3:12:36 AM
You're in better shape than someone wanting a western saddle. English and Dressage saddles come in some very wide widths. The tree widths can be numbered in cm, numbered (1-5) or lettered N (narrow) to XXW or even XXXW. I rode my drafts in a 32 Stubben (Stubbens tend to run wider than most) until they were 3-4. They are now in 35 and 37. If you know someone with an english saddle with a gullet system, try it out. Might be the most inexpensive way to go while he's growing. Thorowgood (can't vouch for the quality) makes some VERY wide and relatively inexpensive synthetic saddles. Duette makes a nice quality dressage saddle at a resonable price (1K) with special order trees up into the 40's.
I've never put an English saddle on my Fjord but I can check him in the morning. I ride him in a slick fork on semi QH bars and he's fine (and he is FAT and witherless)
If you are ever in the market for a western saddle, they make scaled downed draft saddles and market them as Haflinger saddles with 6-7 inch gullets.