Best Leather Harness

[RhineStone]

The only thing I'd still like to see is the underside of each saddle. I can see some of the extended padding you're talking about on the Essential Plus and like it, but I'd like to see the gullet and padding up there as well on both saddles.

I thought about that, too, AFTER I already took the harness back out to the barn.

I'll see if I can get that done tomorrow.

Myrna

 

[RhineStone]

I was able to take photos tonight.

Here is my DE saddle with the fully padded skirts:

And here is a view of the skirts:

Here is the "traditional" DE saddle:

 

[RhineStone]

And for comparison's sake, here is a Smucker's traditional saddle. This is for a big horse:

Here is my big horse Smucker's Better Fit saddle:

The Smucker's Better Fit has more gullet clearance than the DE big horse fully padded saddle, but I like the DE padded mini saddle. It is a great value and craftsmanship.

Myrna

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Myrna, you're a gem! Thank you! Looks like the Essential Plus is a very nice saddle indeed with that extended padding. I think the tree would be a little wide for my boys, especially the basic saddle, but usually those can be bent in a bit. I'm surprised to see how little clearance the Smucker's traditional harness has- I would have expected better of them.

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

I think the tree would be a little wide for my boys, especially the basic saddle, but usually those can be bent in a bit. I'm surprised to see how little clearance the Smucker's traditional harness has- I would have expected better of them.

They both aren't as wide as they look. I had to spread them out a bit to put on my saddle rack. That is one thing I DO like about the padded saddle is that you don't end up with that "hollow" part where it gapes from the horse under the traditional padding. Putting that saddle on a thinner-built horse looks a little silly because there is the "hole" under the padding and behind the skirts, but I haven't had one mini that padded saddle hasn't fit. There is no gape with the padded saddle.

The Smucker's traditional didn't fit Spider AT ALL. It sat right on his spine. But in their defense, that saddle is probably about 15 years old or more (we bought it used 10 years ago). Maybe they have made some changes in the meantime to their traditional saddles. The Better Fit was great for Spider a few years ago, but now he is so sway backed that the front of the saddle bumps the back of his withers, and we can't move the saddle back much because he is so well sprung. The lower profile Zilco fits him better now. And looking at the Zilco, it has something of a "tree" or at least a "framework" to which the padding is connected. The Better Fit is STILL an awesome saddle, and it too fits most any horse, thin or chunky.

Myrna