I'm not familiar with that model but work a lot with L & R saddles. I do think they tend to run wide and good quality saddles.

I'd love to see a photo from behind the tail as well but you might consider saddles that have more depth in the front half of the panel such as a drop, skid row or K panel and full front gussets. Those will give support for the tree width so that the saddle doesn't dive down into the base of the wit...

I agree with the above post about balance and flap length. The only concern would be whether it was odd looking, if you care and if your boot tops or half chaps get stuck.

I had ridden in Ariat tall boots and when I was looking for new ones, I found that the shape of the rear of the boot didn't fit the same way it had. It was as if the part that curves out for the calf was made lower and my calf was too high. Just didn't fit right so I switched brands.

My concern would be if you lift the front. the back will be cantle low. It already looks as if the low point is slightly behind center. Often mounted, if it is only a little, the problem will be solved but not if the front is already too low. My initial thought is that this horse might need a full f...

It's very unsafe to lock them up as others have mentioned. You run the risk of the stirrup leather not coming slipping off and being dragged or worse. I also am not crazy about when some people slide their stirrup leather under the flap between the flap and sweat panel.

KL Select makes nice leathers that are reasonable. Horsefare makes less pricey ones and if you want the slim line type with the metal riveted tops, Black Oak by KL Select are great as are Harmohnkraft. Prestige makes them also but they are pricier. We have some brown 54" Black Oak ones and the ...

It really depends on what your horse's needs are. There are a lot of all purpose saddles with pencil blocks that are reasonably priced.

The problem might be the cheek pieces. I find that refined heads and narrow side to side but the length can be too short on a cob. As far as colors, each company seems to have their own idea of havana or oakbark and uses different or similar names but the colors are not always the same. We have brid...

Red Barn has the nice ones with padded bumps/stops unlike the little leather pieces for stops. I also like the Thinline reins for more arthritic type fingers and the Nunn Finer soft grip for easy to grip ones that don't slip.

I've worked with them quite a bit and have ridden in them as well. I think they are great saddles for the price. They do fit the wide horses and there are different models and price points are good. The seats can run slightly small and the widths can be inconsistent between saddles but if you can tr...

I wash both in the machine, quilted and sheepskin but no drier or direct sun. I take the shims out sometimes but they take a long time to dry if left in. Gentle cycle and mild soap, never bleach. Mattes does sell Melp which is their detergent.

I was going to suggest the ones you mentioned. The calfskin with the covered stops are soft yet subtle. The Thinline are wonderful, especially for older hands.

We get some in on consignment in both jump and dressage. The dressage ones that we have all had a very open seat but decent saddles. Some have had deeper front panels and some have been more like hoop trees but have fit a variety of horses. We seem to have had an easier time fitting horses than ride...

Fit is, of course, most important and I have seen and ordered brown for some people. Resale would be very difficult down the road, not just because of the brown but because of the burgundy cantle. If that doesn't concern you, and you're confident to stand out, then go for it.

They are really great for the wide horses. Horses seem to love them as they allow a lot of freedom of movement. Riders find them more challenging sometimes because they are fairly open and broad in the twist. They have a pad system but not all of the used ones come with pads.

some find them "bouncy". They are not adjustable but some of the new models have shims that can be added. Some feel that air bladders in general are better in a more moderate climate as air pressure can affect them and sometimes they need a bit of warm up time to settle on the back. Ideall...

I use one with my vest when competing XC and schooling xc but often use it as just the vest when jumping in the ring or on the trail as one of my horses can be very exuberant at times and has dumped me more than once. It takes the stress out as I know that the landing will be softer. I did dismount ...

I like them for some horses and not for others. I think they don't fit all horses well but for one of our OTTBs, it works great because he is clipped and it offers a bit more protection. For our Connemara, I like the regular style, as I felt it restricted him. The others have regular blankets or the...

I have used a dremel tool with a cut off wheel but you need to be careful about the leather.

Point billets are useful for some horses, depending on girth groove and shape. They can come out of the bottom of the block or angled out of the middle of the block. To answer another's comment, the Vinici doesn't have to have a point billet. It can have a billet just behind the point as well. When ...