Hello Fred and Eric. Thank you both for the info. and replies. I know these pics are not ideal, and if need be, I can send for the pad molded to the horses back, mentioned in your instructions. Having a saddle to sit in was first priority for me, so I could see if the tree shape gave the support I need – which it did, 99.999% !! (a slightly wider rise, just an inch or so at the bottom, or beginning, of the rise would make it 100%.)
I’m in a bit of a predicament, in terms of having the horse available and help to saddle him. And especially to get on him at this point in time. I depend on the other volunteers to help and on one in particular, who is big and strong enough to boost me up. He has been out of town 2 weeks.
As I was telling Fred, I am in a wheelchair and the horse I ride most lives at the equine rescue where I volunteer. We’ve added a program for kids (several disabled) and for adults like me. Haven’t raised enough funds yet to build a wheelchair ramp/mounting platform – so I had to improvise by sitting in the demo on the little stand I use for cleaning saddles.
I did feel very comfortable and secure in the seat. No struggling to keep pelvis and spine in proper posture. (working like a dog to lose weight, but it’s slow going. if anything, I’ll be a bit smaller in future, rather than larger.) I am only 5’1″, and 133 lbs. But my body shape is irregular. My legs are short (29″ inseam), but my butt is plain old middle aged gal size. Being very weak, my legs tend to swing and bump the horse’s sides at a trot or canter. So the nice long fenders on the demo will work well for me, by giving a little buffer between the horse’s sides and the bumping stirrups.
I will use my saddle on two horses, possibly more, because my access to horseback riding is at our rescue facility, but also in another town, where a friend has a therapeutic riding program I visit once a month. Both horses I’ll ride are similar in weight and shape, not quarter horses, but short, stocky grade horses with a bit of withers and plump backs (i.e. spine is almost level with either side of their backs).
I have put a small cardboard box in with the demo and it contains the two hand grabs the welder made. Since he couldn’t know the exact contour of the tree, before leather is added, he used a wider and thicker screw plate than necessary so that there would be plenty of lea way to grind it down to fit the bare pommel. We guessed you might embed it into the pommel some.
