Arena Wide All Purpose Saddle is rated
5.0 out of
5 by
1.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Schoena from
Nice fit for a blocky pony
I have a small, blocky Haflinger with a roly-poly body. Saddle after saddle would slip off to the side until I tried this one. I had been trying to correct the fit on other saddles with shims, but for this trial, I only used a thin quilted cotton pad. That worked and shimming wasn't necessary. The saddle has all the features my research mentioned for Cobs. The panels are a bit thinner and flatter. The billets are arranged as a point billet and balance billet toward the rear. This allows the girth to find the right spot on her underside without causing the saddle to scoot forward. The original 2XW gullet plate was just right for my Haffie who seemed quite comfortable in this saddle. The seat was comfortable although the 17" test was too small for me as I had feared. That is why I needed to return this lovely saddle. The only down side, in my opinion, is that the Heritage leather on the panels is going to show scars and wear. I tried the saddle only three times for 30-40 minute rides and could see that rub marks from boots would soon be obvious. On the bright side, I supposed that might make me look like a regular old pro. (ha?) However, the saddle should wear well and the seat and knee leathers are quite nice and are soft. Overall, this is a very nice saddle and offered at a reasonable price. Thank you, SmartPak, for allowing me to try it.
Date published: 2022-01-24