Shop Pony Saddles for Young Riders and Small Horses

A pony needs a saddle with a short enough tree and panels to stay in front of its last rib, and a gullet wide enough to clear its withers and spine. The seat size depends on the rider: small children often ride in a 10″ to 12″ western seat, and English pony seats are sized to the child’s leg and seat. If you are unsure, measure the pony’s back and compare it with the saddle’s tree size before you buy.

Yes, as long as the saddle is made for a pony’s shape. A full-size western saddle is usually too long and too narrow for a pony, so it can press on the loins or pinch. Western pony and youth saddles have a shorter tree and a smaller seat. In our stock, most western pony saddles are 10″ or 12″ and cost under $300, which makes them a practical first saddle for a child.

A pony saddle is sized for the animal: a short tree and panels shaped for a pony’s back. A youth or junior saddle is sized for the rider: a smaller seat for a child, but sometimes on a tree meant for a horse or large pony. Before buying a youth saddle for a pony, check the tree and gullet width on the listing, not just the seat size, so it fits both child and pony.

In our current stock the middle price for a pony saddle is about $550. Western youth and mini horse saddles mostly cost under $300, synthetic Wintec pony saddles run from about $235 to $720, and Henri de Rivel pony and junior saddles from about $470 to $965. Premium leather pony saddles from Bates and Pessoa cost about $1,350 to $2,805. Children outgrow saddles, so a good-fitting used or synthetic saddle is often a sensible choice.

Put the saddle on without a pad. You should be able to fit two or three fingers between the pommel and the withers, and see daylight along the spine. The panels should touch the back evenly, without rocking or bridging, and should end before the last rib. Check the fit again with the rider mounted. If the pony’s shape changes, an adjustable gullet saddle can be refitted instead of replaced.

Size the saddle to the pony first. Measure the pony’s back from the withers to the last rib, because a 15 or 16 inch adult seat may simply not fit a short pony back, and check the bars end before the last rib. As a guide, aim for rider and tack together to stay at or under about 20 per cent of the pony’s weight, and use a wide tree for flat-backed ponies.