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Lloyd45

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Big shoulders. I have a Thorowgood which I regularly have fitted but I don’t think it suits him, it’s stopping his shoulder movement. Any recommendations on saddles for horses with wide shoulders?
 
WOW? New are very costly but a WOW fitter would probably help you source second hand parts. They really free up the shoulder as no points.
 
Caveletti have rear facing panels. I've been talking to collection of saddlery and they seem to think these, schleese for trees. Or the solution/ wow saddle types
 
Ooh, interesting responses. There are so many factors involved in giving a horse shoulder freedom but the two that are most important are to fit a saddle that stays back with the tree points 3 fingers' breadth behind the back of the shoulder blade, and to have rails that sit around the horse's back ie are flat enough side to side. Plenty of other factors, but width in itself, in any part of the saddle, doesn't really correlate with shoulder freedom, and I don't agree that any brand will give better shoulder freedom per se, and I'm sorry but I don't agree that Stubben are wide fitting, though not sure which aspect of wide you mean (pommel, angles, rails, seat, channel). And flap cut has little bearing, I fit only wide horses, they mostly have wide shoulders too, and I can get at least a GP on nearly all of them, the straight cut flaps simply better mask the fact that the saddle is sitting on the shoulder.
 
So I have Thorowgood which I have spent a fortune on saddle fitters but it never really seems to fit? I have had his back X-rayed and checked, that’s all fine, he moves so much better without his saddle. I have tried 3 different saddlers now and none of them can get it to fit, it’s ok for a short while and then it starts to pinch?
 
Lloyd45 said:
So I have Thorowgood which I have spent a fortune on saddle fitters but it never really seems to fit? I have had his back X-rayed and checked, that’s all fine, he moves so much better without his saddle. I have tried 3 different saddlers now and none of them can get it to fit, it’s ok for a short while and then it starts to pinch?
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I've got a Schleese saddle for sale, since my horse and I are retired. It isn't cheap and neither are Inge's visits to fit and refit it but they are fully adjustable on site. It is a VSD, one of very few they made and I got that design because my horse was too wide to accommodate a dressage cut (and my legs too short lol). Cheap saddles are false economy IMHO, you do get what you pay for. Message me if you want to know more
 
Lloyd45 said:
So I have Thorowgood which I have spent a fortune on saddle fitters but it never really seems to fit? I have had his back X-rayed and checked, that’s all fine, he moves so much better without his saddle. I have tried 3 different saddlers now and none of them can get it to fit, it’s ok for a short while and then it starts to pinch?
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So I think you probably have a fundamental tree/panel issue. You could ask the fitters who have already come out if they can recommend something better, or you can try another general fitter, or do some research into brands that may suit your shape of horse, and potentially use a dedicated agent/fitter who may be more specialised.
 
Lloyd45 said:
So I have Thorowgood which I have spent a fortune on saddle fitters but it never really seems to fit? I have had his back X-rayed and checked, that’s all fine, he moves so much better without his saddle. I have tried 3 different saddlers now and none of them can get it to fit, it’s ok for a short while and then it starts to pinch?
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Don't think they fit all horses all the time, sounds like you need to try other saddles. Maybe ask if you can try a few others for comparison and see how go?
 
Lloyd45 said:
Big shoulders. I have a Thorowgood which I regularly have fitted but I don’t think it suits him, it’s stopping his shoulder movement. Any recommendations on saddles for horses with wide shoulders?
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Do you have big shoulders (as in wide shoulders) or shoulders that come far back down the body (as in shoulders set well back)?

My horse has large shoulders set well back, and IME Thorowgood and Kent and Masters don't accommodate a set back shoulder. Though you will see people whose saddles of this brand sit ON the shoulder.
 
flying_high said:
Do you have big shoulders (as in wide shoulders) or shoulders that come far back down the body (as in shoulders set well back)?

My horse has large shoulders set well back, and IME Thorowgood and Kent and Masters don't accommodate a set back shoulder. Though you will see people whose saddles of this brand sit ON the shoulder.
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So what saddle do you use for your horse?
 
Well I have had a Cavaletti saddle on a 14 day trial, my horse is going so much better, i’ve only had it since Wednesday but have been schooling, hacking and have gone over a couple of small jumps, he feels so much better, fingers crossed 🤞 thanks for all your comments and advise
 
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