Best thing to stop saddle slipping forward on low withered pony?

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Ellietotz

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The saddle fits great until you put the numnah on and it ends up sliding forwards when riding. There's really not a lot of room for anything thick to prop it up with but something that rises the front and stops the slipping would be great. Can anyone recommend anything? Not massively expensive either preferably!

Thanks in advance!
 
Ellietotz said:
The saddle fits great until you put the numnah on and it ends up sliding forwards when riding. There's really not a lot of room for anything thick to prop it up with but something that rises the front and stops the slipping would be great. Can anyone recommend anything? Not massively expensive either preferably!

Thanks in advance!
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you need to be wary using riser pads. it just transfers your weight to the back of the saddle and long term may make your horse sore in this area. typical problem i had with a high withered horse years ago in a medium fitting wintec so to get the front of the saddle off the withers would have meant a narrow gullet which wouldnt have fitted him. So problem solved or so i thought with a front riser pad. but weight just got transferred behind. End result one sore horse. saddle fitter said common but wrong solution.
 
applecart14 said:
you need to be wary using riser pads. it just transfers your weight to the back of the saddle and long term may make your horse sore in this area. typical problem i had with a high withered horse years ago in a medium fitting wintec so to get the front of the saddle off the withers would have meant a narrow gullet which wouldnt have fitted him. So problem solved or so i thought with a front riser pad. but weight just got transferred behind. End result one sore horse. saddle fitter said common but wrong solution.
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So what did you do?...
 
Ellietotz said:
I considered that but surely will just get sweaty and slippery?
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Sweaty yes, but not damp and soggy like an absorbant numnah (I know some people who wash them after every ride and I sort of get that as an approach). Not sure about slippy, could be less so than with depending on coat/saddle. And free to try!
 
Options are:

1. Go without anything as suggested above
2. Try a limpet pad - mm thick so negligible difference
3. Use a chamois leather under your saddle - a la p2p riders
4. Try a balance strap
5. Get a new saddle
6. Get a new horse
7. Get a new jockey

Crupper been ruled out.
 
I't try doing away with the numnah as a first step. If that didn't work I'd then try a Limpet pad but they can get very hot and sweaty under it.
 
My friend uses a sticky pad on her very round, witherless Exie & sets the saddle & girth EVER so slightly back from what LOOKS right. Works a treat. Oh & it's a shaped girth too.
 
I've personally not come across a saddle that is so affected by a thin numnah and it does make me think something it slightly amiss. Anything that lifts the front could make the slipping worse, as someone said your weight ends up on the back but this means the front loses contact and grip.
 
Ellietotz said:
So what did you do?...
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Had to get rid of the saddle and ended up buying a second hand leather one fitted by a saddle fitter. You see, although Wintec say their saddles fit any horse this is not the case if you have a medium or wide fitted horse with high withers or a flat backed horse with no withers maybe needing a fit that makes the saddle move around more.

You could try a limpet pad.
 
Or a very thin gel pad instead of a numnah- I have the same problem, and also have had problems as per applecarts post- now I use the point strap and a very thin gel pad-no numnah and saddle stays put!
 
Late back to this but a sticky pad is masking a less than perfect fit, ok for short term at certain times of the year if all else is equal, but not ideal, and it can really pull the horse's skin. Not recommended.
 
Ellietotz said:
Won't tolerate a crupper unfortunately. Was my first thought!
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Pardon? "Won't" is not an allowed word as far as horses are concerned - all of mine are required to use a crupper, some don't like it at first but they all get used to it and are happy after a few sessions. We start them off in the stables with a surcingle and crupper, then lunging, then ridden. It's like any other piece of tack.
 
Cortez said:
Pardon? "Won't" is not an allowed word as far as horses are concerned - all of mine are required to use a crupper, some don't like it at first but they all get used to it and are happy after a few sessions. We start them off in the stables with a surcingle and crupper, then lunging, then ridden. It's like any other piece of tack.
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^^this^^ If he needs a crupper, then accepting it is as much a part of breaking to ride as taking a saddle, or standing to be mounted.
 
one of mine is witherless barrel, and i got a cheap, thin non slip pad and it does the job. combine it with a neoprene girst and you have some extra grip.
 
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