Best way of stopping a saddle slipping on a round native?

[catembi]

I have backed my young 'companion' New Forest and all is going well...but she is so round & witherless! I have a Thorowgood pony club saddle which I had fitted to her recently, and which seems to fit okay. I know that Shetlands etc get fitted with cruppers, but I am not sure if that would work for an adult rider? Luckily I fit into a 15" saddle and only weigh about 7 1/2 st, but the dynamics are probably different from a little child. So...crupper? Breastplate? Stop pony squishing altogether...???!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

This is what I use on a round maxi cob.
https://www.gibsonsaddlers.com/product/sharkskin-race-non-slip-pad-255n/

 

[Cowpony]

Try an AH saddle. Made for low-withered flat backed round types

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I've 14 years of battling this with my witherless welshie lol This is my current set up which works great & been checked out by my saddler too . . . .
Girth up on the 1st & 4th straps
Breastplate
Premier Equine saddlecloth with a built in grippy bit under neath - these are a god send & work so much better than the various jelly & limpit pads I've used over the years

 

[catembi]

Fab - some products I hadn't heard of! I need to be careful with the gel types - I bought one & had to take it back before I'd used it as I was frantically allergic to it. Didn't say latex but it must have been.

At the moment, it feels like sitting on one of those rotating logs where you have to try & get to the other side without getting tipped off. I really do NOT want a tumble at this stage as it would really scare her.

Off to go online shopping

 

[joosie]

Only a crupper has worked for my boy. I am not a fan of using them on ridden horses, but he doesn't seem to mind it, and he's in a riding school so it's absolutely vital his saddle doesn't slip!

 

[Shay]

I'm really conflicted on this... I have a baby connie. He isn't round - he's gaunt. And he has no withers. (he's 3/4) With good treatment he will fatten up over the summer. I had thought to get an adjustable tree and a non slip gel and just gently get through the next 2 - 3 years. But my saddler (who I do trust - but I'm also not an idiot) says fixed tree saddle and plan to replace every year as this is better for his back. At the moment he is ridden in a bareback pad without stirrups. We can do most things (seriously sticky DD! He's hunted, gone XC, hacked etc) - but he needs to adjust to a saddle before the hunt season opens. And he probably has at least another year of growing / maturing on him. Quite possibly 2. I really don't want to strap a saddle that - basically - doesnt fit by holding it in place with breast girths. cruppers etc. But a new sadlle every year?!

 

[Gloi]

Cruppers work fine to stop the saddle slipping forward. I use one when riding where it's very hilly, just make sure you don't jump with it tightly fastened

I found out - snapped crupper and good bronking display.

 

[BeckyFlowers]

I used to use a Barnsby grip-pad saddlecloth on my barrel of a Welsh cob and it really helped.

 

[{138171}]

The ONLY thing that has worked on my witherless chunk is the Avacallo Limpet Pad, the gel eze non slip thin pad is not bad either, but not as non slip as the limpet pad.

 

[{138171}]

This one

Acavallo Shaped Gel Pad Full Clear https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NAGX83W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zCsOCbG07M0M3

Or this one

Trilanco Unisex's Gel-Eze Non-Slip Saddle Pad, Clear, One Size https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00U7O1AOO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TDsOCb45HNKNR

 

[catembi]

Oh gosh, I didn't think about cruppers & jumping! Thank you for the tip!

So it's looking like breastplate & some sort of sticky saddle pad is the way to go!

She honestly isn't that fat - just round.

 

[catembi]

I need to find a gel pad, touch it & then see if my hands start burning!

 

[{138171}]

I need to find a gel pad, touch it & then see if my hands start burning!

I can send you my gel eze one if you like, I don't use it niw ive got the other one

 

[catembi]

Are you sure? That's very kind of you!

Trying to work out how to post a picture or video of NF & me in action, but I can't remember. I think it's something to do with making an album on FB, which I'm trying to do, but my albums never seem to work! Aaaarrrggghh, it says it's empty when I put stuff in it!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I need to find a gel pad, touch it & then see if my hands start burning!

The Premier Equine ones arent gel underneath - they're a weird material very similar to a chamois leather I suppose. You would be ok with them I'd imagine? Plus its built into the underside of a saddlecloth so technically you wouldn't have a reason to touch it if you didn't need to.

 

[{138171}]

Are you sure? That's very kind of you!

Trying to work out how to post a picture or video of NF & me in action, but I can't remember. I think it's something to do with making an album on FB, which I'm trying to do, but my albums never seem to work! Aaaarrrggghh, it says it's empty when I put stuff in it!

Yes no problem at all, findibg these literally saved my life because whenever Winnies saddle moved she was like an explosion

 

[Leo Walker]

Are you sure? That's very kind of you!

Trying to work out how to post a picture or video of NF & me in action, but I can't remember. I think it's something to do with making an album on FB, which I'm trying to do, but my albums never seem to work! Aaaarrrggghh, it says it's empty when I put stuff in it!

just upload the photos as usual, click on the photo to make it full screen, right click, select copy img address paste that between [ img] [ /img] leaving out the spaces

 

[conniegirl]

Tbh, ive always found that getting the right type of saddle helps far more than strapping a saddle in place.
Not just the normal fit.
With my hunter he had a gp saddle, a dressage saddle and a show saddle all fitted by the same saddler at the same time.
The GP always slipped. The dressage saddle had a tendency to roll. The show saddle never moved an inch!

 

[AGray825]

Tbh, ive always found that getting the right type of saddle helps far more than strapping a saddle in place.
Not just the normal fit.
With my hunter he had a gp saddle, a dressage saddle and a show saddle all fitted by the same saddler at the same time.
The GP always slipped. The dressage saddle had a tendency to roll. The show saddle never moved an inch!

^^^^
I've heard that before. A woman at my local tack shop said that she can't use anything but a show or working hunter saddle on her round natives (I think she has Dales or Fell ponies but I can't remember for certain), and she favoured the Fylde ones

That said, I haven't been yet been converted to them myself. With my plan to be jumping as my round Welshie's main discipline, I'm hesitant to give them a go (even though apparently they're absolutely fine for it). I have got my saddle fitter coming out at the end of the month to refit for a new saddle as we just aren't getting on with my current one and she said she's going to try some cob-specific saddles for her, so we'll see how that goes!

At the moment I'm using the Premier Equine Tech Grip Anti-Slip pad and that's working out okay. Haven't yet needed to pull out the breastplate or gel so far!

 

[conniegirl]

^^^^
I've heard that before. A woman at my local tack shop said that she can't use anything but a show or working hunter saddle on her round natives (I think she has Dales or Fell ponies but I can't remember for certain), and she favoured the Fylde ones

That said, I haven't been yet been converted to them myself. With my plan to be jumping as my round Welshie's main discipline, I'm hesitant to give them a go (even though apparently they're absolutely fine for it). I have got my saddle fitter coming out at the end of the month to refit for a new saddle as we just aren't getting on with my current one and she said she's going to try some cob-specific saddles for her, so we'll see how that goes!

you can get some like the Fylde Mick, Ray, Lewis and Nathan, that are built on the same trees as the show saddle but are good for jumping even enormous fences.
https://www.fyldesaddleryltd.com/index.php/fylde_saddles/working_hunter_saddles/?k=:9:235994::0

I personally have an Ideal Ramsey WH saddle on my welsh C and other people have jumped him comfortably (I don't jump any longer)

 

[McFluff]

What girth are you using? If the saddle actually fits then the girth can make a difference. I tried all the gel pads and limpet pads, but my mare didn't like them. I then tried different girths - the professional choice one helped, but the biggest difference was moving to the prolite one as that fits her forward girth groove better. At that time, with that saddle, I also found that using straps 1&4 helped.

I went through a saddle a year for the first three years of owning my mare (sounds like a similar profile to the OP pony). The saddler warned me that this would happen, and while it was expensive (still got one of the previous saddles up for sale), it was the right thing to do. Her back looks great, and the saddler is confident that the current saddle will be good on her from now (subject to regular checks to the flocking and minor adjustments to the tree as she develops). She literally changed shape so much that this was needed (I have all the templates to show the difference in her shape). Now her saddle sits fine with no movement (assuming I've remembered to tighten the girth!) and paired with a fairfax girth.

 

[Hallo2012]

chamois leather instead of gel (in light of your allergies) can work nicely.

leather girth rather than synthetic and one shaped for a forward girth groove (ideal affinity is shaped enough for my round and flat welshes but fairfax/prolite are TOO shaped)

 

[pippixox]

with my mare, who is xx wide even when fit, and flat as a pancake back! I ended up splashing out on custom ideal saddle. I had tried all the non-slip pads with a saddle that appeared to fit, but is didn't wrap around her enough, it perched on top. but she was older and other than a tiny change when a bit fitter, was not going to need drastic change an time soon. I do use a gel pad beneath it, but it doesn't slip, even when I forget to tighten my girth! amazing how the right saddle works, after years of just subtly slipping and wonkiness. thank god for credit cards....
I have a round new forest like you described and always rode him in a crist lamafelle pad, held me in place and comfy for him. due to his ill health we then didn't progress to jumping, but I honestly think I would have tried stirrup less with him in it! but I get an eye out on eBay and found a 15'5 x wide saddle which fitted him perfectly, now collecting dust in my loft as so hard to find I don't dare get ride encase I get a wide pony again.

 

[windand rain]

contoured girth stopped my highlands saddle going forward cheap as chips aerborne stud guard one did the trick as it has a slightly bigger surface area under her tummy

 

[catembi]

H'mm, that's interesting re countoured girth. I have got a collegiate dressage girth that is horse sized, but it might well fit a NF pony on a saddle with short girth straps...

I'm thinking that I might have to bite the bullet & get a proper native saddle instead of the thorowgood. Loathe to spend the money on a companion that I only backed because I was bored & horseless, but she is plenty able to carry 7 1/2 stone and if we're going to start hacking, I would rather not end up underneath her every time she sneezes... **sighs** Saddles, saddlers, saddle fitting...all the stars seems to need to be aligned to get a good result...

 

[catembi]

Me pony squishing!

 

[catembi]

If anyone can tell me how to post a video clip (saved in a FB album), I will do that too!

 

[sbloom]

Tbh, ive always found that getting the right type of saddle helps far more than strapping a saddle in place.
Not just the normal fit.
With my hunter he had a gp saddle, a dressage saddle and a show saddle all fitted by the same saddler at the same time.
The GP always slipped. The dressage saddle had a tendency to roll. The show saddle never moved an inch!

^^^^
I've heard that before. A woman at my local tack shop said that she can't use anything but a show or working hunter saddle on her round natives (I think she has Dales or Fell ponies but I can't remember for certain), and she favoured the Fylde ones

That said, I haven't been yet been converted to them myself. With my plan to be jumping as my round Welshie's main discipline, I'm hesitant to give them a go (even though apparently they're absolutely fine for it). I have got my saddle fitter coming out at the end of the month to refit for a new saddle as we just aren't getting on with my current one and she said she's going to try some cob-specific saddles for her, so we'll see how that goes!

At the moment I'm using the Premier Equine Tech Grip Anti-Slip pad and that's working out okay. Haven't yet needed to pull out the breastplate or gel so far!

Agree that so often it's the saddle, a saddle can "fit" in he cross ties but if it moves when the horse moves then it can't be said to truly fit. Running up the neck, or slipping slightly to one side, can be harder to fix, but generally that roly poly thing going on natives is NOT inevitable. I would agree that a wooden tree saddle, to be replaced every few months as the horse changes, is often a much better idea than changeable gullet saddles. Wide horses often need wider withers, look at the shape of TG headplates, VERY V shaped, so a very narrow pommel. Will work for some but by no means all.

I have only ever had to use grippy pads as temporary fixes, and I fit mainly round horses as a speciality, look here (won't let me share the link, look for Dawn McCaig - Equine and Human Musculoskeletal Therapist on FB, is one of only two videos she has posted), shared 944 times to date and I'm very glad it has been. Only ever a very last resort and rarely the "only thing that works" as people say. If you really have to use one then the good old Limpet is tried and tested, less sticky on the skin than some, and a half decent foam to absorb concussion etc.

Straight cut saddles - occasionally it makes a difference, but if the tree points are back behind the shoulder where they should be (rarely seen on cobs and natives sadly) then the flap cut is less important. Occasionally uneven shoulders will affect a GP or jump more than a showing saddle, but I can't remember the last time I saw that.

 

[Greyhorse1]

Another one here who can only use a close contact show saddle type.
Rubbish to ride in but it never moves an inch.
I am aware that there’s not much too it so always try and use a sheepskin and gel pad to protect her back if I can.

Would love a normal saddle but made to measure seems to be £1000s!