Bringing a horse into work after a long period of lameness recovery - saddle options

[LadyGascoyne]

I am very excitingly bringing my 8 yo mare back into work after nearly two years off with a ddft injury. She is looking so good but she has lost a lot of muscle and is quite long and unsupported in her back at the moment.

I know the answer to this is work but I do want to make the transition back into being a ridden horse as easy as possible. I have a lightweight rider for her too.

However, knowing her shape is likely to change quite rapidly, I am unsure about saddle options at the moment.

We have her old saddle (Arabian Saddle Company Sylvan, leather with a Lovatt and Rickets spring tree) which was fitted just before she started box rest and our saddle fitter was happy with it, and we have a barefoot western saddle (Atlanta) with a barefoot physio pad. I also have an old wintec saddle which we use for backing.

The wintec is the lightest, being synthetic, but my saddle fitter really doesn’t like them and despite it looking passable on her they weren’t happy to sign off on it fitting. The Arabian Saddle Company isn’t a particularly heavy saddle but it is treed and it is pretty solid, and it is looking a bit big on her due to her loss of muscle. The barefoot saddle itself is light, at about 6kg, but with the fenders, stirrups and physio pad that adds another 4/5kg.

My saddle fitter is currently not that available.

I could:

- Pop a pad under her usual saddle and just accept it probably isn’t going to fit terribly well until she fills out.

- Brave the wintec saddle until she muscles up, accepting that they may not be a saddle fitter’s dream but lots of horses are ridden in them.

- Reduce weight on the barefoot saddle by buying lightweight leathers and stirrups, and stripping down the extras. Maybe going with a lighter foam pad underneath

- Call a different saddle fitter but the complication is that my usual saddle fitter has just done my other horse and the newly fitted and purchased saddle doesn’t fit and keeps flying forward so I need that resolved too and I’d rather have both horses able to be fitted for long term saddles rather than have multiple call outs at £60 each, whilst horses change shape).

It’s worth noting, araby horses are tricky to fit, saddle fitter is very highly rated but I have to accept my horses have what can kindly be called ‘typey’ conformation.

What would you do? Any other ideas very welcome.

 

[GoldenWillow]

When I have had saddle fitting dilemmas I go back to my Christ Lammfelle pad.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Just some pics in case helpful.

Moving, with signature startled llama look. (So you get the conformation/ type issue in all its glory)

As close to conformation style as we get - she doesn’t usually stand camped out like this, she wasn’t happy to stand so this was midway through stretching for a mint.

In her usual saddle.

 

[tda]

When I have had saddle fitting dilemmas I go back to my Christ Lammfelle pad.

Was just going to suggest that, however I would also be comfortable using the treeless you have , with no input from a fitter due to the small amount of work you will be doing until your normal fitter comes out

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

No help on saddles but how great to have her back and how beautiful is she. We have one we turned away for a year with suspensory injury and he came right too. He’s currently being ridden in one of our other horses saddles, an equipe as it fits him better than his actual saddle that was made for him when he was fit. Saddler says give it time and his lovely bespoke saddle should fit him again. He’s currently upto 45 mins of walking ridden but he feels so weak compared to where he was pre injury

 

[BBP]

Excellent startled llama look! You must be really thrilled to be starting her again. I’m opting to try the Total Contact when I bring mine into work, I know not everyone likes them but they seem a useful option when the horse may change rapidly. (I will await the thoughts of others though).

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think I'd go either normal saddle but with a shimmable half pad or the treeless. And then be guided by her as to what she prefers and that may be the Wintec!

If she's had a lot of time off, I've personally always done a period of postural focused ground work to help them build up some topline and strength in their core - just a thought, if you haven't already.

Good luck for the ridden return!

 

[planete]

I would use the treeless with lighter accessories but use the best treeless pad possible as they can make a huge diffeirence to the horse's comfort which more than compensates for the possible weight increase.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

If you would be open to buying a saddle the Ideal T&T saddle might be worth a try, I have just bought one for my ever changing youngster. They are a changeable gullet, but the actual gullet plate itself is curved back and not as long as the usual one, so it allow for a lot more flexion in the majority of the saddle and allows them to have a different fit at the topline than they may need on the trapezius area for example

I am probably not explaining it very well but may be worth a google. If this is not an option, then my bet would go with a treeless for the time being

 

[palo1]

When I have had saddle fitting dilemmas I go back to my Christ Lammfelle pad.

This! Every time - they are generally really well accepted by both horse and rider.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I would look at a giod shim pad, like the Mattes ones that you can shim for fit with her proper saddle and then as she muscles up take the shims out.

Its what I did with mine, his saddle was in the wider setting and when he came back into work he had lost the weight so with my fitters help we kept it wide and I just shimmed until his muscle development popped back up again.

 

[Caol Ila]

This! Every time - they are generally really well accepted by both horse and rider.

Mostly! Not my horse.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

I would see if anyone has a Tcs saddle you could borrow but equally I know loads of people that ride in wintecs especially the ones that you can change the gullet yourself and the horses I know do well in them x

 

[Aleka81]

If the Wintec fits well why not use that? Just because your SF hates them doesn't mean that they dont fit and serve a purpose. I love my Bates Elevation and Isabell. In my limited experience a lot of saddle fitters don't like them as they don't need flocking routinely.

I also have a Lovett and Ricketts saddle that is ideal for in hand work and getting things started again
Obviously shimmable pads are really useful in this situation. The horse is a beauty! Good luck.x

 

[Barklands]

Are you able to spend a bit more time building topline from the ground? E.g long lining up hills, polework on lunge etc.

IME they will change shape a great deal if they have lost a lot of muscle and come back into full work they often need yet another new saddle. I probably wouldn’t be considering getting on her at this stage due to the lack of muscle and would want to be doing a lot of long and low work from the ground

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Congratulations on bringing her back into work! I’ve been there with DDFT injury and totally understand the anxiety and stress. My horse is just over 2 years post injury too.
Hope you get sorted soon. I don’t have much wisdom to offer ref saddle fit, sorry!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Are you able to spend a bit more time building topline from the ground? E.g long lining up hills, polework on lunge etc.

IME they will change shape a great deal if they have lost a lot of muscle and come back into full work they often need yet another new saddle. I probably wouldn’t be considering getting on her at this stage due to the lack of muscle and would want to be doing a lot of long and low work from the ground

She’s had 4 months of in-hand and walking on in-hand hacks. She’s very hot in hand and much easier ridden, and she’s not getting enough mileage on in-hand hacks. Physio and vet both think it’s time to crack on with riding.

 

[alibali]

I would use the treeless with lighter accessories but use the best treeless pad possible as they can make a huge diffeirence to the horse's comfort which more than compensates for the possible weight increase.

I was just about to say exactly this. Don't skimp on the pad, a good pad is more important than reducing a little bit of weight.

Also (and Ive noted your long period of in hand work and the fact she is hot when you do it) if you can manage to continue with in hand pole exercises alongside the short rides I think that will really help her build correct strength.

My arab is very lightly built and though skinny I'm 5'8 so even keeping everything lightweight with tack I'm nearer 17% of her body weight. Therefore I have changed my routine and of my two schooling sessions every week I always do one in hand as a short of circuit strength training. If I can only fit one session in then it's done in hand. I feel the in hand work really helps her to build correct muscles and core strength without being unbalanced by having to carry my weight. My physio was really pleased with her back and overall increase in muscle last time she was checked.

There's a polework group on Facebook with lots of different exercises on it to give you inspiration and to target the areas you feel need most work. Fingers crossed for a smooth rehab for you

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would ask the horse her opinion and hope that she prefers the treeless.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I was just about to say exactly this. Don't skimp on the pad, a good pad is more important than reducing a little bit of weight.

Also (and Ive noted your long period of in hand work and the fact she is hot when you do it) if you can manage to continue with in hand pole exercises alongside the short rides I think that will really help her build correct strength.

My arab is very lightly built and though skinny I'm 5'8 so even keeping everything lightweight with tack I'm nearer 17% of her body weight. Therefore I have changed my routine and of my two schooling sessions every week I always do one in hand as a short of circuit strength training. If I can only fit one session in then it's done in hand. I feel the in hand work really helps her to build correct muscles and core strength without being unbalanced by having to carry my weight. My physio was really pleased with her back and overall increase in muscle last time she was checked.

There's a polework group on Facebook with lots of different exercises on it to give you inspiration and to target the areas you feel need most work. Fingers crossed for a smooth rehab for you

My barefoot saddle has the physio pad system https://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/shop/barefoot-physio-pad . It’s about 3kg on its own! I might look at my Mattes pads and shims, I have them for my other horse. Mattes does western too so would probably have something for the Nevada.

All our horses do a lot of in-hand, because I really enjoy it. This one has only done what is in her physio programme - stretches, some walk-halt-walk, getting a little bit of flexion and walking over raised poles. She hasn’t done any true classical in-hand work because she is still restricted to walk and the vet wants us to work in straight lines. The DDFT injury is right in the foot, due to poor foot balance and we need to get that much more mobile as a priority, but without her twisting the foot too much. (ETA, this is the horse that arrived lame and we have taken shoes off).

The lameness seems to be improving with work, so the working theory is atrophy and weakness combined with shortening in the tendon which has been injured. The idea is to work slowly and build strength and flexibility and then do another full work up.

What I really want to do is walk her for miles, with a light rider to get her feet working - hence the saddle requirement. She is also the easiest, sweetest mare to ride so she will naturally get a lot more from it than on the ground where she can be very high.

She is on a pro-eventer’s yard because I don’t have time to rehab her myself, and at the moment she going to be ridden by a lady who rides their babies. She will also start a few sessions with our usual pro dressage rider.

I’m 5’8 too and not skinny, but not too large and she is 15.3hh. I have sat on her to check she’s safe but won’t ride myself until she has developed more. I’m also planning to drop a bit of weight first just to get myself comfortably within ratios. It’s thankfully not a lot to lose.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I would ask the horse her opinion and hope that she prefers the treeless.

I would with Mim, she would tell me immediately if the saddle didn’t fit. This horse is so keen to please, I think she wouldn’t complain if it was on backwards!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think I would get a shim pad or numnah and try that with her regular saddle for now have a look at the winter as well and take it from there.

I use the nuumed wool pads on mine but there are lots of shim options now that are decent.

 

[cauda equina]

Another vote for a Christ Lammfelle
Not only do they fit everything, they are also extremely light

 

[NR88]

Why not consult with the professional? Surely they are experienced enough to know what will work best for the horse. They have the advantage of seeing the horse and saddles in the flesh too.

With the best will in the world people of varying experience and knowledge on the Internet cannot fit a saddle to a horse.

A pad, for example, does not distribute weight. That generally would not be the preferred option for a horse going through rehabilitation and with postural issues.

I however would not contemplate riding a horse that was still lame as per post 20. The horse should change shape with the correct rehab programme and postural training making decisions about saddle fit further off and what could fit now irrelevant.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Why not consult with the professional? Surely they are experienced enough to know what will work best for the horse. They have the advantage of seeing the horse and saddles in the flesh too.

With the best will in the world people of varying experience and knowledge on the Internet cannot fit a saddle to a horse.

A pad, for example, does not distribute weight. That generally would not be the preferred option for a horse going through rehabilitation and with postural issues.

I however would not contemplate riding a horse that was still lame as per post 20. The horse should change shape with the correct rehab programme and postural training making decisions about saddle fit further off and what could fit now irrelevant.

Our professional saddle fitter isn’t available right now. I could ask another but as I mentioned in my post, this one has been working with two of my horses and we have the history and the ongoing work for both.

The vet and physio are both aligned that the horse is not going to make a full recovery unless we can start working the foot, and getting all the structures within the hoof to start moving again.

Walking rehab is very common, especially in tendon injuries and especially in barefoot rehab. The horse is sound in straight lines, sound on one rein on a circle, and almost completely sound on the other rein on a circle but still takes the odd off step.

The vet cannot get a read on this at the moment because it is so intermittent. The physio thinks she is sound but weak and perhaps doesn’t have full range of motion in the foot that has had the tendon injury. The pro riders both think it is make or break time - we aren’t going to see more improvement with her continuing to stand in a field and do a little in-hand.

The plan of walking her is to get the foot active, loosen up everything that has atrophied with box and field rest, and then we can send her back to the vet hospital for another work up with a better overall level of fitness, flexibility and strength.

The question is really about saddles, I’m happy with my rehab plan, and I trust my vet and my physio, and both of our pro riders, and I am very pleased with the rider we have found who is basically about jockey size.

If she doesn’t stand up to work, she can retire to my fields at home. But she is getting the most professionally supported chance to return to ridden work - even just hacking work which is the current aim.

ETA, I’m not asking the internet to fit a saddle, that would be absurd. I have three options I am comfortable will do the job, and I’m deciding between them. The expected changes in posture and musculature is exactly why I am thinking over options - she will change through rehab so fitting an entirely new saddle to her now seems premature.

 

[NR88]

*the professional that you are paying to rehab your horse. They should know a reasonaly good fit in lieu of the saddle fitter if you're determined to ride prior to a fitter being available.

 

[I'm Dun]

She’s had 4 months of in-hand and walking on in-hand hacks. She’s very hot in hand and much easier ridden, and she’s not getting enough mileage on in-hand hacks. Physio and vet both think it’s time to crack on with riding.

Id be questioning why she looks so weak still then. 4 months of groundwork and inland hacks should have made a big difference. Whereas she looks just like you'd expect a horse to look that hadn't done any work for 2yrs. Is she lacking protein in her diet? Or is the ground work done not the right sort?

If she was mine I'd send her to Dan Wain for a month. Hes close to you, don't charge the earth and will find out of there's an underlying issue pretty quickly. Or even have him or someone like him out to work with your usual rider to see where they can make improvements. I wouldn't want to get on a horse coming back into work from injury that had no muscle or toppling at all. You want them to find the work easy, not struggle to carry a rider and she looks so weak, combine that with araby conformation and postural issues I'd be worried your just going to reinjure the DFT or do something else, esp if she's prone to being a bit hot.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

*the professional that you are paying to rehab your horse. They should know a reasonaly good fit in lieu of the saddle fitter if you're determined to ride prior to a fitter being available.

Sorry, I am not paying them to rehab my horse. I’ve put the horse on livery because I don’t have facilities to start her up again at home. And I’ve hired their rider because she is light, small and an excellent rider.

Everyone seems comfortable with my choices and they broadly fit, if padded, and also don’t fit enough for me not to want my saddle fitter back when the horse has had some time to put some condition and muscle on. I’m purely weighing up my saddle options what others think.

I’m not riding, either. I am having her ridden by the girl who works for the pro rider whose event yard she is on, whose whole job is producing young horses. And I’m doing that - and paying a lot for it - because my vet and physio both think that is what is needed.

I need someone small and light to walk the horse regularly to complete her foot rehab, and then we will turn our attention to developing her as a riding horse once my vet has seen her again, and she’s done a full work up at their clinic.

I’m sorry if you take issue with that, but it’s a forum, I’m interested in people’s opinions on saddle options and I want to think it through properly. She’s on a pro yard but she’s still my horse and my responsibility, and it’s my tack. Differing opinions are always helpful to my process on working out what I want to do.

Id be questioning why she looks so weak still then. 4 months of groundwork and inland hacks should have made a big difference. Whereas she looks just like you'd expect a horse to look that hadn't done any work for 2yrs. Is she lacking protein in her diet? Or is the ground work done not the right sort?

If she was mine I'd send her to Dan Wain for a month. Hes close to you, don't charge the earth and will find out of there's an underlying issue pretty quickly. Or even have him or someone like him out to work with your usual rider to see where they can make improvements. I wouldn't want to get on a horse coming back into work from injury that had no muscle or toppling at all. You want them to find the work easy, not struggle to carry a rider and she looks so weak, combine that with araby conformation and postural issues I'd be worried your just going to reinjure the DFT or do something else, esp if she's prone to being a bit hot.

She hasn’t been doing a lot, she’s been going for very slow pottering walk on the lead on the weekends, and doing stretches and walking over poles a couple of times a week. Other than that she has been in the field for a year, and before that did 6 months in a stable and 2 months in a pen.

It’s always going to be difficult to get her to work correctly, not reinjure herself and not burn up calories being tricky in-hand, so she isn’t working correctly on the ground but she works beautifully under saddle. It is like she accesses a different brain.

I really am happy with my vet, physio and our pro riders. These people produce horses to an international standard and my horse is only just starting out her active rehab. I have taken things immensely slowly as I haven’t wanted to rush things. I’m not worried about her progress or development, I’m actually very pleased with it.

ETA, this was her at the start of May, still at home, just before going to the yard to start properly focusing on rehab.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Can you get her out being ponied from another horse to build up more muscle before thinking of getting a rider back on her? Or more in hand walks over poles?

She does not yet look ready to carry a rider of any weight, whatever your vet says.

 

[Flame_]

I have a tricky shaped arab and reactor panel has been the best I can do. If I had infinite time and money for trial and error, with it's repercussions, I'd give Wow a go too, I think. I'm sceptical of treeless and disillusioned with ASC. Good Luck!