Buying a saddle for an old horse

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bigbrownheavyhorse

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Looking for advice on what to do... my horse had the saddle fitter out and we have a temporary solution for the issues with the saddle.
He is 22 and has had colic a couple of times in the last two years. We have decided that if it happens again, unfortunately it will be his time to go as it’s unfair on him.
But just wondered what to do about the saddle - is it worth getting another one in case he has another colic episode soon? How short term is the temporary solution for the saddle fit? I obviously want to keep him as comfortable as possible. Help!!
 
What temporary measures did the fitter advise?

Why isnt the saddle currently a good fit as is?

So you foresee horse changing shape at all? I.e. would he ultimately be in a high level of work, does he put on or lose weight easily/quickly?
 
He could go on for years! I got a saddle fitter out to my older horse as I thought it was settling onto his shoulders. What she did was put a prolite pad underneath that just lifted it up a bit and has been like that for about 3 years. I had to get a longer girth. This has been the solution and hasn't caused any problems.
 
TPO said:
What temporary measures did the fitter advise?

Why isnt the saddle currently a good fit as is?

So you foresee horse changing shape at all? I.e. would he ultimately be in a high level of work, does he put on or lose weight easily/quickly?
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The saddle was too wide, so the saddle fitter advised me to use a half pad with shims at the front (which we have sorted and are already using) although the front of the saddle is now level with the back - which to me would indicate an incorrect fit? I am just worried about him losing more weight as he ages, but the saddle we have been recommended does have a changeable gullet.
 
I bought a second hand synthetic saddle (Thorowgood) with changeable gullet for my 19 yo loan horse. I just retired him this weekend so the saddle did 6 years and certainly didn't owe me anything. I had it checked regularly but it didn't need much adjustment during that time. Just under a year ago I bought a secondhand dressage version of the saddle. Sadly that hasn't had much use due to one thing and another. However I think it should have help it's value quite well.

It's tricky because you never know how long they will be rideable for (but obviously hope it will be as long as possible!). I guess I would think about how easy/worthwhile it would be to sell a saddle on plus what work you are likely to be doing - ideally they would all have perfectly fitting saddles but a 30min walk hack isn't quite the same as a days hunting if you see what I mean.
 
bigbrownheavyhorse said:
The saddle was too wide, so the saddle fitter advised me to use a half pad with shims at the front (which we have sorted and are already using) although the front of the saddle is now level with the back - which to me would indicate an incorrect fit? I am just worried about him losing more weight as he ages, but the saddle we have been recommended does have a changeable gullet.
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As you want to be sitting slap bang in the middle of your saddle, generally speaking the front of the saddle should be level with the back.
 
I would see if your saddler could fit an older quality brand saddle. They retain their value so if you have to sell then you get most of what you paid back.
An older horse who's been out of work will illness needs to be extra comfortable IMHO.

Any horse can do some massive self harm at any age and be a write off (my 7 y/o has just done so !) so age shouldn't make a difference to saddle fitting.
 
If the saddle he is in now fits him with the half pad and shims, then I really wouldn't worry about it.

They just need a little bit more tlc as they get older = I get my oldie checked more regularly, as he has started to lose topline, and I've just changed from my dream dressage saddle to a new style Wintec Isabell, as I want to minimise the weight he's carting around.
 
9tails said:
As you want to be sitting slap bang in the middle of your saddle, generally speaking the front of the saddle should be level with the back.
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This is how it looks at the moment with the half pad and shims. I thought the deepest part of the seat looked too far back?
 

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Surely just do what you need to do to keep him comfortable in the level of work he is doing. Why should an old horse have less care than a younger one? Sorry I don't mean to sound harsh but if you want to continue riding him then you need to take more care of him as an older horse, the cost of a saddle if you lose him shouldn't be an issue surely?
 
bigbrownheavyhorse said:
This is how it looks at the moment with the half pad and shims. I thought the deepest part of the seat looked too far back?
Click to expand...

What @Auslander said

However yes, to me, it does look too high (narrow?) in front. Is it a new riser pad? It could be that it needs to "bed down" and that the saddle is level with the weight of a rider?
 
oldie48 said:
Surely just do what you need to do to keep him comfortable in the level of work he is doing. Why should an old horse have less care than a younger one? Sorry I don't mean to sound harsh but if you want to continue riding him then you need to take more care of him as an older horse, the cost of a saddle if you lose him shouldn't be an issue surely?
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No of course not, I think deep down I already know I’m going to buy the saddle anyway but just wanted some second opinions
 
TPO said:
What @Auslander said

However yes, to me, it does look too high (narrow?) in front. Is it a new riser pad? It could be that it needs to "bed down" and that the saddle is level with the weight of a rider?
Click to expand...

It’s a half pad with shims sewn onto the front - the aim was to make it narrower but as you said, I’m not sure if it’s too narrow now
 
bigbrownheavyhorse said:
It’s a half pad with shims sewn onto the front - the aim was to make it narrower but as you said, I’m not sure if it’s too narrow now
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Both my oldies have Prolite pads. One has a rear riser and the other one with shims all along. Both would be unlikely to fit in any off the shelf saddle without, but if I could find one that fitted I would.

The saddle in your pic does look a bit unlevel. Can you send that photo to your saddler and ask them if they think that’s right or do you need something else under it. They may have a simple explanation such as it will go down once they’ve worn the shims in a bit.
 
One of my horses saddle is permanently fitted with shims I just adjust them depending on how he changes, there is nothing wrong with having this set up for a saddle long term, you just have to educate yourself on how it should fit and then it works perfectly.
 
It looks too high at the front take the shims out at the front making sure you can still easily get your hand to slide down the front of it, then have a look and see if it makes it level if your unsure get the saddler out to see if they can adjust it a bit, he may have just filled out there so the need for the shims may not be necessary.
 
9tails said:
As you want to be sitting slap bang in the middle of your saddle, generally speaking the front of the saddle should be level with the back.
Click to expand...

The cantle is always higher than the pommel, a deeper seat and/or dressage saddle more so than a jump or polo saddle etc.

bigbrownheavyhorse said:
This is how it looks at the moment with the half pad and shims. I thought the deepest part of the seat looked too far back?
Click to expand...

Tipping back quite badly. I would want to see how much it comes down with the rider on to be sure. It can change a lot. Did the fitter see you ride?

bigbrownheavyhorse said:
It’s a half pad with shims sewn onto the front - the aim was to make it narrower but as you said, I’m not sure if it’s too narrow now
Click to expand...

Technically you can't make a saddle narrower with shims, or even flocking, the tree is the only thing that has "width" which is actually, for most British type fitters, the angle of the points. The shims are mimicking flocking, if the shims are thicker at the bottom, at the front, than at the top, then they are going part way to making a saddle "fit narrower", but most aren't tapered like that and can only rebalance a saddle, lifting front or back, filling in "holes" in musculature, adjusting for asymmetry or bridging.

I have fitted a new saddle for a 27 year old with a very dropped back, it had a flat tree and curved panel for his sway back and the owner didn't just manage to do the twice a week 30 minute hacks he needed, after three months she did the Burghley pleasure ride and it needed widening a whole size, and his back lifted about an inch in the middle!

Only you, a vet or therapist that knows him, and your fitter, can make that decision. Every horse and situation is different.
 
FWIW my saddler was out last week and his comment to one of the liveries was that a well-maintained leather saddle is a good investment and you don't lose much money on them whereas you will lose on a synthetic saddle.
 
sbloom said:
The cantle is always higher than the pommel, a deeper seat and/or dressage saddle more so than a jump or polo saddle etc.



Tipping back quite badly. I would want to see how much it comes down with the rider on to be sure. It can change a lot. Did the fitter see you ride?



Technically you can't make a saddle narrower with shims, or even flocking, the tree is the only thing that has "width" which is actually, for most British type fitters, the angle of the points. The shims are mimicking flocking, if the shims are thicker at the bottom, at the front, than at the top, then they are going part way to making a saddle "fit narrower", but most aren't tapered like that and can only rebalance a saddle, lifting front or back, filling in "holes" in musculature, adjusting for asymmetry or bridging.

I have fitted a new saddle for a 27 year old with a very dropped back, it had a flat tree and curved panel for his sway back and the owner didn't just manage to do the twice a week 30 minute hacks he needed, after three months she did the Burghley pleasure ride and it needed widening a whole size, and his back lifted about an inch in the middle!

Only you, a vet or therapist that knows him, and your fitter, can make that decision. Every horse and situation is different.
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Thank you - yes she saw me ride in the saddle, but I have emailed them that photo to see their opinion. I will have to get someone to take a photo of the saddle with me on board to see how it looks. I would feel awful if I didn’t get the new saddle, knowing the one he has with the shims now isn’t totally right for him.
 
EventingMum said:
FWIW my saddler was out last week and his comment to one of the liveries was that a well-maintained leather saddle is a good investment and you don't lose much money on them whereas you will lose on a synthetic saddle.
Click to expand...

I hate doing this but I have to disagree. A saddle that fits you and your horse is a good investment for your horse full stop, if you can buy second hand you'll lose less money, if you look after it well you'll lose less money. Having a rare but desirable off the peg brand also means you'll lose less money.

However, a new leather saddle can drop by the amount you paid for a brand new synthetic, for example a £3000 continental saddle, a year old, could be now be worth £2000 at the very most, so you've lost way more than most synthetic saddles cost in the first place, so you'll lose more money on that £3k saddle. Synthetics have changeable headplates these days, people think they'll fit anything, or at least carry on fitting a given horse because you can change the width; neither is true but it means they actually buy and sell well, so keep their value.

In twenty years time the leather saddle is still likely to be in usable condition (although continental calf wrapped saddles generally don't last that long, English leather with thicker single thickness butt leather flaps last much better), the synthetic less so, but in cost per year? A synthetic will still usually win, especially in those first 5 years. The loss of buying and selling older saddles is much less.

I only stock and fit leather saddles and they have a ton of advantages over most synthetics but it's just not true to say you'll lose less on a leather saddle.
 
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