Dry spots under saddle

[Miramis]

After my new saddle causing no end of niggles (rubs all winter and now a horse with a sore back that is tetchy getting girthed up, vet bills, physio and so on) the makers have given me a new style saddle to try that they thought would fit my mare better...its not what i want as its a jump saddle and i originally bought a GP style but they think the panel works better..my niggle is that it caused these dry spots behind her withers after a short pleasure ride...anyone know what this would indicate? she had a perfect saddle sweat mark and behind her withers were these bone dry patches. I wont be exchanging for this as i wasnt comfortable myself in it and felt my bottom slid out the back of it......but they are telling me nothing to worry about.

 

[nixxyz]

I was always told the sweat mark should me nice and even, no dry patches, to ensure the pressure was even throughout the pannels. ( i could be wrong tho) but to me it looks like theres either too much pressure in that spot or none at all. Is there any lumps and bumps in the flocking? and is it the same on both sides? I personally would get another saddler out for another opinion. since you feel uncomfortable riding in it, it wouldnt hurt to get it looked at anyway, saddles are too expensive not to be right.

 

[Penny Less]

A little tip I was given, sprinkle talcum powder over horses back under saddle, then ride, without a numnah, and you can then see where the saddle is in contact

 

[sbloom]

Sorry to report there is no magic way to diagnose saddle fit after you've taken the saddle off, talc or no. The only sweat mark issue that indicates a problem is a small area of dry in a large area of wet - this means there is a small pressure point. Nothing else really tells you what is going on.

I assess saddle fit through visual panel contact, tree width, front to back balance etc on a non-ridden horse, then stability in walk trot and canter, and over a fence if relevant. It IS a bit of an art, a bit of science, and takes experience. What you CAN monitor at home is changes to the fit - clearance, front to back balance, and movement. If anything changes you know to get the saddle checked.

There are the very basic guidelines as to how a saddle fits but many of these can vary with horse and different saddles.

If your bum felt like it was right on the back of the saddle it MIGHT have been low at the back - either to begin with, or, if the seat size was a little tight for you, after you sit in it, in which case it might need a deeper rear panel.