Fitting Saddles (especially on a youngster!!)

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nattyneddy

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I have a six year old WB gelding, who as expected, is probably changing shape as we speak. He had a saddle fitted when we bought him last September, then we bought and fitted a new one (with an interchangeable gullet to hopefully avoid buying another one) in December.

My question is, how often would you be getting a qualified saddle fitter out to check it's still fitting? As far as I can tell the saddle is fine, still fits him lovely and he seems as happy as ever in it! However, we want to nip things in the bud before they develop and I was thinking about maybe getting a saddle fitter out to double check it's all ok. He's starting to really develop great muscles over his back and through his shoulder, which is great but we are keen to keep on top of things.

I know it varies between horse to horse and person to person but was interested to see what other people thought?
 
At 6, assuming he is in regular work, I'd imagine him to be physically mature and not change much more. Yearly would be enough I should think unless you see big physical changes or change in attitude.
 
Look at the saddle now on the horse with a numnah thats been lifted in to the gullet not flat on horses back, can you see his back bone when you look from the back end under the saddle where the gullet is. Can you put your hand nicely flat and slide it beneath saddle touching the horses skin where the front of the saddle flaps are pretty much just above where the top of your knee would sit, just behind hos shoulder, if yes to the above then you can get away with yearly visits.

If the saddle lifts off the horses back when you do a rising trot, then it isnt padded enough so you would need to get the fitter out which may be more often than yearly. Hope this helps just a guide to go on.

I do believe horse owners need to learn things for themselves, take bote when professionals come out then they can see for themselves if things change.
 
nattyneddy said:
I have a six year old WB gelding, who as expected, is probably changing shape as we speak. He had a saddle fitted when we bought him last September, then we bought and fitted a new one (with an interchangeable gullet to hopefully avoid buying another one) in December.

My question is, how often would you be getting a qualified saddle fitter out to check it's still fitting? As far as I can tell the saddle is fine, still fits him lovely and he seems as happy as ever in it! However, we want to nip things in the bud before they develop and I was thinking about maybe getting a saddle fitter out to double check it's all ok. He's starting to really develop great muscles over his back and through his shoulder, which is great but we are keen to keep on top of things.

I know it varies between horse to horse and person to person but was interested to see what other people thought?
Click to expand...

Went through the same thing with my horse, up until he was 8(but he was a late bloomer) I had the saddler come out and adjust the saddle twice a year, once during summer (because he'd expand) and then once during winter (because he'd un-expand). But through this time he was changing size, and not just in his stomach. After that we saw a pattern and I bought the gullet thing that you change in the saddle from the saddler and now change it myself as and when is appropriate.

I just found that I knew when it was time to get the saddler out :)
 
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