Front riser pad...do you think it would help?

[cidermillcottage1]

My mare had a new saddle fitted last year but has recently had a few months off..she has lost some muscle and condition on her withers and the saddle now sits quite low at the front..particularly when i am riding her.

its hard to describe but basically on the sides of the pommel, next to the skirt the saddle sits quite low and whilst it doesn't touch her withers it is quite low. I have had some flocking added but it hasn't made a lot of difference. I don't really want to go to the expense of getting a new saddle at this stage as i'm convinced the muscle will return and i was really pleased with the fit of the saddle before...do you think a front riser is likely to help in the short term?? i have never used one before...any advice/help muchly appreciated!!

 

[Nari]

Try it & see.

Sometimes if a front riser pad doesn't do the trick a shim/wither relief pad placed under the front will because it only lifts the front rather than the whole saddle.

 

[Bosworth]

No don't use a front riser - basically the saddle is now too wide for the horse - not a major problem but the way to solve it an allow the horse to ,muscle up is to use a Prolite wide relief pad under the saddle to fill the space along the full length of the saddle. A front riser will alter the total balance of the saddle tipping it back and causing problems further back.

 

[RuthP]

I've used a wintec front riser pad as I have the same problem as you and wasn't impressed at all, mainly with the material, it did the job but completely altered the fit of the rest of the saddle.

If you still want to go down that route maybe try the prolite wither pad, or the prolite with the front inserts as the material is far nicer and I swear by prolites!

 

[wambles]

put a back riser on it, we had that problem and the saddle fitter sayd a back riser not a front riser and it worked