Getting smacked on the butt by cantle over jumps!

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BeckyD

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Why is the cantle of my saddle smacking me on the posterior over jumps? I know I don't have a great jumping position but I'm working hard to improve it. I have an Albion K2 GP - is it the shape of the saddle? Is there anything I can do about it to stop it?

My OH says it's because my posterior is so big that gravity is pulling it back down to Earth too soon!
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ETS: It's a 6-week old saddle and the saddler came out on wednesday last week to check it had settled ok and still fitted and she said it sits beautifully and fits like a glove. I don't think the saddle is moving as looking at videos of us jumping the saddle hasn't budged.
 
It's a new saddle (6 weeks old) and I had it checked a week ago (Wednesday last week) by the saddler who came out to do the first check after fitting. She said it fits him extremely well and sits perfectly. The saddle itself doesn't seem to be lifting up (apparently), it's just that it does hit my bottom. It's so annoying!
 
Put video up so we can judge better.
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Maybe you need shorter stirrups.
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Is it the saddle lifting and hitting your bum or you not having correct seat and coming down to far back and connecting with the cantle.
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If we could see the video it would be better. If it's not you then the saddle doesn't fit.
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Get a second opinion from a fitter who doesn't sell saddles so they are not just trying to sell you the best fit they've got rather than making sure it fits. When in trot on even ground does the saddle come up to meet you so to speak?
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Maybe the style of the saddle just doesn't suit you. I jump a horse who has a K2 and I don't like it much; too big and bulky with not enough room to move. Much prefer flatter seated saddles with smaller knee rolls.
 
hehe no the only one I've got of me jumping also includes me falling off at a dirty stop!! Not for public consumption.
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No I don't think the saddle moves at all in trot. My old Wintec bobbed about all over the place but this doesn't move at all.
 
Does this happen more so on landing? If it does it will help if you put your stirrups up a few holes as it sounds like you are moving back towards the saddle when your horse is landing/lifting his back end up. It may be that the cantle is a little higher on this saddle, or you have your stirrups longer.

It used to happen to me quite often until my jumping position improved. I tended to go into my position then as they were landing I would bend my knees causing my bum to hit the saddle for a second. I put my stirrups up more and it helped.
 
Oh go on spoil sport lets see it
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Hehe

Has the saddle got an extra high cantle?
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I would still get another fitter to check it out.
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Many a fitter who sell saddles will say it fits just to sell.
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A friend of mine bought a new saddle which kept moving and lifting called fitter back 1 week later.
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The fitter said he's lost 6 inches in a week
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(No way) She then asked me what I thought (I was in the next stable) I said you're the saddle fitter that's what she's paying you for.
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She then did a tenplate to send to manufacturers and got her another saddle at an extra £100
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which fitted better but still moved because he had no withers and was rather round.
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Just sounds like you need a jumping saddle with a flatter seat.

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I would agree, GPs generally do get you up the backside when you jump in them.
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Hmm TBH I'm not sure exactly when it was hitting me - I'll check tomorrow when I'm jumping. It could well be my position as I sure do need to work on it (and am doing!).

I had put my stirrups of 4 holes last night but over the bigger jumps (when the cantle was hitting me) I did feel that they could go shorter, so I tried putting them up to 5 holes and felt much better (but was happy with his jumping and had decided to call it a day). I'll jump on 5 holes shorter tomorrow and see if that solves the problem. Thanks for the advice xx
 
Hehe NO!

It does have a fairly high cantle, which made me think it might just be the style of the saddle, my old Wintec was much flatter-seated.

OK, I'll look into getting another fitter out. I do trust my saddle fitter, she's brutally honest about stuff
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but isn't overly commercial.
 
Thats why GP saddles are crap. You will be jacking your stirrups up for jumping which puts you towards the back of the saddle, so you get kicked forward when you land as the deep seat doesnt allow you to sit back in the saddle!
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I know GP saddles are jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none, but I really thought at my level I'd be ok with one. And he's only just turned 5 so hard to justify 2 saddles when he's still changing shape. Saddler did say if I start jumping big then I'll prob need a jumping saddle, but I wouldn't really class 3 foot 3 as big!

I'll shorten my stirrups and work very VERY hard on my position and especially landing over fences to try to solve the problem without further expense.

Or I could just carry on jumping 2 foot forever
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I had this happen to me as well. I borrowed my sisters K2 Jump saddle on Cilla and it smaked me allthe time - I think my bum is too big as this saddle was a 17.5 and my normal saddle is 18.

But when I ride Spot in that saddle it never happens - but he jumps very flat - so I also think it depends on the horse
 
Yeah see where you are coming from. When my baby horse was growing up, he just had a jump saddle, and then when he stabilised he got a dressage saddle too....can school oin the flat in a jump saddle, but find it difficult to jump in a dr or GP saddle....
 
I used to have the same problems in the distant past when we did the bigger jumps and the horse tended to go a bit deep, was always getting jabbed in the back on the exit side. I'm sure the saddle does fit, and is a very nice saddle, but if jumping is what you primarily want to do, the seat might be a bit deep, or the cantle too high and you might need to look at other styles.
 
That's a good point, I was puposefully putting him a bit deep to fences last night to get him using himself more and to try to lose the hurdling attitude which is no fun once the fences get bigger.

Ho hum. B*gger. Am regretting getting a GP now. I umm'ed and ahh'ed over a jump or GP and in the end went for GP. I'm such an idiot. I KNOW I love jumping in the K2 jump. Well I cannot afford a new saddle yet, so I guess I'm just going to have to adapt to it in the meantime.
 
I had a quite flat seated saddle for jumping, but it was a bit too wide for him and so would go down at the front - didn't rise at back tho - but it would affect me enough for me to get hit by or land ON the cantle (landing on it really REALLY hurts
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But if its deeper than a wintec then its deffo not for jumping! I found the wintec faar to deep as it was. I now have a Collegiate Dignitary which is turning out to be rather good for jumping in, although I haven't done over 3ft in 4 months so cant comment on it for big jumps where effort is required.
 
I'd go with what the OH says!!!!!! Lypo suction is the way to go!!!! Or you could get Ian to sit up there himself and see how he gets on - pref with a video camera on him so we can have a laugh!!!!!!
 
Haha that would be hilarious! I can just see him being launched into orbit then landing with a very heavy thud on the jump, rather than the horse
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How's you? Looking forward to Magic's outing? Guess what I'm doing tomorrow? Going to MKEC for the unaff SJ!
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Unfortunately GP'S aren't the best saddles for jumping in as most of them are fairly deep seated so you can't get out of them when you are jumping! something with a flatter seat and square cantle wouldn't give you this problem! Good luck!
 
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