Help!! Found out saddle has been causing slight muscle wastage!

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Javabb94

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So found out today the saddle has caused muscle wastage,

my mums friend is a qualified saddle fitter although doesnt have a shop or anything,

she is coming out friday to fit her bates momemtum to him so i have something to ride in,


trouble is i will need a new saddle now but in a few months he will have built the muscle back up and it wont fit

I had my heart set on a Falcon Hawk Event but if I buy now will it fit?

I feel awful as I have been putting Java through pain, but my saddler assured me it fitted but it is miles off, and my mums friend has said do not ride in it,

he seems to suit the falcon hawk event but he may need an adjustable gullet one but I cant find anything other than bates and kent and masters that are leather and have adjustable gullets!!

Help!!
 
My boy has severe muscle wastage around his withers from a badly fitting saddle. We are gradually building it up but in the mean time I ride in a throwgood changeable gullet saddle with one of these under with no numnah:

http://www.equinecountrystore.co.uk/ID0000000313-Griffin-NuuMed-HiWither-Half-Wool-Shimmy-Pad.aspx


We started off using teh maximum amount of padding but now we only use the minimum amount. IT won't take long to get muscle back to normal again with a well fitted saddle and correct riding.
 
depending on the amount of muscle wastage I wouldn't be going out and buying a new saddle straight out as it isn't just a case of having an adjustable gullet making it fit again. Speak to your mum's friend and she will be able to advise, if her saddle fits short term when flocked to adjust take advantage and use it to build the muscle back up to normal levels then you can think about a new saddle just be careful what saddler you trust!
 
There are some great saddle fitters out there. But also some bad ones I'm afraid, and you don't know until it's too late!

To allow the muscle space to build, it may be worth having something that is maybe a little wider than you need and using a thickish pad underneath to allow the muscles to develop.

I'm sure the fitter you are using now will advise you though.

This is an interesting site http://www.horse1stsaddlefitting.co.uk/index.html
 
thanks for the replies,

if this saddle does fit, i will see if i can use it until i can by him a new one when his muscle has come back
 
My sisters horse had badly fitting Bates saddle that was half an inch too long and had to pads in it that weren't suposed to be there and one more on the left side that was scrunched up so he was not building up muscle on that side.
We had a lady who is a specialist saddle fitter for Bates and Wintec to see him, got him a wintec vsd that she slightly ajusted the cair in it, both my sister and I had no idea these saddles could be changed and fitted how she did it, and when he has got the muscle back she will come out again and reajust it for him. She said really Bates and Wintec should be fitted by a specialist as just changing the gullet in them doesn't always do it. Ours has a Black plate in but it was sitting just abit to low so ould saddler padded it up with a half pad, new saddler put 4mm pads under each cair pocket that gave it just enought lift for him and with in 5 mins of it being on he was lowering his head on his own rather that hollowing.
She told us that the best fitting saddle on your horse doesn't need any padding under it.

hope you get it sorted.
xx
 
When my horse had muscle wastage, my vet advised not riding for 3 months until she had recovered with the help of acupuncture and in-hand exercise. I would let your horse recover before you get a new saddle.
 
I'd fit the saddle to wide, to the size you think he will be. I'd then pad with a suber pad to give him a chance muscle up. Suber pads arent to everyones taste to ride in, I dont like them! but in this case I'd put up with it in the short term, as well as lunging in a Pessoa :)
 
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