Help - my horse is allergic to his new saddle!

[decca]

I have just bought a Saddle Company Saddle GP for my boy as I wanted a cheap saddle for the odd hack and jump. It is part synthetic, part leather and has serge wool panels underneath not leather.
Unfortunately, as soon as I sit on it, he arches his back like a cat then bucks!
He is a very sensitive chestnut who is allergic to quite a few things, flies, feed etc.
The only way I can use this saddle is with a VERY thick full sheepskin numnah underneath. A normal sheepskin numnah is not thick enough, it also needs to come right down the panels not just under the top panels.
But this makes it very bulky and means I am sitting far off his back and it also slides about a bit.
It is definitely the wool panels, he is fine in any other saddle.
I wondered if anyone else has had this problem and any suggestions for anything I can use underneath. Many of the pads only cover the top of the back, and most are quite expensive so I don't want to waste money or trail and error.
Thanks,

 

[Cliqmo]

Have you definitely ruled out the saddle not fitting and causing a pinch somewhere? It seems weird that the thickness of the sheepskin makes a difference, as an alergy type reaction should improve with even the thinest layer between his skin and the wool, let alone sheepskin???

If saddle fitting issues have been ruled out and it is an allergy reaction would neoprene work as a layer? Being much more dense than sheepskin I should imagine it would do the job

 

[Bosworth]

I came across one horse that was super sensitive to the wool panels, but I actually think it may not be anything to do with the serge panels, because you are putting sheepskin underneath it - so wool. it actually sounds as though it is the fit that is incorrect as he doesn't buck till you sit on it. The horse i knew that was super sensitive started to react the moment the wool serge touched his back, and could never have sheepskin near him.

who fitted your saddle? was it fitted to a saddle cloth/numnah? I would normally use a Griffen Nuumed hi wither cloth underneath and that will be enough to stop him actually feeling the serge. if the horse still does it with that underneath then he is reacting to something else.

Also the other thing could be he is feeling free in his back, if he was restricted before then the serge will allow the muscles to work freely so could it be yee haaa type bucks.

 

[0ldmare]

As others have said I doubt he is allergic to the wool serge as he is ok with sheepskin (wool and sheepskin being one and the same)

Also that wouldn't make sense as, if it was only the wool lining of the saddle, then he would be fine with a normal cotton quilted numnah

I would be getting the fitter back to check it asap