Help saddle fitting question!

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Bessieboo

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Hi guys

I have a 14.1 cob and purchased a Thorowgood close contact cob saddle for her about 6 months ago. I had it properly fitted etc. and I have been very pleased with it ever since.

Ok so I have a weekly riding lesson and my instructor keeps telling me that the saddle does not fit my horse properly as it does not have the 3 finger clearance that it needs. She has pretty much said this to me from the day I bought it and I did bring it up with the saddler who sold me it and was told that the saddle fits my mare fine and it does not have this much clearance as it is a close contact saddle designed for cobs.

When I place the saddle on her there is the required clearance it is only when I am mounted that the clearance is reduced.

I am now worried that I am hurting my mares back, although I gave her a really good poke around on her back last night and she does not seem in any sort of discomfort.

I have rung the saddler to see if I can have the saddle checked again but while I am waiting to hear from them can anyone give me any advice or words of wisdom about this.

Sorry to sound such a numpty but sometimes people tell me one thing and then someone else says different and it just confuses me. For instance I mentioned that I think she is losing weight as her girth needs to go up more holes now and I was told by someone last night that this in fact means she is putting on weight?

Anyway thanks for any replies,

Bessieboo x
 
Disclaimer **I am not a saddler so please don't think anything I say is a substitute for a saddle fitting, but...**

The old "3 fingers clearance above the withers to pommel" is not the current way of thinking. They used to fit saddles too narrow hence this much clearance was standard but now saddles are fitted wider to sit more "around" than "on top of" the horse, the amount of wither clearance is often decreased. As long as there always is clearance - when you rise, take a forward seat, mount, etc - above and either side of the withers, the saddle is not badly fitted in this respect.

If the saddle is moving or the horse is resisting, these can be strong indications of a saddle fit problem, but if the horse is happy, the saddle stays still and you are sat in balance, I wouldn't have thought you have anything to worry about.
 
Close contact means that you don't have much leather between the horse and you. Most close contact saddles have short girths, so you don't lift the saddle flap up, and do the girth buckles up underneath the flap. It sounds like your instructor is asking for you to be able to see clear air space under the pommel and down the gullet of the saddle - she is correct. If the saddle sinks down onto her back when you sit on the saddle, it does not fit properly.

If you are moving the girth up the holes, either is it stretching, or the horse IS getting thinner.
 
As long as the saddle clears the wither and spine when you are mounted, thats fine. It doesnt have to be 3 fingers...its just has to be clear. If your saddle is pressing on your horses wither or spine you would know I'm sure...there would be hollowing, resistance etc. So if your horse is going nicely and taking a contact and not hollowing through transistions I would listen to your saddle fitter.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

She is working really well in an outline and does not seem to be in any discomfort at all but just to be on the safe side I have booked her in to have the saddle checked on Saturday so hopefully it will be sorted then.
 
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