Horse not cantering - Saddle advice?

[Elouise96]

Last year, my horse (who LOVED jumping) stopped being able to jump. She would just come back to a walk/trot and side-step the fence. We later found out that our horse had changed shape and needed a new saddle. We finally got a new one in April and everything was great.

A couple of months ago (around 2 months after getting the new saddle), my normally very forward and active horse stopped cantering. It started as she would just drop the canter after a couple of strides and then started bucking whenever she was asked to canter and would drop back to trot/walk.

She has a fantastic osteopath who made sure her back was fine and said it was probably the saddle again. She could canter on the lunge, so we got the saddle fitter out again who said she had gone a little bit wider. The saddle went off to be widened and came back recently. When we tried the saddle again, I thought it was a little bit too wide (it sat quite low and after riding in it, it looked like it had slipped forward). The saddle fitter flocked it and said it was fine. My horse did have one canter in it and seemed better.

I have tried to ride in it again and my horse would canter one rein, but outright refused on the other. When I got off, I noticed that the saddle looked a bit far forward again and thought this could be why she didn't want to canter on one rein?

I have no idea where to go from here! Is it the saddle that is causing the issues or something else? Has anyone experienced anything similar?

 

[CobsaGooden]

It does sound like the saddle. My old Haflinger was very sensitive to his saddle and it cost a fortune in fittings but was worth it for his comfort. Once we were established in regular ridden work the need for monthly fits changed to seasonal. If he started to struggle id ride bareback and he would be much better.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Maybe try a different saddle fitter if your horse is particularly wide or difficult to fit I think its so hard to find someone that knows how to fit them.

I've got Arab's and they have never been easy one is very wide with a flat no wither profile and everything slipped or went forward.

Different girths or using different straps can help sometimes, I use a Lavinia Mitchell Dressage saddle on him with a flexi girth and a nuumed wool shim numnah and this works for him.

 

[Bobthecob15]

Definitely try another fitter, it doesn’t sound like yours fits at all.

I would get someone else in to check. I would also get the vet to check his back etc, there could be another physical cause for the bucking. Any possibility of ulcers? X

 

[Amymay Again]

Time for a vet check

 

[lynz88]

Try a different fitter. Horses can also change their minds about saddles as they change shape - panels may not be right, shape, etc. I would otherwise then be looking at vet.

 

[sbloom]

It's nearly always a bit complex with horse, saddle and rider all affecting each other. I would tell the fitter it's still not right after the last check, but a saddle can be moved forwards by the horses action behind (usually a bit dysfunctional so do be aware there's an outside chance it's an early warning of things going on behind) and even by the rider. Anything might have changed. The saddle is likely sitting to one side once it's on the shoulder which is causing the issue with one canter and not the other.

 

[dottylottie]

i’d get a different fitter out first and foremost, a 2nd opinion wouldn’t hurt!

have you tried riding bareback? if she’s fine without the saddle that would indicate it is quite possibly the saddle, if no change time for a vet visit.

 

[sbloom]

Please always go back to the first fitter in the first instance, tell her it's still running forward despite the adjustment. I agree a second opinion may well be needed but she needs to know the adjustment hasn't worked, we can only fit what we see on the day. And if you bear this in mind a second opinion can just take you down another rabbit hole which is why it's such a good idea to understand the complex issues, to an extent, and why a saddle might move forward - https://stephaniebloomsaddlefitter.co.uk/blog-and-resources/why-cant-saddle-fitters-agree

Most of the second opinions I ask for I explain that firstly I don't adjust other saddles anyway so they may not want to pay me to come out just to say it needs an adjustment etc, but I will explain my perspective on their brand and compare/contrast to how I fit, we ALL have our biases.