Is my saddle too far forward? (pics) - also in comp riders

[Firewell]

I would love your opinions on my saddle please and wether you think it might be too far forward?

Dont think too harshly of these piccies, they are the awful pictures that I dont show to people but I think they show my saddle in action quite well..

I feel like im always sitting on her neck:-

This one of her landing doesnt look right, do you think its hurting her as she lands? I seem really over her forhand and her neck is up and shes dragging her hind feet...

You can see me as im going over a jump in the picture. My bum is touching th cantle and I think its because im trying to stay in the center of balance but the saddle is too far forward?? Again my horse isnt giving it a very good jump I dont think?

My leg position is awful in the last one!

This link is a pic from our last BSJA show where she stopped. Now I told her that she MUST jump and she jumped round the rest clear but her first few photos looked like this:-

http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/mhphotos/albums/merrist_wood__BSJA/9216/guest/bbcff6a7ba6628a

She looked much happier later on in the course but im worried its just because adrenaline had kicked in by that point. Shes so genuine she will still jump if I make her but i dont want to force her if it hurts

What do you guys think? Id really appreciate your opinions on my saddle! Do you think it could be hurting her? She had the stop last time and she never stops, shes also been dragging her legs which she never does, do you think her saddle could be causing it? Iv got a saddler coming out tues but would be really interested to hear what you think??

x

 

[Brontie]

It looks a tad bit too foward imo. But dont trust me, im hardly an expert

.

 

[Kenzo]

Well at least you can see what your saddler says, it does look quite forward but that could be due to your horses confirmation and perhaps having a shortish neck...its really hard to judge, only your saddler can give you the best opinon as he/she can see properly, pics can sometimes give off a wrong impression.

Good luck

 

[kibob]

I'm no expert but it looks a bit "gappy" at the front, may need a re-flock but, as you say you always feel that you are sitting up her neck I would suggest getting a saddler to give it the once over - it doesn't look to me like it fits either of you very well.

 

[gigs]

I agree with Kenzo , it looks wrong but think a sadlers opinion would be worth while .

 

[Firewell]

She does have the conformation that makes it want to slide forward. Im just paranoid its cutting into her scapular when shes jumping

 

[Loika]

If you look at your first picture your saddle is sitting on the wither not just behind, actually obstructing the shoulders movement. You need to aim to be sitting in the middle of the horses back. If you put the saddle on and slide it back until it stops it will give you a more sensible position. Do up your girth where it falls rather than pulling it forward too much as that will pull the saddle forward. Make sure that your saddlecloth fits your saddle and you are not grinding the binding into her back via the back panel that causes sore back as well.

Your horse may stop because she can't get her front body off the ground because regardless of your position you are sat on it! Your martingale looks a bit short as well in that landing pic but it is only a picture!

You may have noticed hollows behind the wither and by resticing the shoulder movement you could cause un even development. It isn't the end of the world and easily corrected but a trip out from a back bod will help repair the damage quickly.

 

[Tankey]

Looks a bit forward to me

 

[Tia]

I think you are doing the right thing in having the saddler come out because the saddle does not look like it fits the horse at all. If horse is a strange shape then he is your man to remedy this problem.

 

[michaelj]

I'd say too far forward.

 

[Fairynuff]

You feel like youre sitting on her neck because you are! The saddle is sitting on her shoulder and is limiting her movement. The saddle flaps shouldnt be touching her shoulder at all and you should be sitting at the deepest point behind her withers. She is an incredibly honest mare in that she keeps going and Im sure that she will improve (and you) when she can move freely and give her all. M.

PS, she is really nice!

 

[Firewell]

Ah thank you so much everyone. Ive known it isnt right but its the 3rd saddle we've had and iv been reluctant to admit it...

Loika she doesn have very slightly uneven hollows behind her withers

. I do push it back when I put it on but after 10 mins the saddle and girth have all slid forward again

''Your horse may stop because she can't get her front body off the ground because regardless of your position you are sat on it!''
Thats exactly how it feels!!

I so hope the saddler on tues can help...

 

[Rachelk]

I agree with Loika, it looks like the saddle is sat on her shoulders which will block her shoulder movement - maybe this is why she was stopping, because it is blocking her movement it is not allowing her to come up comfortabley over the jump. With the saddle so far forward it is putting all the riders weight on her front end do imagine how hard it is for her to lift her front legs off the floor with your extra weight ther(although you do look very slim) she looks like her shoulders are slightly trapped under her saddle and cannot get the correct flowing movement with her front end. Dont worry I had the same problem with my horse, it looks like your horse has a low wither so maybe would gain from a close contact. Nothing that a good saddler cannot sort out.
Good Luck

 

[Firewell]

Mairi - Thank you!! She is honest thats the problem sometimes, theres a tendancy to push on regardless. When she stopped it felt like she was saying 'I just cant do it mum' I said 'yes you can on you go' and she went but im not jumping her now untill I have it sorted, poor baby!

 

[Firewell]

Thank you Horse2008, someone else has mentioned a close contact. She is a little barrel shaped lol!

 

[acolvine]

Hi there,

Saddler will be best placed to tell you, even the slightest adjustment to a saddle can make a big difference in a horses gait, flexion and propulsion.

Next time you are riding pop your hand under the front of the saddle and as the scapula rotates you will feel if it is pinching. If it hurts you then chances are it maybe hurting the horse, try not to tip forward when doing this else your body weight will add extra force.

See what your saddler says first, if they say there is a problem with the saddle fit and make an adjustment then it might be a good idea to organise a massage/physio session for your girl just to check there are no residual muscular issue's. It may help explain why she started stopping.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

 

[Darkhorse007]

You say this is her 3rd saddle - do you use the same saddler as before?

I have had 2 saddles fitted by a qualified saddle fitter and both didn't fit correctly and actually hampered his development.

I finally decided to call another saddle fitter, who pointed out what exactly was wrong and recommended I go to see a qualified saddler - which I did.

He tried a number of saddles and took a full template of the horse and me (bum-size, length of leg etc). The closest fitting saddle was then amended to the template (took another 6 weeks). When the saddle arrived we spent another hour to make sure it fits both of us ...

The difference is not just marginal - it is a million miles! No more biting for starters plus I have finally discovered my seatbones! And no more sore hip-joints (yes, I am a bit older ;-)

 

[CBAnglo]

Yes.

She looks like she has a forward girth groove, which will drag the saddle forward when you do up the girth. It also looks a bit wide as the flaps are boating a bit.

It doesnt look like it fits you very well either - your knee looks like it is over the roll and you should not be hovering over the cantle like that. Did the saddler not watch you jump in it? You need much longer flaps to take up your thigh.

 

[Firewell]

No the saddler didnt watch me jump in it

. It was only after I brought it that I realised this happened.

I did think it was too wide! Its an adjustable saddle but when it is narrowed it tips back and also slides forward, ive called this saddler back a few times and they have been widening it every time to allow her to muscle up but TBH shes quite roly poly for a TB and I dont think shes going to muscle up much more!

The two saddles I had before this one were from a different saddler. They didnt fit either.

The person coming out on tues day is someone else entirely and is registered with the society of master saddlers, designs for some of the leading brands and has been fitting saddles for decades so im really hoping they're going to sort us out properly this time!
*fingers crossed*. I cant wait to find one that fits us both and have my happy kangaroo hopping horsie back again!

 

[katie_and_toto]

Does look a bit too forward to me

 

[CBAnglo]

Make sure the saddler sees you jump in it.

I always like to watch the rider for at least 30 mins so they can go through all the paces and do some jumps. Then when you take it off you can see if there is anything unusual going on.

If it is adjustable (you didnt say which make) then perhaps the new saddler can adjust it to fit your horse better, but it is still going to be too small for you - you need more room for your legs.

 

[Firewell]

CBAnglo its a Saddle Company Saddle. The reason I didnt try jumping init before I brought it was because it hadnt been made! I got to try a demo which was 17 1/2 inch and the seat was far too big but I assumed because it was 17inch it would fit me and because it was made to template that it would fit my horse.

I splashed out on a Genoa one and it cost me nearly £900. Im very upset now that it doesnt fit us!

Its always been a little low on her withers. Ive had the SC fitter out about half a dozen times since ive had it and no matter what they have tried to do it hasnt made it fit. I got a second opinion on it and that person said it would never fit us, they said it was too wide but that too make it narrower and therefore lift it off her withers a bit more would mean the saddle would tip back and move forwards even more

Its a total nightmare really! I didnt think it was affecting my horse though untill I studied my photos carefully and thought about how she was going in it. Shes much better in this saddle than her previous 2 saddles but TBH she's getting worse again. Knocking poles with her hind feet and stopping just isnt in her nature at all. Shes usually immaculate when she jumps

its weird to feel her less than 100%.

The person coming on tues deals with SC saddles as well as many other makes, I so hope they can help me!

 

[Nickijem]

I'm not an expert at all when it comes to saddle fitting but I remember going to a demonstration at a 'Your Horse' event where they said the majority of people put their saddles too far forward on their horses. Since I saw this demo, I moved my saddle back a couple of inches and really noticed how much more comfortable it felt!
Your horse is stunning too!

 

[CBAnglo]

Have sent you a pm

 

[Jingleballs]

Can you try contacting the saddle company directly to discuss it with them - if you have been sold a saddle by one of there fitters that does not fit your horse then I think they should be obliged to give you some help.

I also have a WH SC saddle. Initially it did fit my horse but after the first month it started slipping forward constantly although to be fair my horse had changed shape a lot over that period.

Had the fitter out several times to make adjustments and still no better.

Saddle has now gone back to the SC workshop for a total reflock, tree adjustment and to have point and balance straps added to see if that makes any difference - if not I'll just have to cut my losses and sell it.

 

[Cluny]

Firewell give Dave Johnson a call at the Saddle Company (he is the SC, along with his partner), tell him what you've been through and see what he suggests, he is usually very helpful.