Is there a best saddle for kissing spine horses?

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Slightlyconfused

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As title. Our tb has just been diagnosed with hock arthritis and KS. Going down the injection route into his back, sacroiliac and hocks then rehab. Sister was wondering if there is anything else like.saddles that is best. He is currently ridden in a wintec gp. He find leather too heavy, notice a really big difference when he has a leather saddle on.
 
From my recollection, one with a wide gullet and deep, wide panels to spread the weight is best. I had a T8 made for my horse with KS (before we realised KS were the least of his problems, poor boy). The saddler suggested that model, in the high withers mode, would be suitable if I didn't want to spend a fortune on a leather job.
 
I read an article by a german lady who had rehabilitated a lot of KS horses. She had quite a bit about saddle choice in the article and had a book out about horse backs. It was called 'Over the back' IIRC and was in german. :( I'm pretty sure that she preferred saddles with flatter seats and smaller blocks. I'll try to dig out the article though.
 
The best saddle is one that will fit and he is comfortable with so if the wintec offers that, why change?

I think the most important thing kissing spine is to stop any dipping of the back which make the processes get even closer and cause even more pain. If it were me (kissing spine is something I worry about with my young horse) I would not ride for the moment and focus on helping the horse develop his core abs and topline - cavaletti in hand (Ingrid Klimke's book has been good for me) and seeing where we go saddle-wise from there. If the wintec still fits and he doesn't dip his back under the saddle or rider, I would keep using that. If not, look to change and tell the fitter the problem. There are lots of lighter leather options and even carbon trees if you have the money to spend!!
 
He is on six weeks walk work in.hand before we get on him again and that's six weeks walk.work too.

His saddle.fits him okay, I was just wondering of there was one better now we know what's wrong.

Thank you
 
I should think something that spreads the weight wide and evenly, with good clearance. No recommendations myself I'm afraid (I ride treeless in a Solution saddle, but I don't know how good this would be at ticking the 'plenty of clearance' box as it obviously doesn't have the rigidity of a tree). Could be wrong though, might be worth exploring.
 
Slightlyconfused said:
He is on six weeks walk work in.hand before we get on him again and that's six weeks walk.work too.

His saddle.fits him okay, I was just wondering of there was one better now we know what's wrong.

Thank you
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Oh good, try cavaletti at walk in the arena too.. really gets them to lift the back.

A saddle with a wide gullet and tree with wider panels is ideal.. however the most important thing is that he is comfortable and willing to lift his back under the saddle and not dip away from it. THAT is the key.
 
Kissing spines is a very broad description so no idea how bad your horses is. A friend managed her horse by putting him in a treeless (solution saddle). He did have a variety of things wrong with him and took a lot of work to keep right, and she found that the flexibility that the treeless offered helped her a lot when in rehab. Horse was under vet supervision and physio as well.
 
I would go even longer than 6 weeks off him. 6 weeks walking then start to build the work up off him so he is happy trot and cantering without a rider. Also find a very good physio that will work very closely with you on getting it him back to good condition. Don't forget that it can easily take a year to rehab back properly.
 
tallyho! said:
Oh good, try cavaletti at walk in the arena too.. really gets them to lift the back.

A saddle with a wide gullet and tree with wider panels is ideal.. however the most important thing is that he is comfortable and willing to lift his back under the saddle and not dip away from it. THAT is the key.
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Will have a look at the cavaletti, will.also be having physio out regularly who also works with a lot of my vets clients so they know each other.

The saddle has always fitted okay, he is in a blue wintec plate as even.through he can technically go in a black plate he hollows in it so.he has the blue with lifts qnd works better in that. That's why I wondered about saddle etc....
 
Luci07 said:
Kissing spines is a very broad description so no idea how bad your horses is. A friend managed her horse by putting him in a treeless (solution saddle). He did have a variety of things wrong with him and took a lot of work to keep right, and she found that the flexibility that the treeless offered helped her a lot when in rehab. Horse was under vet supervision and physio as well.
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The only sign he has given us is lame right hind under saddle. Vet presses over sacroiliac area and he reacted so that's why we xrayed etc. He has never bucked, bronced, only reared twice five years ago with a bad fitting saddle. Even when.he had grade two ulcers he never threw himself about. So there is no huge behaviour changes that's shown us this is hurting. Though he is a ex racer, 15yrs now, so we should have expected something at somepoint like this.
 
bluebellfreddy said:
I would go even longer than 6 weeks off him. 6 weeks walking then start to build the work up off him so he is happy trot and cantering without a rider. Also find a very good physio that will work very closely with you on getting it him back to good condition. Don't forget that it can easily take a year to rehab back properly.
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He has a.good amount of condition and topline at the moment. He has been in ridden.work.up till last week when we could.pin point exactly where we felt he was.off.

My physio works very well.with my vet so all that's sorted. I'm.just after information on saddles so I can look.into it.
 
Those that have mentioned treeless/solution saddles may be onto something:

http://solutionsaddles.com/why/testimonials.html

“Clinical assessment of a horse with a performance related problem working in a Solution RigidFree saddle helps me to determine if such a saddle might benefit the horse long term”

Several case studies undertaken at the AHT have involved kissing spines syndrome (IDSP) and all have shown marked improvement with the use of a SMART saddle.

“After fitting with a Solution saddle, the horse was immediately more willing to move forwards, more relaxed and willing to stretch the topline.”

In one AHT case study, a horse that had appeared lame in front when ridden in its own saddle moved markedly better when a SMART saddle was used and it was then possible to observe subtle hind limb lameness.

“...The horse was ridden bareback and no lameness was detectable. The horse was then ridden with a saddle (the owner’s) and showed consistent right forelimb lameness on the right rein and a lot of resistances. The horse was then ridden using a Solution RigidFree saddle. The horse was prepared to stretch down much more by the head and neck and was less lame.”

Dr Sue Dyson MA VetMB DEO PhD FRCVS
 
My (mild) KS mare is ridden in a Kent and Masters GP saddle with a Prolite pad under neath for shock absorption. The saddle has been fitted by our saddle to allow for the prolite pad.

The KM saddle is very thick and soft (saddler removed flock as needed) so it is very comfortable for my mare.

If the Wintec is Cair I would think it would be quite hard on their back. I have a Wintec Isabelle dressage saddle and I ride with a sheepskin half pad underneath to make things a bit softer for my mare.
 
nato said:
My (mild) KS mare is ridden in a Kent and Masters GP saddle with a Prolite pad under neath for shock absorption. The saddle has been fitted by our saddle to allow for the prolite pad.

The KM saddle is very thick and soft (saddler removed flock as needed) so it is very comfortable for my mare.

If the Wintec is Cair I would think it would be quite hard on their back. I have a Wintec Isabelle dressage saddle and I ride with a sheepskin half pad underneath to make things a bit softer for my mare.
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Yes.it's cair and to be fair he has never shown any problems in.it.at all, still jumping,schooling and just being fine ridden in it. I actually can't understand all.the hate about cair as all five of mine have had them and been absolutely fine....Though our fitter is trained to.fit cair.

Thank.you
 
I would second balance saddles. Had one and now have a Lavinia Mitchell one who sold balance for years but started making her own. I love how soft, wide and generous they are without being at all heavy.
 
Has the wintec ever been fitted by a saddler, or a DIY job, as you've said it fitted ok?

Not sure how heavy solutions saddles are but I'd think they'd be worth looking at
 
Slightlyconfused said:
Yes.it's cair and to be fair he has never shown any problems in.it.at all, still jumping,schooling and just being fine ridden in it. I actually can't understand all.the hate about cair as all five of mine have had them and been absolutely fine....Though our fitter is trained to.fit cair.

Thank.you
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If he is comfortable in it and it's been fitted properly then I wouldn't change it. You could put a half pad under for cushioning or a Prolite pad (make sure to get it refitted). My mare loves the Wintec Isabelle but I just have a half pad to cushion it a bit :)
 
Reading your posts, it seems you are going to struggle to know if the saddle is really helping or you need a change as your boy seems to be very stoic. Is there any forum or page you can get help from? o
 
It's fitted by a cair trained saddle fitter from Bates and wintec. I meant to say it a a very good fit for him but my brain couldn't find the words.

Have had no issues with him in it, just was wondering if there was anything better now he has this diagnosis
 
As a long term user of the SMART saddle from Solution Saddles, I would recommend them. A friend has just bought the new Pro model for her TB who has had KS treatment and is having real success with it in her rehab programme. I think horses with back problems cope better with a saddle that can flex with their movement.
 
The horse needs to be able to lift his back. If you do a belly lift where is the biggest change in shape in the back? Not at the front under the points (hence I'm not a huge fan of fitting overly wide and padding up, unless the individual horse prefers it) but I do like a tree to be flat through the middle to allow for that change in shape - flat from front to back (tree) and flat from side to side (rails of tree and panel shape). I would probably fit with a really good sheepskin like a Mattes pad too.
 
Beatbox said:
As a long term user of the SMART saddle from Solution Saddles, I would recommend them. A friend has just bought the new Pro model for her TB who has had KS treatment and is having real success with it in her rehab programme. I think horses with back problems cope better with a saddle that can flex with their movement.
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I agree, it is easy to imagine why this is the case.
 
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