Jump saddle sliding back - ideas

SWE

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So I'm having trouble with my jump saddle sliding back but it's not just this saddle. I was wondering if there is anything I can do to help?

Horse has been in 3 different saddles throughout changing shape and they've all fitted well at the time but due to his big shoulder movement and the fact he's quite 'racehorse shaped' E.g he's deepest just behind his front leg and just gets narrower the further back you go, everything seems to want to shift back.

Is there anything I can do to stop this happening and ensure he's comfortable? Its usually fine if I put it slightly forward and make sure girth is pretty tight before I get on (and I usually use a breastplate), but I was wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar and found something that helped?
 

Red-1

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Hi, I used a jump saddle with an Owen Panel on my last horse. It was a Barrie Swain Semiflex, and the Owen panel made sure it could sit behind the shoulder, so the shoulder could move freely without making the saddle go backwards. It was also made with a straight tree point, so again the shoulder was free.
 

Shay

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Basically that - get it properly fitted! Fitting can be panel to panel on the tree, it can be the use of correction pads - whatever is needed. But a correctly fitted saddle does not slip. Keep trying.
 

sbloom

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Very occasionally this can happen, the contact on the saddle is perfect, perfectly in balance, but the shape of the abdomen just doesn't help. You need rearward girthing straps, ie use a middle one with a properly rearward set balance strap, and a very wide grippy girth, not just a stud girth as much of the wider part doesn't grip. And be sure that it's not moving back to the correct place, with my customers it's usually a case of them putting it on too far forwards, the tree points should be 3 fingers' breadth behind the shoulder blade. If it takes the saddle past the back rib then you need a shorter saddle.
 

SWE

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Very occasionally this can happen, the contact on the saddle is perfect, perfectly in balance, but the shape of the abdomen just doesn't help. You need rearward girthing straps, ie use a middle one with a properly rearward set balance strap, and a very wide grippy girth, not just a stud girth as much of the wider part doesn't grip. And be sure that it's not moving back to the correct place, with my customers it's usually a case of them putting it on too far forwards, the tree points should be 3 fingers' breadth behind the shoulder blade. If it takes the saddle past the back rib then you need a shorter saddle.

That's great thank you Ill certainly try girthing using the back two straps and changing girth. I've got my saddler coming out in a couple of weeks so I will speak to her about possibly adding a rearward balance strap.
 

SWE

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Hi, I used a jump saddle with an Owen Panel on my last horse. It was a Barrie Swain Semiflex, and the Owen panel made sure it could sit behind the shoulder, so the shoulder could move freely without making the saddle go backwards. It was also made with a straight tree point, so again the shoulder was free.

That sounds interesting I'll certainly have a look. A local saddler to us I know makes saddles with straight panes but forward cut flaps so I might well contact him once the horse has stopped changing shape!
 

SWE

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Basically that - get it properly fitted! Fitting can be panel to panel on the tree, it can be the use of correction pads - whatever is needed. But a correctly fitted saddle does not slip. Keep trying.

I've had all the saddles I've used 'properly fitted' by qualified master saddlers but due to the reasons mentioned, basic physics mean the saddle is going to want to go backwards when he moves.

I've got my saddler coming in a couple of weeks to see if it needs adjusting at all but i was just after tips like the mention of using the back girth straps/different girth to see if there is anything that can help.

Thanks for the input thought.
 

SWE

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Hard to tell without seeing horse / saddle / pad / girth set up

Do you have any pics?

Not good enough on hand to see the fit well but I'll try and remember to get one tomorrow. At the moment I just use a simple shaped numnah, no correction pads or anything as I've never needed to with this saddle.
 
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