Just how subjective IS saddle fitting

REALLY SORRY TO PUT THIS HERE BUT NEEDED TO PIGGY BACK A RECENT WELL VIEWED THREAD, I cannot start a new thread and am continuing to have problems with the recent forum changes, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE START A NEW THREAD WITH THE FOLLOWING FOR ME...

THREAD TITLE: Problems that continue with recent forum changes

I can now get into the forum as a whole, I cannot start a new thread ,I can look at and follow links in 'Quick links', I can look at and follow the 'Forum' link, I can post via these routes.
I cannot however look at or follow the 'What's new' link, it just does not load-am I the only one?
I also cannot look at previous post when I go into profiles.

Please tell me it is not just me that is still having trouble with the recent changes on here.

THANK YOU
 
hollybear said:
Sorry Oz, could I have a copy too please? xx
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I'd like one too please, if that's ok.


Most saddle fittings I have seen involve the saddler deciding on what saddle is the best fit out of those they have brought with them, then seeing the rider trot up the driveway a few strides before declaring it fine. I can't believe people part with nearly 1000 pounds for so little effort. One saddler didn't see it ridden in at all. Lots of these saddlers have come with glowing recommendations from other horse owners in the area and it shocks me a bit that what looks to me like a shoddy service is considered normal.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
I'd like one too please, if that's ok.


Most saddle fittings I have seen involve the saddler deciding on what saddle is the best fit out of those they have brought with them, then seeing the rider trot up the driveway a few strides before declaring it fine. I can't believe people part with nearly 1000 pounds for so little effort. One saddler didn't see it ridden in at all. Lots of these saddlers have come with glowing recommendations from other horse owners in the area and it shocks me a bit that what looks to me like a shoddy service is considered normal.
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our most local saddler never even girths up! (he does have other merits though just not saddle fitting as such) I once asked him to come and see what he thought of the fit of a saddle he had lent me to try and he said 'oh just look yourself - its not rocket science - you'll know' - I do think that on an easy to fit horse I can tell terrible from OK but on something tricky like my current one I would not be very sure of my own judgement
 
Whenever possible (ie not possilble with an unbacked horse) I want to see the saddle ridden in all paces, on turns and circles (most saddles won't slip to one side until you turn, so up and down a driveway is less than ideal) and over a jump if relevant.

I'm not convinced by the talc thing, or trying to ascertain fit from sweat or dust patterns. A saddle fits very differently with a rider on board, even more differently in trot, than it does when simply plonked on top of a horse. I woudl expect to see a little lightness in the middle, even bridging on some flat backed natives, with this approach. If you fitted a saddle to give even talc marks like this on a wide flat horse/pony I'd bet it would lift at the back in rising trot.
 
Thats interesting. I do think the idea was to ride in the talced horse and saddle at least in trot. I think I wonder if it tells you more about how you sit that how the saddle fits the horse. I know I tend to sit a bit to the right for instance which is going to make even the best fitting saddle more weight bearing on that side. And in fact most riders a bit crooked and so are most horses .... my saddler recently told me that some research suggested that almost all asymmetry in saddle fitting was caused by the horse not the rider which is an interesting finding.
 
A good saddle fitter takes a holistic view and will assess where the asymmetry is coming from. The research you mention was, I think, the Sue Dyson study into saddle slip, she assessed that mostly it was due to mild (or not) hind leg lameness. I think it is useful to bear that in mind, but not to get too hung up on it. I find that many horses and ponies that I fit have one side of the pelvis lower or more forwards than the other and that can be a big factor. It is useful to have them see an equine bodyworker who can make the right adjustments, I on the whole like McTimoney Chiros. I also often recommend riders see someone like a chiro or osteo, so many have one shoulder obviously higher than the other than it does indeed affect the saddle.

However, the better the fit of the saddle, symetrically, the less the sideways movement shows itself. And yes of course saddles can slip more easily on wide horses, but if horse and rider are straight and level, the horse has even muscle tone across it's back (I'm not takling about a sore back or not, but whether there are "dents" and hollows in the muscle) then a saddle should sit straight.
 
interesting - I'd be interested to read the Sue Dyson study - will see if I can google it. Interestingly I did have a horse whose saddle tipped very badly and she was indeed lame behind. however a lot of people told me that her saddle slipped because she had more muscle on one shoulder than the other (although only slightly) and that walked the saddle back more on one side. And yet my Husband has a TB who is seriously asymmetrical in his pelvis he is 12 and has always been like that - even passed the vet like that! - but his saddle never slips....
 
I think another issue is not only that saddles vary in size in the same way clothes do, but a saddle fitter also fits what they see on the day, and even a couple of weeks later this can be different.
 
Love said:
I had a Kent and masters fitted to my horse. Seemed ok at first but then became very tight around his shoulders so got the saddler back out who furtled about with it and reflocked it. Went away and it was no better. Had him out again and he did the same again. Again, went away and it was no better. Got him out a third time and he put a narrower gullet in it for me and said that will do it. No good. Tried one of my yard owners saddled on him which fitted perfectly so ordered a lovely Fylde in the same size off the internet.
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Snap! Exactly the same happened to me, didn't fit me either and tipped me forwards which knocked my fragile confidence even further. Sold it on at a loss after persevering with it and now think flexible tree is the only thing that works on my girl, but would have tried a fylde if one had been available as they seem to suit the shoulder issued horses!

I now go by my own and my instructors judgement and would consider having someone out to check.
 
sbloom said:
Whenever possible (ie not possilble with an unbacked horse) I want to see the saddle ridden in all paces, on turns and circles (most saddles won't slip to one side until you turn, so up and down a driveway is less than ideal) and over a jump if relevant.

I'm not convinced by the talc thing, or trying to ascertain fit from sweat or dust patterns. A saddle fits very differently with a rider on board, even more differently in trot, than it does when simply plonked on top of a horse. I woudl expect to see a little lightness in the middle, even bridging on some flat backed natives, with this approach. If you fitted a saddle to give even talc marks like this on a wide flat horse/pony I'd bet it would lift at the back in rising trot.
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I found the talc more useful in showing where the saddle was in contact with the horses back .. In our case it showed that part of the rear left panel was too near / over his spine and that it was sitting unevenly in front ..we think the saddle may be twisted possibly..?
Tried him in a treeless yesterday and owner loved it and horse was happy ..
 
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