My overweight Cob - 560 kilo to 430 kilo, progress in a year pics

Good job woth the weight loss, however in one of the 'fat pics' if he is wearing a grackle it is fitted very badly. Grackles are not to be fitted like flash's but otherwise great job with losing his weight, I know how hard it is to get a fat pony slim
 
I agree with Kippen, for your height and build saddle seat appears too small to me.

Well done on weight loss, clipping might help shift some weight off him too.

And just a tiny note- in one pic it looks like horsey is tied up in a be nice halter- these should never be used to tie the horse only to lead him, apologies if someone is holding the rope at the other end :)
 
He's lovely:) from another chubby cob owner I would suggest......checking his crest and keeping an eye on it, it wants to be wobbly not firm, having his saddle checked and making sure you get it regularly checked as his weight changes - make sure you use a well recommended and reliable saddle fitter. My boy is in a thorowgood T4 cob plus saddle which seems t be the best fit for him and is adjustable.

regarding feed, tbh I would just feed something like fast fibre and then add in a vitamin supplement. That way you can just feed a mug full of feed or even less. Or you could Just use those equibite things and not have t feed at all.

salt licks are great and as others have said make sure he gets plenty of forage, my ponies are on a track with very restricted grazing so I have to feed hay all year round to make sure they get enough fibre.

Well done though, you're doing great!
 
CobSunshine said:
2011-05-29170413.jpg


Sorry for all the questions :o I found another picture from the set where i'm sat too far back. Regarding length of stirrups, how much lower should they be? Using the metal stirrup height as a guide, half a stirrup lower, a full stirrup http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/smile.giflower, 2 stirrups lower etc? I can imagine this would put me in a more forward position not sitting so far back and better center over the saddle
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I don't think your stirrup length is too bad to be honest, it is probably the fact that your saddle is a little too high at the front that is pushing your weight backwards and giving you a bit of a chair seat.
I'd second losing the padding, it will only make a narrow saddle narrower.

Well done with the weight loss though, and keep at it!:)
 
gotta love a ginger cob :D

saddle wise, no I would not be happy with it and would presume it is too narrow in the front, how does it look without the sheepskin? as it stands it is not helping you or the horse! It looks a bit short for you but also that he might not be able to take anything longer but a better fitting version would be a good compromise and you might find when you are not pushed to the back of it it then fits you ok.

I think it is a bit of an art fitting cobs and adult riders as they need room for their shoulders, you need room for your legs and they don't have very long backs! His saddle looks like Franks' dressage when it got too narrow.
 
I'm afraid that although the saddle looks better in the later pic, it is still too high at the front. I second what has been said regarding the sheepskin pad - I would lose that. How does the saddle look without it? The saddle is too small for you, but I don't think he would take a longer one TBH.
 
Just another point. The saddle in the first pics (when he was fatter) fits him far better than the new one, although I appreciate that due to his weight loss it may no longer be the case. Do you still have it?
 
the fitter said he had a small coupled back i think and the next length up was too long.

the saddle is supposed to be a hunter cut to free up his shoulders?

im going to try it without saddle pad to confirm how it sits today. thanks for all the advice so far.

the grackle bridle is long gone, came free with him and would constantly fall off!

be nice only when in hand, although he doesn't barge off anymore.
 
CobSunshine said:
the fitter said he had a small coupled back i think and the next length up was too long.

the saddle is supposed to be a hunter cut to free up his shoulders?

im going to try it without saddle pad to confirm how it sits today. thanks for all the advice so far.

the grackle bridle is long gone, came free with him and would constantly fall off!

be nice only when in hand, although he doesn't barge off anymore.
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did the saddle fitter watch you ride him in the saddle? Just asking as many don't.
 
1. Whats the verdict :confused: No saddle pad, or cottage craft half pad

2. its supposed to be a working hunter (http://www.silhouette-saddles.co.uk/Working Hunter.html) but doesnt match the website exactly


2012-03-11101045.jpg


2012-03-11101243.jpg



in this last pic he feels to have at least two ribs behind the back of the cantle

2012-03-11101026-1.jpg




Wagtail that saddle was traded in it weighed twice as heavy and he didnt like me mounting him with it on.

Kaylum yes she watched me ride him when refitted.
 
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Well done for getting the weight off - watch out the spring grass doesn't undo all your hard work!

Cobs can be a nightmare to fit! Short, flat backs, low withers etc.. In the last pics of you riding you still looked tipped back. If you draw a vertical line through your shoulder, hip and heel, you will see that your feet are too far forward to come under your hip. The saddle is tipping you back and making it difficult to get your lower leg under you. Tipping back is also placing your weight at the back of the saddle and putting pressure on your horse's back in one place rather than being evenly spread over the saddle.

I think you really need an good independent remedial saddle fitter to come and spend an hour or two assessing your saddle fit for you as well as your horse. I personally agree that it looks too small for you.
 
Well done on the weight loss. As others have said, get another opinion on the saddle. Even if its a perfect fit on him, its not doing you any favours. If you look at the last picture the deepest part of the seat is behind where you need to be sat especially when you look at where your hips would be compared to the stirrup bars. This means you'll struggle to get your hip & heel in line & will lead to the armchair position.
 
right I will wade in with my limited knowledge ;) It does look like a working hunter cut saddle to me too, which is sensible given his type. My boy has a vsd (english translation = very slightly dressage ;)) to account or the same thing.

It is poss that it isn't too narrow in front but it does need raising that the back IMO. If you look at the last picture the lowest part of the seat is a fair way back from the stirrup bars which is what puts you in the 'chair seat' I would ask your fitter back and say you are not happy with the position it is putting you in.
 
I agree with othe comments re the latest saddle pics - its still tipped back. Either the back needs lifting more or its too narrow. I am concerned that lifting the back will lower the front too much though
 
CobSunshine said:
1. Whats the verdict :confused: No saddle pad, or cottage craft half pad

2. its supposed to be a working hunter (http://www.silhouette-saddles.co.uk/Working Hunter.html) but doesnt match the website exactly


2012-03-11101045.jpg


2012-03-11101243.jpg



in this last pic he feels to have at least two ribs behind the back of the cantle

2012-03-11101026-1.jpg




Wagtail that saddle was traded in it weighed twice as heavy and he didnt like me mounting him with it on.

Kaylum yes she watched me ride him when refitted.
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Looks a much better fit without the pad. Only slightly tipped back :) Should be ok with just a thin saddle cloth to keep the saddle clean.
 
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Your saddle looks a much much better fit in these last pics!

Well done on getting the weight off, good for you :)
 
anyone got any good links with pics as to how a perfect saddle should look on the horse, and with the rider on? covering seat, stirrups etc etc
 
The saddle looks much better without the pad but I would also get a different saddler out to check on it. To me it doesn't look like it fits you at all so maybe as the saddler about that too.
Well done with the weight loss and as others have said, make sure the spring grass doesn't catch you out!
 
this one :) hope you dont mind me posting it wagtail

11.jpg


the rest of the site is interesting with regards to knee placement and things too though :)
 
thanks guys. i won't be content until hes rippling in muscle! ill put a pic of his dad up later.

thanks for links ill have a read when i get back.

on the silhouette saddle site what do you think of the cob gp? considering doing a trade in
 
CS, you could certainly try it. The other thing I find useful with mine (I'm 5'5) and pony is 14.2 so length limited is that my knee rolls/blocks are velcro. I have some GP ones and some small triangle jump ones. It means I can move them about where I want them and if I want to hoik my stirrups up a bit there is no knee roll in the way but I still have something there to support me.

I'll send you a couple of pics :).
 
ester said:
CS, you could certainly try it. The other thing I find useful with mine (I'm 5'5) and pony is 14.2 so length limited is that my knee rolls/blocks are velcro. I have some GP ones and some small triangle jump ones. It means I can move them about where I want them and if I want to hoik my stirrups up a bit there is no knee roll in the way but I still have something there to support me.

I'll send you a couple of pics :).
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cheers :)


I took a picture of the view down the channel from the pommel

Anyone comment on this? about right or far too narrow?

2012-03-11151503.jpg
 
CobSunshine said:
i'll check it tomorrow from the side to make sure its horizontal, the fitting did change after the saddler had been out :)


Going to go one step further with his diet too, as for 100% vitamins from Happy Hoof he needs over 2kg per day.

So after reccomendations on here, his new diet from tomorrow is nothing but minimal grazing, and good doer dose of



"top spec lite feed balancer"
+
"top chop lite"

More expensive than Happy Hoof at £35 for both, but it gives 100% vits, minerals and nutrients and very low calories.
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Apols if this has been said before as haven't flicked to end of thread yet (my own pet hate! :D) but it may be worth actually trying him on TS AntiLam first instead of Lite. It's not a balancer per se but has a full range of vits and mins and is sometimes recommended as that one-step-further step than the Lite. I'm not a nutrionist and don't work for them and each case is individual but if you're thinking of feeding either, I'd email or phone them (contact details on website) and they'll talk you through. Fantastic customer service and advice.

Also, re the chop - any TS balancers and AntiLam can actually be fed on their own with no problems and anything extra in cases like these is generally personal preference - am sure you may well be aware of that but just in case.

Well done on the weight loss - have been dealing with a very similar case since last year and know it's great to see work paying off.
 
It's always difficult to judge from photos, but the saddle does seem to be sitting quite high at the front in that last picture.

Have a look at www.laviniamitchell.com she is an excellent remedial fitter and the website gives a lot of very useful advice. Her saddles are lovely, but she does carry a good stock of second hand and she also sells the Saddle Company saddles which have a special tree which can be endlessly widened and narrowed to fit any horse. Lavinia travels all over the UK and spends about 2 hours assessing and fitting both you and your horse.

She's a lovely friendly person and it is well worth e.mailing or ringing her for a chat.
Best thing I ever did was get her to fit an awkward "round" pony and no, I don't work for her!
 
Well i'm really glad I posted this thread! :):):) Its going to cost me a lot of money, but i'm selling the current saddle. Pony's back comes first, and my riding position needs sorting too.

Contacted a local saddle fitter Matt Marlow @ Heritage

http://www.heritagesaddlery.co.uk/


and going to get him professionally fitted and possibly a custom made. He looked at the pics of current saddle and with me riding and confirmed what a lot of you said,

saddle not long enough, if horse back can take a 17" with keeping it on the right side of last rib, weight all in the wrong place too far back. I'm not impressed with last saddle fitter now, as I can see I was fobbed off.

Any particular saddles you guys think would go well on my Cob from above link?
 
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