my saddle does not fit

[hannah87]

my friend was having a look at my gelding yesterday and said she reckoned his saddle didnt fit him particulary well..
he has been doing alot of correct schooling recently so is changing shape (yay!).
saddles always seem to slip back on him so i always put a breastplate on him. hes a typical tbx with high withers and not easy to get anything to fit him - rugs, bridles etc.
anyway friend said the the saddle was too tight into the part of his back just below wither/behind shoulder. she said u should be able to slide your hand down here at front of saddle v easily but it was quite restricted on him. shes no expert but v experienced. he never displays any discomfort with the saddle but then if he could just be used to it i suppose
anyway so going to get a saddler out?
dilemma is that his current saddle is a v straight cut GP and is crap for jumping. i want to do some low level eventing with him next year, and can only afford one saddle, prob a 2nd hand one at that.
hes genearlly schholed 3 x a week, jumped once, hacked a couple with the odd comp at weekends.. also do abit of hunting..
soo basically have no idea wat sort of saddle to get him?!! ideas please!!!thankyou

 

[AmyMay]

I have a Bates Caprilli GP - which is so comfy, and has interchangeable gullets.

I find it just right in terms of it's cut - so not too forward cut, but not too straight either. Basically it's what it says on the tin - General Purpose.

Amy had a fieldhouse - which may not suit, but again was a GP and very comfy.

Absolutely worth getting a master saddler out to have a look. Some horses are saints - and will not tell you if a saddle is unconfortable. Others make it very plain!

 

[bellaM]

i would get out a qualified saddle fitter. Some one can call themselves a master saddler and just be a retailer or be able to make or fix leather work but have no training in the fitting of saddles but a qualified saddle fitter is qualified to fit saddles!

 

[Donkeymad]

Your friend is pretty much right, I'd get a saddle fitter out to check for you.