New saddle = bucking

[Always-Riding]

Bringing my mare back into work last week, I noticed her saddle didn't fit.

I went into my local saddler and her recommended me to try a Bates saddle.

Tried it on today and she was nappy, as usual, leaving the yard. But this time she bronced me straight off.

Ow, ow, ow!

Now she use to bronc when breaking her in but this is the first time since then.

I've lost my confidence although I did lunge then hacked back from the field.

Now here's a problem, I don't want her to now know that bucking/broncing when napping gets me off.

Ill give her some time off until I can sort a saddle out or should I go back to her old saddle where she didn't respond. in this way and make sure she doesn't bronc again leaving the yard?

Advice please and send vibes as my back is killing me.

 

[JillA]

Sounds as though you need a GOOD saddle fitter - you don't say whether your saddler checked for fit or anything? She is clearly saying Ow ow ow to you, and sharing her pain lol. I would be getting a thorough saddle fit check and meanwhile doing some stuff in hand or ground work. She may not have wanted to get you off except to relieve the pain so if you get the saddle issue sorted and then start her off slowly with what she can cope with it shouldn't happen again.

 

[thehorsephotographer]

Please do not attempt to ride any horse in a saddle which hasn't been properly checked and fitted by a properly qualified saddle fitter. You can cause damage you can't see to your horse and as you're now finding out you also. Also with the way horses shape and weight can fluctuate I'd suggest if you don't know how to check your saddle is fitting ok yourself that as a matter of course you have it rechecked to a proper saddle fitter at least every 6 months (possibly less if horse is losing/gaining weight).

 

[Flame_]

If you need to ride and she doesn't object to it, I'd go with the old saddle with a good adjustable gel pad at the same time as tracking down and buying the right saddle. If she's not happy in the old saddle, you're stuck with bareback or nothing until you find out which saddle you need.

 

[Always-Riding]

She hasn't objected to the old saddle at all - and she will tell you when she doesn't like something - but I was worried that the pommel was a little close to her wither as I couldn't see down it - only 1 fingers width, which I can't get all the way down if that makes sense?

I took wither templates into the saddler and got the gullet which "fitted" the best, but I do agree that I should have had it properly checked with the saddler onsite.