posie_honey
Well-Known Member
Hi all
i'm new here and was hoping for a bit of advice as to what saddle fitting problems may be causing pain in my horse...
here's the story: afraid this is a bit long - go grab a coffee to read!
i have been trialling a new saddle (from master saddler and fitted for the trial) for a few weeks and my mare been getting more and more funny about being ridden...
here's the list of symptoms:
- tensing up through back when i first get on for
- swishing tail
- kicking up with her near side hind leg towards her belly
- reluctance to walk down a hill in particular - by showing the above symptoms
these all happen within the first minute to minute and a half at the most - and then she calms right down and has actually been going very well after that (better than before!)
anyway - she did this previously when i first got her a saddle in july last year and it was classed as remembered pain - saddler and back lady were both happy that it was not actual pain. she stopped doing it and rode perfectly in previous saddle until this spring when it got a bit too wide as she'd lost weight (finally!
) and muscle tone - i had to start using a raiser pad on it and also at this point decided i wanted a more forward cut and smaller saddle for me... so saddler was caled out for a new saddle...
saddler thought these current symptoms were remembered pain also... but a few nights ago i decided that i was not happy with it all and that this was not remembered pain and had a prod about her back - she was really tender at the points marked in the pictures below... swishing tail, trying to kick up at her belly (same as ridden kicks) and generally v unhappy - so back lady is booked for next week (soonest she can come out) and i'm obviously not riding
saddler now agrees there is something else going on there... she suspects that she has tweeked something in her back in the field... no prizes for guessing what i suspect it is....
here are the pics with the red circle marking her tender points..... the near side is more tender - it is also her slightly higher shoulder and stronger side - i'm working on evening her out.
sorry they are not great but these are my most recent pictures of her condition etc - taken last thurs
a bit more info for you = old saddle was a wide jeffries falcon alder VSD and she was v happy in it.... got a bit girthy once it got too low but raiser pad srorted that
trial saddle was a ideal grandee 17.5" with flair - again in wide fitting.... i really liked this saddle... horse obviously does not!
here is is on her: sorry not great pic again as it was not taken to show saddle - was just taken as i like taking pics of her! i can't get more saddle pics now as have sent this saddle back and wont be trying it again!
i also trialled a black country wexford - another jumping saddle - this time in MW with flocking - had it 2 days - horse HATED that saddle and had me off for the first time!
so what do you think is causing this pain?
too narrow a tree?
too wide a tree?
points of tree wrong for her shoulder?
something else entirly?!
any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
thank you in advance
i'm new here and was hoping for a bit of advice as to what saddle fitting problems may be causing pain in my horse...
here's the story: afraid this is a bit long - go grab a coffee to read!
i have been trialling a new saddle (from master saddler and fitted for the trial) for a few weeks and my mare been getting more and more funny about being ridden...
here's the list of symptoms:
- tensing up through back when i first get on for
- swishing tail
- kicking up with her near side hind leg towards her belly
- reluctance to walk down a hill in particular - by showing the above symptoms
these all happen within the first minute to minute and a half at the most - and then she calms right down and has actually been going very well after that (better than before!)
anyway - she did this previously when i first got her a saddle in july last year and it was classed as remembered pain - saddler and back lady were both happy that it was not actual pain. she stopped doing it and rode perfectly in previous saddle until this spring when it got a bit too wide as she'd lost weight (finally!
saddler thought these current symptoms were remembered pain also... but a few nights ago i decided that i was not happy with it all and that this was not remembered pain and had a prod about her back - she was really tender at the points marked in the pictures below... swishing tail, trying to kick up at her belly (same as ridden kicks) and generally v unhappy - so back lady is booked for next week (soonest she can come out) and i'm obviously not riding
saddler now agrees there is something else going on there... she suspects that she has tweeked something in her back in the field... no prizes for guessing what i suspect it is....
here are the pics with the red circle marking her tender points..... the near side is more tender - it is also her slightly higher shoulder and stronger side - i'm working on evening her out.
sorry they are not great but these are my most recent pictures of her condition etc - taken last thurs
a bit more info for you = old saddle was a wide jeffries falcon alder VSD and she was v happy in it.... got a bit girthy once it got too low but raiser pad srorted that
trial saddle was a ideal grandee 17.5" with flair - again in wide fitting.... i really liked this saddle... horse obviously does not!
here is is on her: sorry not great pic again as it was not taken to show saddle - was just taken as i like taking pics of her! i can't get more saddle pics now as have sent this saddle back and wont be trying it again!
i also trialled a black country wexford - another jumping saddle - this time in MW with flocking - had it 2 days - horse HATED that saddle and had me off for the first time!
so what do you think is causing this pain?
too narrow a tree?
too wide a tree?
points of tree wrong for her shoulder?
something else entirly?!
any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
thank you in advance