Please help..I need advice on my new thorowggod synthetic saddle!

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Trekker

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Hiya everyone, Ive just bought a new thorowgood synthetic saddle to fit my new very fat/wide cob. I bought it from a saddle fitter who adjusted the gullet to an extra wide one. The saddler said that it was a very good fit, and she also watched me ride in it (walk, trot and canter). I also bought a cob thorowgood girth to go with it (its not elasticated).

The saddler said that the saddle will mould to my horse more once it had worn in.

The next day i went to ride in my new saddle..the saddle seemed to slip when i got on (not good)..i tightened up the girth really tight and tried again..this was better..but it still slipped to the side a bit..my pony didnt like it because i never normally have my girth that tight. The girth straps were really hard too..hurt my hands. When i was on..i went on a half our hack..just walk and a bit of trot..the saddle still felt a bit wobberly. I got the impression that my pony was unsure of it..as he seemed more forward going than usual.

Please can anyone give me any advice..does your saddle slip? will it mould to my pony? do u think i should try an elasticated girth? is there something that i can put on the girth straps to make them softer?

I have seen in a horsey catalogue..you can get a saddle cloth (shires) with anti-slip sections wear the saddle goes..would this help?

This is my first pony..so am unsure of saddles thats why i got a recommended saddle fitter in to fit it.

Many thanks for reading my post..hope you can help xx
 
Id get a second opinion on fit, it may be that the saddle is perched slightly and could do with going a bit wider. Thorogoods seem to fit wide cobs well though so it could be something easily fixed. Flat backed cobs do tend to slip their saddles too so maybe a non slip numnah would be better. Also, the part where you say he's more forwards, this could be down to a more well fitting saddle making him feel he can stride out more, not just a poor one making him uncomfy.
 
Don't try 'fixing' the problem yourself, call the fitter out again & get them to have a look at it, after all the fitter is saying 'It's a very good fit'. Obviously it isn't & they need to give some customer service & come out to you.
 
Saddles can be hard to fit to wide cobs, but a well fitting saddle should not slip.

Is the saddle the one designed to fit cobs (Wintec or Throughgood do make one for cobs).

The trouble with adjusting the gullet is that it only adjusts the front of the saddle, I suspect the saddle designed for cobs will be wider front to back.

I would get the saddler back if you are not happy before spening money on quick fixes.

Good luck.
 
I had a similar problem with my Thorowgood saddle also to fit a rather rotund equine! I discovered that the Thorowgood girth got slippy when she sweated which didn't help and I now use an Aerborn Humane one. Also, for a while the saddle would slip right round when i was riding. I adjusted it so that it was narrower and it has not slipped since.
 
Hi. I recently bought a Thorowgood, and the fitter was a qualified saddle fitter, but I wasn't happy with the fit, or with her service, so I called out someone else who was recommended to me.
He was fantastic, and showed my how and why the saddle didn't fit! He adjusted it in gullet and flocking, (and also swapped my knee rolls, they were from a pony saddle apparently, no wonder I didn't feel secure!! The proper ones were more than twice the size.)
He also agreed the best girth is a humane one, especially as the holes in the girth staps don't always line up. Example here, so you know what we are going on about: http://www.robinsonsequestrian.com/saddles-tack/saddlery/girths/humane-girth.html
He never once said anything about 'moulding' to the horse.

I would ask your saddler to come back out and check, as you are not happy with the fit.
 
Has your Thorowgood got 4 girth straps? If so get your saddle fitter to come out and hopefully if he/she is worth his/her salt they'll know to try changing where the straps are positioned. I recently had my fitter out as my TG T4 cob wasn't fitting as well as it had (raising at the back) and all he did was alter where the girth went and back to perfect fit!!!
 
My thorowgood cob saddle girth straps were a nightmare to do up - they were synthetic, are yours? I think they might do them with leather girth straps now? I had the girth straps changed to leather and was able to do the girth up tighter but pony was actually more comfy as there was some 'give' with the leather ones.

Humane girths are good as long as they are elasticated at both ends, otherwise pressure is uneven. I use the Wintec one and that is brilliant. An alternative for max comfort is the Kieffer neoprene one which can be washed in the machine for those sweaty coblets and Ive had mine over a decade and it still looks brilliant.
 
A saddle that fits doesn't slip. I fit wide cobs all the time and would not accept that - and my saddles fit and stay stable with an elasticated girth; strong elastic both ends, a long split so they can line up with girth straps. I don't eparticularly like human girths especially as they're not actually safe - imagine what happens if a billet breaks!

The TG cob saddle fits some cobs but not all, and changing the girthing may or may not work. Lifting at the back is a sign that the tree is too curvy or too wide at the front - check that using the back billet (the balance strap) is not then slightly pulling the saddle forwards. Because once the saddle is forwards the front raises a little and helps stop the back lifting!
 
Thanks everyone for your responses. Ive looked at my saddle and it has 3 girth straps..and at the moment im doing the girth up on the 2nd and 3rd strap. The girth that i was sold is a thorowgood cob girth (it hasnt got any elastic either side).

Ive purchased a pro-lite Saddlestay pad to see if that makes any difference.

I forgot to mention that im getting on with a small mounting block (an over turned bucket actually..lol)..

If you think of anything else that may help let me know. Will keep you posted on my 2nd attempt at getting on.

Thank you all again xx
 
Trekker said:
Thanks everyone for your responses. Ive looked at my saddle and it has 3 girth straps..and at the moment im doing the girth up on the 2nd and 3rd strap. The girth that i was sold is a thorowgood cob girth (it hasnt got any elastic either side).

Ive purchased a pro-lite Saddlestay pad to see if that makes any difference.

I forgot to mention that im getting on with a small mounting block (an over turned bucket actually..lol)..
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2nd and 3rd starp is the usual, I checked that with my saddler - but although there are 3 straps, there should be 4 fixing positions - so one strap can be moved. Your saddler should know which fixing points are the best for you.

I was advised NOT to use elastic girths - the humane ones are the best apparently - they aren't expensive and it may just help a bit (link previously posted)

With my low-withered, flat-backed gelding I always use a reasonable sized mounting block, as he does a good puffer fish impression, and blows himself out, it doesn't matter how gradually I girth him up!!!

Good luck!
 
Crazydancer said:
I was advised NOT to use elastic girths - the humane ones are the best apparently - they aren't expensive and it may just help a bit (link previously posted)
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I seriously disagree. I fit the trickiest widest horses and ponies out there and none have needed a non-elasticated girth once we have the right saddle. The humane girth is fine on some horses, though not as kind as something elasticated, but it is NOT safe in the truest sense, and also can place a lot of pressure on that big D ring rather than spreading the pressure across the width of the girth. It can cause muscle soreness because of this.

A well fitting saddle can and should, to be kinder, be fitted with an elastic ended girth - both ends, and really strong elastic that is hard to stretch between your hands. Most cheaper elastic ended girths out there have much too weak elastic. Centre elastic is also good, but again must be strong.

If you are using the point strap and then the third or fourth, or any other combo that are far apart then elasticated at both ends means the straps of the girth can splay as far apart as needed, just like the human girth. Anything with elastic one end will cause issues at the other end with this, and is also likely to grip the saddle into the "new" spot once it has slipped, double ended elastic will allow the saddle to right itself, and is less likely to let it slip in the first place.

We need higher expectations of a well fitting saddle, and then to be kind to our horses' bellies.
 
Since my last posts, ive purchased a non slip pad and an elasticated girth...and the saddle is now ok. I can get on using a small mounting block. my pony is alot happier in the elasticated girth. Thank you everyone for your advice.
 
moana said:
Saddles should be girthed up on first and third strap, not second and third.
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Sorry, not true at all. It totally depends on your horse and where the straps are sited! You do need to avoid using two straps stitched to only one strip of webbing, and if that is what you really mean then yes! The 1st strap on ours and many other saddles is the point strap and not used for all horses.
 
OP, I hope this doesn't sound paronising but are you putting the saddle in the right place? A lot of people put saddle slightly too far forward so it sits on the horses shoulder. This will make in very insecure and your horse wouldn't be happy either. Make sure that the front of the saddle is definitly sitting behind the shoulder blade. This could explain why it felt fine when your saddler was out and then not so the next time.

As a side note, please everyong be careful with humane girths! I actually won't teach anyone using one. I think they are very dangerous and have personally seen a horrific accident that would not have happened if a standard girth had been used. The design of them means that if one girth strap breaks (I know it shouldn't, but it can happen), or you drop one buckle tightening your girth (again happens, esp on cold days with gloves on!) your girth is INSTANTLY loose!! Very very dangerous. I would highly recommend people to not use these girths.
 
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