charlimouse
Well-Known Member
Bit of background - Harry is 7, he came out of racing in 2009, I got him in summer last year from a respectable dealer, but don't know what he was doing in the 2 years between coming out of racing, and ending up at the dealers. Sufficed to say he was very green, and had been draw reined to within an inch of his life 
. The physio said his back was very sore suspecting a badly fitting saddle, and he looked like a teapot as he had no muscle whatsoever, making him look like he had a ewe neck and generally he looked like a racing snake 
. So in the past year he has had alot of physio, and 3 visits to the saddle fitter. For the most time he has had a 17" medium Ideal Impala, which we have used with various pads as he was filling out, and adjusted flocking etc.
The problem is he is now filling out in a really odd way. He has really filled out along the spine (especially just behind the withers), but not at all where the points of the tree sit. There is also a degree of asymmetry (sp?), with him being more muscled on the left hand side than the right (work in progress with the physio, as he is generally weaker on his right side). Realising he was sore in his back due to the saddle pinching his spine he hasn't had a saddle on since Wednesday 6th June. He saw the physio last Monday and he was still very sore, and physio commented how difficult it is going to be to find a saddle to fit, as if I get one wide enough to accomodate the spine the points of the tree will be too wide. He is going back to the saddle fitter tomorrow, but i have no idea how we are going to find anything to fit . Here are some pictures. They aren't the best as Harry kept following me round the stable in a manner Monty Roberts would be proud of rather than stand still 
.
General picture of his back
Close up of the left side. It is difficult to see, but you can just see the line defining the muscle along the spine just behind the wither.
Close up of the right side, comparing with the above picture you can see the asymmetry.
Along the back, he doesn't look too asymmetrical in this pic, but he ins't standing quite straight.
And lastly a picture just showing how hansome he is
Any ideas greatly appreciated, just to reiterate he is seeing the saddle fitter tomorrow, but would like to know any thoughts or experiences from others, who are no doubt more knowledgeable than myself. I also do 2 sessions of lunging in a pessoa every week as well, to help build up the strength in his back. I can offer salt and vinegar pringles if you have got this far 
!
. The physio said his back was very sore suspecting a badly fitting saddle, and he looked like a teapot as he had no muscle whatsoever, making him look like he had a ewe neck and generally he looked like a racing snake . So in the past year he has had alot of physio, and 3 visits to the saddle fitter. For the most time he has had a 17" medium Ideal Impala, which we have used with various pads as he was filling out, and adjusted flocking etc. The problem is he is now filling out in a really odd way
. He has really filled out along the spine (especially just behind the withers), but not at all where the points of the tree sit. There is also a degree of asymmetry (sp?), with him being more muscled on the left hand side than the right (work in progress with the physio, as he is generally weaker on his right side). Realising he was sore in his back due to the saddle pinching his spine he hasn't had a saddle on since Wednesday 6th June. He saw the physio last Monday and he was still very sore, and physio commented how difficult it is going to be to find a saddle to fit, as if I get one wide enough to accomodate the spine the points of the tree will be too wide. He is going back to the saddle fitter tomorrow, but i have no idea how we are going to find anything to fit . Here are some pictures. They aren't the best as Harry kept following me round the stable in a manner Monty Roberts would be proud of rather than stand still .General picture of his back
Close up of the left side. It is difficult to see, but you can just see the line defining the muscle along the spine just behind the wither.
Close up of the right side, comparing with the above picture you can see the asymmetry.
Along the back, he doesn't look too asymmetrical in this pic, but he ins't standing quite straight.
And lastly a picture just showing how hansome he is
Any ideas greatly appreciated, just to reiterate he is seeing the saddle fitter tomorrow, but would like to know any thoughts or experiences from others, who are no doubt more knowledgeable than myself
. I also do 2 sessions of lunging in a pessoa every week as well, to help build up the strength in his back. I can offer salt and vinegar pringles if you have got this far !
), he wears anything from my ramdom assortment of 6' rugs I have aquired over the years