Saddle fit and sweat patterns

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BBP

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I assume you ideally want an even sweat pattern across the weight baring area? I have just bought a brand new saddle, fitted by a qualified saddle fitter, and today rode in it on a hot sweaty evening and removed it to find two round sweat patches under the rear of the saddle, one on each side, the front and mid areas were basically dry. Does this mean my saddle does not fit?
 
I would assume so, I'm not 100% but you want it to be more or less even. Sounds like you aren't getting even contact IMO.

There is a test you can do, after a ride wash / cool your horse off and saturate their saddle patch with water. Take the saddle without a saddle pad or anything and place it in the correct position (try to plop it on their back in the correct place straight away which shouldn't be too hard as the sweat marks should more or less be there still). If your confident it's been placed correctly, push down on the centre of the seat gently where the rider sits and then remove the saddle straight off upwards. The whole saddle panels should be wet and if they aren't it doesn't have an even consistent contact. Obviously take it with a pinch of salt but this was able to highlight my saddle that bridged on my Tbs wither and back, and showed me a saddle that had consistent contact up :)

If that comes up all good, I'd then check the deepest point of the seat is where it should be - I'd do this by placing a piece of chalk or rolling pen or pencil in the saddle and it will roll to the deepest point. That should help highlight balance issues.

If your worried, I'd definitely consider getting another saddler out for a second opinion, maybe get some pictures so people can maybe help more?

Sorry Im not a saddler or expert, just using what I know from my saddle fit issues with my tricky Tb and other horses. Hope it was helpful xx
 
It's a Kent and Masters GP. It seemed to fit nicely and I felt better in it than my old saddle but today I'm doubting my purchase! I have messaged the saddler and will try to get photos tomorrow for them.

Thanks for the tips Kafairia. Only problem is trying to keep it clean enough to return if it isn't right for him, not sure I dare squish it straight onto his grubby little self without a pad! I do have a thermal camera so will have a play with that after unsaddling tomorrow.
 
Hmm, well if it fits you it's always a good start, how much did the saddler alter your saddle?

Your welcome :-) not a lot I can say for grubbiness, maybe if you do want to try it give him a good clean first and polish it up nicely afterwards. :D :D
 
Do you tend to lean back at all? It should def be even. I had a look after a really good ride in my new dressage and there was even marks on the horse, you could fit the saddle to the marks.
 
Mike007 said:
The fact that the saddle fits you ,does not in any way indicate that it fits the horse(and vice versa).
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You are right of course, I trusted in the saddle fitter that it fitted him, and for me it felt way better than the last one I had, which is why I didn't faff around trying others (saddler hadn't bought any others that were suitable anyway). Saddle fitter did give me plenty of time to ride in it, and had muttered about whether it needed extra flock in the back panels to raise it a bit but then decided that it was okay.
 
Kafairia said:
Hmm, well if it fits you it's always a good start, how much did the saddler alter your saddle?

Your welcome :-) not a lot I can say for grubbiness, maybe if you do want to try it give him a good clean first and polish it up nicely afterwards. :D :D
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They didn't alter it at all, said it was a surprisingly good fit as it was. They did mutter about whether it needed extra flock in the back to lift it a tiny bit but then decided they were happy with it as was. They do come out again in 8 weeks to check saddles they have sold, but I can't ride for 8 weeks in one I don't think fits.

Your last sentence reminds me of something my old instructor used to say, that grooming a pony was like polishing a t*rd! I will have to try my best on that one!
 
equi said:
Do you tend to lean back at all? It should def be even. I had a look after a really good ride in my new dressage and there was even marks on the horse, you could fit the saddle to the marks.
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I tend to tip forwards rather than back. Yours sounds like a good benchmark to go by. I will have another ride in mine tonight and take thermal images of saddle and pony when I take it off, see if anything obvious shows up. I had hoped that with a new saddle pony would miraculously turn into a dressage pony if it fitted well. Yesterday he was trying to tell me it didn't, although he was very forwards in it he was not a massively happy pony.
 
Goldenstar said:
It means the saddle is tipping back and not sitting level .
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Thank you. I guess I now need to work out why, if it's because the saddle as a whole doesn't fit his shape and never will, or if it is a matter of getting it properly adjusted. It seems a lovely saddle with large bearing surfaces that are smooth and soft in comparison to my old saddle, but if it doesn't fit it doesn't fit. I have a HM flexee finesse turning up to try tomorrow so that gives me something else to compare it to.
 
Sit the saddle girthed on your horses back .it should sit level .
Look at the seat it should look really level .
Then ride in it and circle round a friend and get them to film you and look at what the saddles doing when used watch it on the lunge as well.
Is your horse built very uphill but any chance , by that I mean are his withers much higher than the top of his bum .
Riders often tip forward when the saddle tips back in a natural desire to correct the balance .
 
It sounds like the saddler will just need to come and put that extra bit of flocking in the back. They should not begrudge it, its there job and you did buy it new from them. At least you found it now, not after your horse is saw or injured.
 
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