Saddle fit question.

[scruffyponies]

Who is he? I don't recognise him.

No reason why you would - he isn't a registered stallion. Picked him up from the sales as a colt, and he's strictly a happy hacker.
He's by Brookshill Mustang.

 

[sbloom]

Thanks both. The rails are pretty flat on this saddle, which is one of the things I was looking for - there's no rock whatsoever.
The pressure is even down the panels at the shoulder. I guess I need to look for something even flatter.
For a pony which looks perfectly normal shaped he is proving very awkward. Lovely saddles of the 'tend to fit everything' type just don't quite sit right on him.

Interesting point about the old-fashioned panels - I have a VERY old pony saddle of the flat seat type which has no gusset. Is that the kind of thing you're thinking of SB?

There's no rock because it's too narrow, and sitting on the very sold shoulder, You can only tell so much from looking at the profile of a saddle like this but it really doesn't look like it has flat rails, they might be a little flatter than some, but not flat in the scheme of things. The pressure may be even at the frontbut if it's on the wrong part of the back it matters not. If you move it back to the correct position I'm guessing you'll see massive clearance, and a lot of panel up in the head not in contact with the pony's back. A too narrow saddle can feel okayish under the points, too wide saddles often have a more acute pinch point.

Old pony saddles tend to have very narrow channels so it's unlikely to be the ideal even if the tree and the panel are better shapes front to back.

You need a point strap too, this pony has a very forward girth groove and a bit of a dropped belly, so everything is going to end up where it is in the photo which really isn't behind the shoulder

 

[sbloom]

If you feel along the front of the saddle down along his shoulders with your palm to the horse, is it an even pressure or is there more room/tighter somewhere?

Most saddle fitters use fingertips to horse when feeling for bridging but fingertips to saddle when feeling down the front. Sometimes a too narrow saddle, if it has short points, or hits the horse in a certain way, doesn't feel bad, but there's usually too much panel coming up off the horse's back at the panel, not in contact.

 

[Elno]

Most saddle fitters use fingertips to horse when feeling for bridging but fingertips to saddle when feeling down the front. Sometimes a too narrow saddle, if it has short points, or hits the horse in a certain way, doesn't feel bad, but there's usually too much panel coming up off the horse's back at the panel, not in contact.

Of course, you're totally correct, my bad! ? I recall my saddle fitter doing just as you explained above. Thanks for the correction! ?

 

[scruffyponies]

Humour me. In the 3rd photo the panel is in full contact with the shoulder all the way down (upper 2-3 inches the numnah has pulled back a bit). I can't feel any loss in pressure towards the top, which I would expect if it were too narrow - and the angle is the same as that of the horse.
The area not in contact with the horse is all gullet, not panel. Am I misunderstanding something?

 

[sbloom]

The saddle is in the wrong place, it's been mentioned a ton of times (and yes, I'm getting a fraction snippy as I'm trying to help but not getting feedback to these comments).

Take this photo, get in as close as you can to the neck with the camera, you're showing how at least the top half of the saddle, the welting (piping), the flaps, the panels, and therefore, by extrapolation, the tree points (not the same as the visible bits but a good eye can work it out) wraps down and around the ribcage, looking back parallel to the horse's side. You're not taking a photo of the pommel/clearance as so many people do .

https://www.ahsaddles.com/photos-for-a-saddle-adjustment - I keep meaning to get one that IS taken from even closer to the horse's neck, closer would be better.

I can then comment further but the tree points MUST be 2" behind the very back edge of the shoulder blade. If the saddle is all leather then usually the points are in a stitched U shaped pocket and are easily found.

 

[scruffyponies]

Apologies SB - I missed your earlier post when I replied. All very helpful. Thanks.