Saddle fitting advice! Prolite Pad or Gel Pad???

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Carol Wingmer

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Right in need of some help,

PROLITE PAD OR GEL PAD!!!!??

I had a QUALIFIED saddler out for my horse yesterday.

She said that her saddle fitted well, and to take away the half pad/start with the saddle further back (I believe I was putting it too far forward) and off her shoulders. The only thing is - it slides forward...
It does not seem to phase my mare and she moves and feels very well. It is also quite tight on her now shoulders, and you cannot slide your hand down the side - but she seemed to say that was ok?

I then messaged her about this sliding forward, and she suggested using a Acavallo gel pad underneath. My friend also suggested a pro lite pad?

Maybe I am overthinking, as she was a qualified saddle fitter with experience, but it seems weird to not have to have made a single amendment after she has muscled up so much, and to just take away the half pad.

Anyway - what are people's thoughts on the above? And...gel pad or pro lite pad???!


Also if anyone saw my previous posts...I did in fact buy the horse !!!!
 
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What qualifications does your fitter have? Unfortunately not all fitters are equal and we had one who was fine but then was quitting and her last fitting did a lot of damage to my friends horse's back.

When you say start with it further back does she mean have it in the right spot?

Did the saddle slide forward before the fitting?
 
fidleyspromise said:
What qualifications does your fitter have? Unfortunately not all fitters are equal and we had one who was fine but then was quitting and her last fitting did a lot of damage to my friends horse's back.

When you say start with it further back does she mean have it in the right spot?

Did the saddle slide forward before the fitting?
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Yes re having it in the right spot, I believe that maybe I was placing it too far forwrd! And yes it did
 
Just because someone is qualified, it doesn't always mean they are good as I have discovered! Most commonly with saddle fitters as it happens! I would be getting a different fitter out for a second opinion. If your horse is particularly barrel shaped, a curved anatomical girth can help with sliding forward but without seeing it, it does sound like it isn't fitting correctly.
 
Normally I would suggest giving the first fitter a chance to re-adjust but "just use a gel pad" isn't a great response. If you're concerned about the saddle slipping forward you should at least be able to expect an explanation of why it's not being addressed.
 
I shan't comment on the saddle fit as I'm definitely not qualified to do so but I would second the advice to get another opinion as telling you to remove the half pad then replace it with a different half pad (either gel or Prolite, makes no difference) is putting you back exactly in the same position that you were in before the saddle fitter came out.
 
it took me 6 different saddle fitters to find one that I trust, I've now found another that I also trust but there are so many out where that just didn't fit my boy properly!

if your saddle is now slipping forwards, it would indicate that its not fitting properly, probably too tight!
i would defo get a second opinion.

I wouldnt stick a prolite pad under it, if it is already too tight that might make it worse

did this fitter watch you ride in the saddle?
 
Stopping saddles shifting forwards IS one of the hardest things out there for a fitter, I've specialised in round ponies and cobs for more years than I care to remember and they can be super tricky. Posture and movement of the horse is a HUGE factor, even the girth groove "forwardness" can be reduced by improving the posture. and some riders, those with busy seats for example, or even those who sit on the back of the saddle or lean back and jam the legs forwards can be more prone to making a saddle run up the neck. It's 360 degree kind of issue.

The only time a grippy pad of any kind should be used is between saddle and numnah, and that can help, but gel pads can be terrible for trapping heat so I think there are better options, and NEVER use one of the old fashioned "tombstone" pads in the slightly loose cotton covers. Chocolate teapot job those.

I would want the fitter to explain why the saddle is running forwards. I do not see why taking out one half pad and putting a different type back is going to fix it.

Often the reason is that the most hidden part of the tree, the rails, are a bit upright (narrow) for the horse and up on the wither they fit better, so they migrate their. The saddle may or may not be too high in front (when in the right place) and adjusting the tree or the flocking might work, hard to say.

So often sadly it's just the wrong tree, not the wrong headplate width although that may also be wrong. Changing the headplate doesn't fix the issue, flocking rarely does.
 
If it's already a tight fit, a prolite will be too thick. What girth are you using? An anatomical has been a game changer for me and my cob with a forward girth groove - for ages I was told his saddle crept forward because he was a cob/round/short backed and I need to use a grip pad - well not once since I changed his girth.
 
If you can't slide your hand down the front panel it's a bad fit, too tight, try it bare, without a saddle cloth, girthed up loose, then tight and check

I've never used gel, hate the very idea of it, but love prolite, and it gives a good grip with the right thickness
 
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