Saddle fitting advice

[Cello_song]

Since moving my horse to a new yard a year ago I have been having problems getting my saddle to fit as he keeps changing shape.

He went from living in a small paddock to a huge 7 acre hilly field and so last august I had to get my saddle adjusted because he had put on weight and gained more muscle which was causing the saddle to pinch at the front. However, this didn't last long and I had more flocking taken out in the October then in the November my saddle fitter widened the tree which solved the problem and the saddle was fitting him really well. By February he had lost weight (end of winter) and this was causing the saddle to sit down at the front so had saddle fitter back out again to put some more flocking in the front. Now it's summer again he's a bit rounder and quite fit so has muscled up again and the saddle is back to pinching him at the front!

I'm now at my wits end having spent £400 on saddle adjustments and not sure how to solve this problem long term! I know that horses change shape due to seasons and am happy to pay for saddle fitter a couple of times a year to check/adjust but I think 6 times is a bit excessive! Does anyone have any suggestions? Would having flair fitted to the saddle help?

 

[spaniel]

What about investing a few hundred pounds and having two saddles. Get one fitted for summer wear and the other for winter?

 

[soloequestrian]

You could look at the Balance saddles (Balance International) - they are 'fitted' very wide to begin with using gel pads to ensure that the horse has room to work under the saddle. This makes them very flexible as you can alter the padding as the horse changes shape. The other option might be a good quality treeless saddle eg Heather Moffetts. I have both types of saddle and they are both great - the horses love them. My only caveat would be I'm not sure I would jump in the treeless - I only have a dressage.