Orchardbeck
Well-Known Member
Hi, I wondered if anyone could give me the benefit of their experience of fitting saddles to older Arabs.
My mare is a typical broad Arab, with big shoulders, and a wide ribcage. In the past she has had little to no wither, although in the last two years she has had little work due to me having a baby, and has lost a lot of muscle and weight due to laminitis management.
She now has more prominent withers, as a result of the muscle wastage, but is still broad in the shoulder, and in the barrel. I currently have her in a Thorowgood T4 cob, with an orange gullet (extra wide?).
The fitter who came out to her was uncertain at first as to which would be more suitable for her - the normal T4 GP, as the gullet bar would be longer and give her more clearance - this would suit her current condition, OR the Cob which would suit her long term once she had put more weight on, built up more muscle, and the wider panels would suit her broad ribs and back better.
We settled for the Cob version, with a Prolite wither raiser as a temporary measure until she puts weight on.
However, I'm worried that the saddle may be bridging in the middle - it seems fine at the front and back, but there seems to be too little contact in the middle. Could the Prolite be making this worse?
Has any other Arab owner found they have had to change saddles as their horses got older, and what did they do? I know they come in all shapes and sizes, but most seem to have the wide sprung ribcage.
My mare is a typical broad Arab, with big shoulders, and a wide ribcage. In the past she has had little to no wither, although in the last two years she has had little work due to me having a baby, and has lost a lot of muscle and weight due to laminitis management.
She now has more prominent withers, as a result of the muscle wastage, but is still broad in the shoulder, and in the barrel. I currently have her in a Thorowgood T4 cob, with an orange gullet (extra wide?).
The fitter who came out to her was uncertain at first as to which would be more suitable for her - the normal T4 GP, as the gullet bar would be longer and give her more clearance - this would suit her current condition, OR the Cob which would suit her long term once she had put more weight on, built up more muscle, and the wider panels would suit her broad ribs and back better.
We settled for the Cob version, with a Prolite wither raiser as a temporary measure until she puts weight on.
However, I'm worried that the saddle may be bridging in the middle - it seems fine at the front and back, but there seems to be too little contact in the middle. Could the Prolite be making this worse?
Has any other Arab owner found they have had to change saddles as their horses got older, and what did they do? I know they come in all shapes and sizes, but most seem to have the wide sprung ribcage.