saddle fitting ideas for croup-high mare??

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Arkmiido

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I have a mare who cribs and consequently has quite a roached back/loins as well as being medium/narrow and high withered (she goes down after the wither and then seriously slopes back up!) Consequently all saddle seem to look downhill on her even when the right gullet width..
She has a Kieffer GP which has been fitted to her by 2 different (recommended) saddlers and is deemed fine by both, but she seems to hate it - I think it slides/rides downhill towards her shoulders? She also has a GFS dressage that she goes better in (also fitted to her) but that slips forward and I feel like I'm downhill in it.
I want to get her a new saddle, and wondered if anyone has any ideas about the direction I should go in - have tried a treeless (semiflex/kay humphries) which she didn't really like either.
I will of course have any new saddle fitted but obviously it's not always as simple as getting a local saddler who uses the usual makes (that's how I have the GFS and Kieffer...)
I'm thinking.. WOW, Barrie Swain/Kay Humphries, Heather Moffett treeless etc etc or any other ideas? I don't think her current GFS is quite right either or sticking with that would be ideal.
 
Balance International. Their system is designed to allow horses that have poorly developed backs to recover and remain healthy, so the saddles are deliberately wide and used with is a very effective padding system. This would suit your horse very well for both the narrow/high wither problem and the croup-high problem. Have a look at their website for a bit more information.
 
Definately WOW - have seen the most amazingly sway backed horse fitted with a saddle. I was shocked when they took the saddle off as he looked so normal when wearing it. They literally can fit a saddle to any horse.

I have a WOW and know they are like marmite, but in Kent we have some very good fitters which is they ket to success
 
my boy is built pretty much as yours is. i had the same problem with saddlers saying the saddle was fine but it was being pushed forwards by his upwards sloping back. in the end it would come forwards pinching his shoulders and he started being really uncomfortable.

i got some great advice from bosworth on here and have gone for a saddle with very little padding in the rear panel gussets. this sits the saddle closer to the horses back and means there is less above the horse to be puched forwards. i have also gone for the smallest saddle size he and i can take so it does not get pushed forwards so much.

that along with a anatomical girth that sits slightly further back has done the trick for us and i have my horse back over many years of problems.
 
My late mare who was quite downhill, she would end up wearing every saddle like a scarf.. Nightmare.
In the end I got a close contact saddle made to measure by black country, it had to be close contact as anything with thick panels ect would just slide up her neck. The saddle also came with a gusset panel for the withers. I'm selling it now actually as it doesn't fit my new, normal shaped chunky boy.

Also mono flaps were good, again it's having something that sits close and wraps around :).

Worse saddles for my mare was anything too chunky like albions, ideals
 
firewell said:
My late mare who was quite downhill, she would end up wearing every saddle like a scarf.. Nightmare.
In the end I got a close contact saddle made to measure by black country, it had to be close contact as anything with thick panels ect would just slide up her neck. The saddle also came with a gusset panel for the withers. I'm selling it now actually as it doesn't fit my new, normal shaped chunky boy.

Also mono flaps were good, again it's having something that sits close and wraps around :).

Worse saddles for my mare was anything too chunky like albions, ideals
Click to expand...

dont suppose you still have your sadle do you? i am looking at getting a quantem made for my bum high mare, just scanning round for a 2nd hand version!
 
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