Saddle fitting question

[scruffyponies]

Hi saddle-fitting peeps,

Shadow is a 9yo NF stallion with a very broad, low wither, shoulders are on the narrow side, and his back is flat and broad.
I have a tack room full of old saddles, most suited to ponies, which is usually enough for me to easily find something to fit, but with him I am finding it tricky. It doesn't help that the breadth of the wither is very much influenced by how much, 'condition' he is carrying. Currently I have summer and winter options which at least sit level on him, but I have yet to find the one which looks like it belongs.

Bless him, he's not the fussy type, and would probably put up with a barbed wire saddle tree, but it's annoying me, even if he doesn't care.

Any tips?

 

[Bosworth]

why dont you fit for his broader summer size and use a prolite pad for his narrower days?

 

[scruffyponies]

why dont you fit for his broader summer size and use a prolite pad for his narrower days?

I do use a pad + sheepskin numnah under his summer saddle. Seem to need a medium tree to give enough wither room (even skinny, he's still got a fairly fleshy wither, being entire), which is then too wide on the shoulder and settles as you ride until you're tipping downhill. The pads fix the settling. Not a proper fit though, and puts you half an inch higher than the horse's back!

 

[sbloom]

I would be very surprised if any native is truly a medium, I specialise in natives, cobs etc and can't remember the last time I fitted a MW, don't think I've ever fitted a medium. There is no one answer, you need the right saddle, probably shimming up in the winter, but I find that once a horse has a better fitting saddle their shape stabilises, even with seasonal weight changes, somehow they affect the saddle less, but it takes a couple of years or so. A pad with shims may be a better option for now than two pads, as you lift only the part that needs lifting, I stock and recommend the Mattes pads. I suspect your tree might not be flat enough from what you're saying.

I would hunt around for a recommended specialist fitter, they may be able to recommend something for you to hunt for second hand if they can't match your budget.