Saddle Help! Trying to find a saddle for my endurance horse after shoulder injury

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NoTackNoshoesNoProb

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Hello everybody, i need some help! :)
Im looking for a saddle to suit my endurance horse. We competed way back in 2005 but since then she was involved in a car accident and suffered extensive truma to her shoulder, she is now back to full health so we'd really love to start competeing again :D Iv ridden her bareback for the past 4 years and she has been doing brilliantly, working from her shoulder and extending her leg right out, but unfortunately we're unable to compete bareback :(
Iv had the saddle fitter check her GP saddle that she used to compete in and he gave it the green light, only when i rode her in it it seemed to obstruct her shoulder causing her to shorten her gait and would land on the outside of her foot and roll inwards, we've also completed a 30km pleasure ride in a cashel saddle with the same results so now im looking far and wide at all kinds of saddles that might be more suited to her needs.
Iv been recommended to try a "Barefoot Saddle", a "Torsion", "Trekker Saddle" and a "Balancer Matrix", Im just looking for a light weight, flexible saddle that provides room for the shoulder to move freely.
Due to many years of bareback riding, and only 1 out of my 4 guys as a saddle, which is a western, i have zilch knowledge on saddles and am feeling completely lost!! Me and my horse would really appriciate any info, suggestions or advice. :D
Thank you, Em x
 
I have a mare who is a very strange shape since she broke her withers, and I have had balance saddles recommended to me by a lot of people, on here and in the real world too. I haven't got her a saddle yet (like you been enjoying bareback!) but will be giving them a call when I do.
A lot of the saddles you mentioned are treeless - are you definitely going down that route? The only one I have tried was a barefoot and it was very much like a glorified bareback pad, nice to ride in, but my horse didn't go very well in it. I'm afraid I don't know a lot about endurance.
 
Have a look at the Free'n'Easy website. Flexible panel saddles and they sit slightly over the top of the shoulder blade which can then move freely underneath rather than being blocked from behind by the front of the saddle
 
Thank you guys i really appriciate your help :) I wasn't aiming to restrict myself to the treeless saddles, they were just the ones recommended to me by friends :) i know what you mean, i have repeatidly put of saddle hunting becuase bareback is just far more fun, hehe :) i did pester the Endurance people to let me compete bareback but they didnt buy it lol!
I shall be sure to check out the Ghost Saddles and the Free n' Easy website, thanks guys :)

Em x
 
There are two main problems that can(but not always) be associated with treeless saddles and bareback pads. One is that the weight is not spread over as many vertebrae and the other is the pressue caused where the stirrup leathers pass over. Now since you have ridden bareback for four years and i presume for a reasonable duration and at all paces since you are considering endurance, the lack of spreading weight over the vertebrae is obv not causing problems and you also are clearly capable of riding without stirrups! So what about something like this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Treeless-Sadd...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item230b8b5b9f

and attach lightweight nylon web stirrup straps and lightweight plastic stirups and don't bother sticking your feet in them? Avoiding the possible above problems, following the rules and hopefully accommodating your horse!

Another alternative I would suggest if you want to consider a tree'd saddle is to try a wow. The structure of the tree is very different and may well suit your mare. They are expensive but if you get a fiting and like it, you will know what saddle or parts to look out for second hand.
 
I would also recommend speaking to Les Spark at Free n Easy - he can be a miracle worker with horses that are difficult to fit in conventional saddles and will work creatively with you to find solutions.

I would not recommend Balance saddles - they have a very 'one size fits all' approach and really stuffed up my girls back with their rigid approach to what works. Also, they don't really understand endurance (not at the 80+ ER level). Les fits many of the top international endurance horses and really understands the demands of the sport.
 
You could also speak to Judith at Specialize Saddles, they might be suitable. I have a lot of experience with treeless saddles, and I would avoid anything cheap and cheerful from EBay, a lot of the cheap treeless have stability and pressure problems. If you decide to look at treeless then I'd suggest getting a fitter who can bring a range, maybe Better Saddles. Sensation saddles are used for endurance, and Better Saddles stock them.
 
Why dont you have a look at the Strada Saddles (Google). My friend used to make them when the company was owned by Michela leng. Strada do an endurance model! The saddles in general are designed to sit at least an inch further back from the average saddle so youre actually sitting where the horse wants to be carrying your weight. I have two of them, a dressage variety and a jumping variety. I cant recommend them enough. They really free up your horses shoulder. Superb saddles.
 
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