Saddle issues.

[exracehorse]

Ok. My 15.1 mare. Is short backed. And not much wither. I had her saddle checked. Was told medium wide. And the saddle I had. I have a collection!! A derby house working hunter saddle 17 inch would be fine. However.. never felt it fitted correctly. When you put it on, it sits very close to the mane. And on her shoulders. Plus my knees sit over the knee rolls. I’m 5.8. I’ve been trying to get a saddle fitter out again. It’s a flipping nightmare. They either don’t reply. Or have months long waiting lists. I tried my Albion dressage saddle on her today. I felt much better in the leg position. But it shifts and sits too far forward. So, not suitable. I hoping I can get an appointment asap. I’ve pleaded today. Ideally.. I want someone to bring a selection of saddles out. Any makes that might be suitable? She’s really a 16.5” to 17” max. But I’m tall.

 

[exracehorse]

Another

 

[Fieldlife]

If you’ve got transport, find a saddler can travel too should cut wait. Or see if can join in with a bigger yard. My current yard has someone getting saddler out every few weeks.

 

[sbloom]

From what I can see there's no way is she a MW. You need a flatter, wider tree like a native/cob type saddle. Seat size actually relates more to pelvic length than anything, I'm the same height as you and in a brand designed around pelvic length I take a 16.5", AND it has a short footprint!

Whereabouts are you?

 

[exracehorse]

From what I can see there's no way is she a MW. You need a flatter, wider tree like a native/cob type saddle. Seat size actually relates more to pelvic length than anything, I'm the same height as you and in a brand designed around pelvic length I take a 16.5", AND it has a short footprint!

Whereabouts are you?

I’m Sudbury Suffolk. Yes. I think the medium wide is too tight and pushing it forward. I do have a wide saddle. But it’s an x wide. I’ve left messages with two saddle fitters. As I want a saddle that fit! And don’t mind buying a good one.

 

[IrishMilo]

I think one of the easiest things you can do to improve your options is shifting some weight off her.

That being said a friend of mine will shortly have a 16.5 AH saddle in wide available if you would be interested. We're in East Anglia too.

 

[Jellymoon]

Lovely horse by the way! She looks wider than my chap who is in a Wide, so def would say MW would not work.
I would say, do not be afraid to go smaller than you have been told you need at your height. Im 5ft 9 and have been told for years I need a 17/17.5. Which was fine, as I was on plus 16.2s. I then got a smaller horse who did not go well in a 17 inch, so I tried a 16.5, and it’s absolutely fine for me. It’s a jump saddle and I hunt in it with no issues.
From what I can tell, the length of the saddle appears to make a huge difference to the horse. The difference from 17 inch to 16.5 was from bucking into canter and struggling with right canter lead, to no issues whatsoever. And it was same brand of saddle.
I have tried my 16.5 on my big horses and he seems to prefer it too. Maybe the horses like us in a smaller space rather than wallowing around in big saddles. I don’t know, not a saddle expert, just musing!

I’d see you can find a brand that deals specifically with wide natives. You would get more choice I think.

 

[Jellymoon]

I think one of the easiest things you can do to improve your options is shifting some weight off her.

That being said a friend of mine will shortly have a 16.5 AH saddle in wide available if you would be interested. We're in East Anglia too.

Obv OP gets first dibs, but I might be interested in this!

 

[sbloom]

I have tried my 16.5 on my big horses and he seems to prefer it too. Maybe the horses like us in a smaller space rather than wallowing around in big saddles. I don’t know, not a saddle expert, just musing!

I’d see you can find a brand that deals specifically with wide natives. You would get more choice I think.

If we have a short pelvis then we are naturally unstable, a smaller seat, all other things being equal, gives a better curve underneath us to stabilise us, without necessarily having to do for a deeper seat which has downsides like leverage on the cantle. By definition the horse prefers a stabilised rider (and will push up in front better as a result) but a sensitive horse may show a behavioural difference and a clear difference in paces.

Some horses don't like any contact around the back rib and nearly all horses benefit from us being sat forwards, as close to the centre of gravity as possible.

The saddle gods saying that spreading weight is the most important function of a saddle has led us down the garden path.

 

[Jellymoon]

If we have a short pelvis then we are naturally unstable, a smaller seat, all other things being equal, gives a better curve underneath us to stabilise us, without necessarily having to do for a deeper seat which has downsides like leverage on the cantle. By definition the horse prefers a stabilised rider (and will push up in front better as a result) but a sensitive horse may show a behavioural difference and a clear difference in paces.

Some horses don't like any contact around the back rib and nearly all horses benefit from us being sat forwards, as close to the centre of gravity as possible.

The saddle gods saying that spreading weight is the most important function of a saddle has led us down the garden path.

That’s really interesting. I was surprised at what a difference it made, and also to the other horse. I was worried about riding in a 16.5 as I’m tall, thought it would concentrate my weight into once place and that would be a bad thing.

 

[sbloom]

I have two 16" on order both for riders who are about 5'7, the flap obviously needs speccing carefully, but the most important thing is pelvic stability, so you have to start with the right seat size.

A too large saddle will often allow the rider to drift back, sitting more on the cantle and putting too much weight there. As I say, focusing on spreading weight has caused many issues in the saddle fitting world, witness all the tall, lanky riders struggling in 18" seats. I have plenty of riders I'm working with who go from 18" to 16.5", my most common seat size in both brands I fit.

 

[exracehorse]

Update. After being on a waiting list for months. Zoe came. She was lovely. My MW Derby House that was fitted by a previous saddle fitter was awful. And slipped forward. Sat on her neck. Plus. Bella started to lift her back leg and try to bite when I was doing up the girth. I thought initially .. ulcers ? Gave acid ease. Hormones ? Bad manners? But you trust the judgement of the fitter. It was only when a horse friend said that it was wrong shape and too narrow that I tried other ones. So, tried a saddle that I had in the back of the tack room. Which was a Norris and Nolan XXW. And she was soo much happier having it put on. And it sat better. Had Zoe out this morning. She’s measured in as an XW. Could go XXW depending on make. Panels. Etc. And the Derby House was a very bad fit. The Morris and Nolan is actually pretty good. Lifts a bit at the back. But not awful. Unfortunately none of her second hand saddles fitted. She’s difficult to fit. Short coupled. Flat back. Blame her Welsh father.

 

[sbloom]

Told you she was no MW! Lifting at the back could mean anything, too wide, tree shape, panel shape, flocking....even too low set a panel a the front...