Saddle maybe tight on withers, advise please...

[Chumsmum]

'If' saddle is tight on withers (not 100% sure as opinions differ..) is there much that can be done flocking wise or would you be expecting to be buying a new saddle?

Or am I asking how long is a piece of string

I am going to get saddler out but your answers will influence which saddler I get out - if that makes sense

 

[quirky]

Think you're probably looking at a new saddle.
My horse had muscle wastage just behind withers and was fitted with a M width and I was told he would need MW when he had muscled up again. This in fact proved correct, if not a little expensive!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

A saddler may be able to do something for you but I think you need to prepare yourself to hear being told you'll need another saddle. I don't think there is a lot that can actually be done if it's tight across the withers though.....sorry

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Spring had a made to measure Ideal fitted to her in March last year. After a summer of good grazing and a lot of work on her topline it became to narrow. My saddler was able to take the tree out half a fitting and adjust the flocking so it fit her again. I guess it depends on how tight it is as to whether a normal saddle (i.e. not fully adjustable) can be altered.

 

[Chumsmum]

He has muscled up since the saddle was fitted the end of last summer and has had it reflocked once. However he still has a highish wither and a short back - it took ages to find one that suited him last time, not sure if the next size up (MW) will press down on withers

It's my birthday next week, lets hope everyone's feeling generous

 

[Equibeau]

This is the situation i was in this week too! I had a good saddle fitter come out, turns out the saddle was underflocked and few inches behind the withers, when that was corrected, it lifted the saddle up at the withers and it is now a perfect fit. So really, what I am trying to say, is to have it looked at by a good fitter. Good luck!

 

[Chumsmum]

Thanks for replies everyone.

He 'wears' a Jeffries WH - lovely saddle - not sure if it can be adjusted?? Don't think it is really tight, hence the 'maybe'.

I think I will ring the saddler who actually designs/makes his own (same man who introduced me to Bowen and that worked) and see if he thinks he can adjust it.

And if he can't, expect lots of 'recommend a saddle' posts

 

[Chumsmum]

[ QUOTE ]
Think you're probably looking at a new saddle.
My horse had muscle wastage just behind withers and was fitted with a M width and I was told he would need MW when he had muscled up again. This in fact proved correct, if not a little expensive!

[/ QUOTE ]

Could they not have 'padded out' a MW until he muscled up?

Or am I talking out of my hat??

 

[Lucy_Ally]

My saddle isn't classified as 'adjustable' either; however, the tree is a type of plastic (I think!) that can be heated and therefore adjusted slightly, but not much, so if it is only a small adjustment it may be possible.

 

[quirky]

We did look into flocking a MW until he had muscled up but it was always going to sit low on his withers, so not a route we took.
I bought the saddle from Saddles Direct and she agreed to have it back at £50 less than I bought it for if in a similar condition, so it wasn't too bad. Although I could've done without it. His muscle wastage was from a badly fitted saddle that I'd only had 6 weeks (not from Saddles Direct) bit that's a whole different story that you don't want me ranting on about!!

 

[Chumsmum]

That makes sense.

£50 wow - that ain't a bad loss really, I think mine will be a lot more than that if I do need to get a new one. However, I did get a good deal on it in the first place so can't complain really and it did fit him well at the time.

Do you think that if we added up all the money that we had lost on saddles that it would stretch to the moon and back?

 

[YorksG]

Absolutely! I think I now have the right one for Amber, but it took some doing, finally got a second hand Jeffrey's WH for £500 and it seems to be doing the trick.

 

[suzysparkle]

Depends what you mean by tight. If you mean that the saddle is sligtly wide and sitting low then flocking may well help. I had this problem with my saddle co one, it didn't need the width adjusted (they are fully adjustable) though, it just needed more flocking is at it had bedded down. I also use a prolite now (I do a fair bit of jumping) so it's fitted with that in mind.

It it's tight down the sides then I suspect unless the saddle is adjustable then a new one might be needed. If it's just a wee bit wide (and better too wide than too narrow) then you might get away with it. A lot of people put prolites and fluffy pads on without realising that they do affect fit.