Saddle movement on horse with forward girth groove?

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MagicMelon

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I had my WOW fitted to my new horse last week but its moving about quite a lot. The fitter said she's a very "roly poly" shape and has a very forward girth groove. When lungeing, the saddle slides forward so I have to keep stopping and pushing it back. I'm in the process of backing her so got on her for the first time the other day but on getting off the saddle slipped sideways which is a bit concerning! Having had 2 big falls last year from a horse I was backing due to the horse taking off and the saddle then slipping sideways - I do not want to have that happen again! And of course I want her to be totally comfortable.

Saddler has suggested the girth Im using currently has too stretchy elastic (it is very stretchy). So I was going to buy a curved leather girth with stronger / not as stretchy elastic. Was going for this one:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FSS-Germa...Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item4160ff45ca

Can anyone recommend a better girth for this purpose though? If the girth doesn't help, saddler says next step is her fitting a balancing strap to the WOW.
 
Do you have any other saddles to try ?

One of my very nasty horse moments was where a saddle shot over a young horses wither when it humped when I was cantering not a great moment you don't want that happening .
 
WOW saddles are brilliantly adaptable - but if it moves like this then it isn't adjusted correctly for your horse! No matter how "roly poly" the horse or what their conformation is the saddle can be adapted to fit better than it seems to. Cinching it down with a stronger girth is only going to put pressure on a young back I would have thought. Far better to have it fitted correctly. Is there another saddler you could try? WOW might be able to help with a list - I doubt they would much approve of this either!
 
I have never had a wow but it's my experience that flair ( air panels) can be a problematic with horses on whom the saddle moves about .
I would try various sticky pads to see what helps .
J my TB is very big moving behind but weaker in front I used to use a point strap for girthing which was not ideal a Fairfax girth allowed me to get rid of the point strap .
So I think trying a different girth is a good idea.
 
We have a bum high, arab bellied, forward girth grooved mare - best combination is a anatomic girth, point strap for girth and a stephens- type gel anti slip pad (and a well fitting saddle!)
 
you need to buy a non elastic girth first and see if that helps. I have a WOW saddle and mare with forward girth groove. my saddler adapted the girth straps so they are more V shaped and now one does up one hole higher than the other and girth sits more forward, saddle deosnt move. IF you get a n on elastic girth then go back to an elastic one you will be surpirsed how much you can do elastic ones up really tight. I wont use one now. I have a jeffries neoprene one. dont even have elastic one end.
 
Slipping forwards on the lunge actually doesn't tell yo umuch at all as saddles are fitted to work with a few stones of rider weight in them. Saddles can slip forwards for all sorts of reasons, only one of which is the tree angle being too narrow.

I will also say that I use double ended elastic girths on every horse that needs a girth in saddle fittings and they work just fine. Any piece of equipement can be abused, always check your girth before and after adjusting so that you KNOW it is is not too tight. A fixed non-elasticated girth isn't as kind, can still be overtightened, and leaves a moment of slack inevitably as the ribcage expands and contracts. I find double ended elastic much mroe stable on wide flat horses.

Have you tried a surcingle over the saddle when lunging? Mouting is more difficult, on veryu wide horses it can be tricky but again I have solved that specific issue with an otherwise well fitting saddle with good strong elastic at both ends of the girth, the rider's previous single ended elastic girth was causing the slippage.

You may well need a point strap once you are riding.
 
Hi,

Please could you contact us at head office regarding your saddle issue on 01227 831614.

There are many ways for us to stop the saddle moving forward and side to side even on the most roly poly horses.

Best Regards
Carly
 
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