Saddle - possible issue with my weight and a Fylde saddle?

[hackedoff]

I have a Fylde ray saddle which I love and have been using for trec and dressage. Pony goes well in it but has lost back muscle more on one side at the rear of the saddle panel and less on the other side but same area. I had it fitted by Fylde, it has been checked and widened by another saddle fitter (as pony had remuscled up under where saddle bars fit), but pony is still losing muscle. A physio has been out, tweaked her back and realigned pelvis which was very dropped on one side and may have contributed to back issue. She checked saddle and thought panels fine width and shape wise. The only thing she noticed was an indent about 4 inches across mid panel corresponding to where pony is sore either side of the saddle about mid panel well behind where the stirrup bars sit. Having rode pony yesterday and checked the saddle I have a sinking feeling it is from my great fat thighs. I am currently 1 1/2 stone overweight and dieting to lose it. I really don't know what to do I love riding in this saddle, its the 8th or 9th I have had in 4 years for this pony and the only one that doesn't revolve or slip around her. I don't know if it would be better to ride with a memory foam pad under the saddle or simply go treeless until I shift my excess weight and if the weight is an issue or the panels of the saddle are. I feel like screaming!

 

[Wheels]

Does the saddle need re-flocking?

You don't say what weight you are or how big the pony is - could it be at present that you are too heavy to ride the pony?

 

[hackedoff]

Pony is a 13.3 HH fell I am ten and a half stone having put 1 stone on due to a bereavement last year. Saddle cant be reflocked as latex panels.

 

[Wheels]

If there is an indent in one of the panels as your OP says and this corresponds to the horses sore muscle area then I'd be getting a different saddle pronto!!

 

[hackedoff]

If there is an indent in one of the panels as your OP says and this corresponds to the horses sore muscle area then I'd be getting a different saddle pronto!!

Yes, I think I will keep the Fylde for what it was designed for, i.e showing and get something else for general work. its a shame as it fits like a glove but not one that was intended for hard work and I do up to 20 kilometres at trec competitions.

 

[GirlFriday]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

I appreciate that horses are a great help to some people at difficult times. Would you consider doing a reasonable amount of long reining or similar (if you do trec I'm guessing you're pretty adaptable as a partnership) to give you the horsey fix and get back to your usual weight?

Sounds as though your additional weight may be making saddle problems worse and turning them into back problems for the horse.

 

[sbloom]

Ultra close contact foam panelled showing saddles are for the show ring only, especially if you are a little larger relative to your saddle size. A flocked saddle with a semi close contact panel, designed for wider horses, should do a good job. If you really aren't able to get a new saddle you can try a Mattes sheepskin pad (no other shim pads come close), the sheepskin cushions the back, and you can use the rear shims, cut to make "steps", a wedge shape, to lift the back into the correct balance, most tip back.