Saddle problem-

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poiuytrewq

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So annoying!

I had two saddles, A fairfax GP and a Thorowgood HW GPC, which when I first got my mare I got a fitter to check and see if either were suitable for her. On first glance (before even picking them up) she commented that yes, either should be pretty good on her and which did i prefer. Turned out on closer look the Fairfax had short points which would never have been suitable for her, she said it was a shame because a regular Fairfax GP would have been good on her- I'd loved mine on my old horse and had hoped it would fit (I wasn't actually aware, even having bought it new that it had short points!)
The thorowgood however fitted nicely and after adjusting the flocking a bit we decided to stick with that, until I'd sold the Fairfax at least.
Sold Fairfax, Purchased a regular GP with long points, had it fitted. All good, except for some reason I kept picking up the TG to ride in :oops: almsot just without thinking.
FF to now, fitting due, new fitter who said the Fairfax was a better saddle, fitted just as well, I remembered how much i loved my old one and so he flocked that to fine tune it and I stuck the T4 on ebay, My phone went nuts and it sold within hours.
I've ridden now a few times in the fairfax and I'm not so keen :oops: Feels great at first but out hacking I start to get my old feeling of slightly tight hip one side and just being less stuck to her (which sometimes i really need to feel!) It's of course leather rather than suede effect so that may contribute to a less secure feeling perhaps, It feels sightly wider under my thigh at the top and if i take away my stirrups and make no effort to sit correctly i feel like my weight is more front than it should be. I can easily correct this but if I totally relax this is what happens. I also feel like my right lower leg wants to swing a little in trot (and it squeaks just to confirm that to me)
I'm so annoyed I sold the other so quickly! Is this simply a case of getting used to it maybe 🤞 She on the other hand seems perfectly happy in it.
I'm tempted to start googling to try and find another T4 already but I know this is a way better saddle and and that was always the plan once I knew she was staying!
 
if you prefer the other one and the horse goes equally well in both, then just get the one you prefer. But Id probably try a HM hipsaver first to see if that makes it more comfortable. If not, get shot and go back to what you prefer.

edited to add, are you totally sure it is balanced because it sounds like it might not be. What do your stirrup leathers do with no feet in them?
 
Sounds like it's too wide in the waist (below the twist, edge of panel etc) for you. Nothing you can do about it really, it's almost certainly just the construction (bear in mind I don't know the Fairfax panel shape etc) though yes, a narrow seat saver, to give you a narrower twist (not sure that the hipsaver on a treed saddle will make much difference and not totally sure it's recommended for treed saddles) MIGHT disguise it by lifting you slightly without extra width around the twist.
 
Have you spoken to your saddle fitter again? It may be that the new flocking has bedded down a bit and he can tweak it a bit to help you without affecting your horse.
 
Not spoken to the fitter again no, I’ve only ridden properly twice in it since he came out.
Seat saver may be worth a try- @sbloom what would you say is a narrow seat saver?
I have a Heather Moffat somewhere I could try.
I’m Dun- I totally would just go back to the new one but it arrived with its new owner today… what an idiot!
I’m not sure re. The leather actually, will take notice tomorrow. Agree it feels a bit off balance.
Saddler said it needed flocking at the back and it feels like the opposite!
It shouldn’t In theory really be too wide I don’t think as the other one (designed for wider horses with short points?) was surely wider 🤷‍♀️

I may message by buyer and see if she is happy with the TG and say I’ll by it back if it doesn’t fit hers 😬
 
Nari said:
Is this a saddler you've been using a long time or would you consider getting a different set of eyes on it?
Click to expand...
No it was someone different. The company I use has a few fitters and I thought my usual one was coming.
They all have a good rep so I wasn’t at all bothered when I saw it was someone different.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Seat saver may be worth a try- @sbloom what would you say is a narrow seat saver?
Click to expand...

Probably a heath robinson job, adding yoga mat that's narrower than your seat, and possibly an extra layer behind seatbones to try and shift the balance point slightly, may work, so it's finding a seat saver that allows you to attach/use yoga mat underneath. I only work with saddles that have these options so don't need to find these I'm afraid. There are some padded shorts for riders available now too and they might be sufficiently customisable but you'll be walking around with this padding in!
 
Thank you. Googling Heath Robinson throws nothing at all- Where could i find thses to have a look?
Yoga mat is a good idea! I'm hoping its just new and I'll get used to it but anything that helps in the mean time!
 
I had a similar problem with a previous saddle and I* actually made such a seat saver out of 3/4" upholstery foam, cut to shape and size and covered with cotton fabric. I put that on my saddle seat and put my Mattes sheepskin seat saver over the top to keep everything elastic-ed down. It did work to an extent, but ultimately I gave up on conventional treed saddles and bought a Ghost from @sbloom !


*actually I lie. My neighbour made it for me.
 
Genius!
I’ve bought a seat saver and will see where that takes me!
Maybe yoga mats as suggested above stitched in or something. I don’t want to end up a mile above the saddle!
I rode a horse once for someone that had a million pads under and on top of the saddle and I was so far in the air it actually felt unsafe 🤣
 
poiuytrewq said:
Genius!
I’ve bought a seat saver and will see where that takes me!
Maybe yoga mats as suggested above stitched in or something. I don’t want to end up a mile above the saddle!
I rode a horse once for someone that had a million pads under and on top of the saddle and I was so far in the air it actually felt unsafe 🤣
Click to expand...

One, possibly two layers, carefully contoured is all you'll want. It can make a huge difference.
 
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