russian_charm
Active Member
hi everyone
I've noticed my horse is starting to get some fairly nasty looking rubs on his back, where the back of the panels would be. Its not down to skin yet, thank goodness, but the hair is definatly being rubbed away, and I think this is probably because of his saddle.
The thing is, I have just bought a brand new saddle because the old one wasn't fitting. The saddle was fitted by no less than 2 qualified saddle fitters and while he had previously been getting a sore back, this problem is gone. So I am pretty sure it cannot be because his saddle fits really badly. I don't think it fits perfectly, he is a strange shaped horse but it fits as best as any could short of a custom saddle.
I think there might be a bit of a problem in that he is very pockety in the withers, so after a few minutes with me on his back, it tends to sink down into those pockets and come up a bit at the very back (the balance always looks slightly tipped forward when I get off) so I was thinking about sticking some foam under the saddle at the very front to try and fill that in until he puts on some more fat and topline muscle. (I already ride in a saddle pad with sheepskin half pad). Could the saddle coming up at the back be causing the rubbing?
I was wondering how common this was and if there was anything I could do to stop it. I was thinking of sewing some satin on my saddle blanket at the back where the rubs would be, would that help? We are just coming out of winter here and he is shedding, if that changes anything.
thankyou!
I've noticed my horse is starting to get some fairly nasty looking rubs on his back, where the back of the panels would be. Its not down to skin yet, thank goodness, but the hair is definatly being rubbed away, and I think this is probably because of his saddle.
The thing is, I have just bought a brand new saddle because the old one wasn't fitting. The saddle was fitted by no less than 2 qualified saddle fitters and while he had previously been getting a sore back, this problem is gone. So I am pretty sure it cannot be because his saddle fits really badly. I don't think it fits perfectly, he is a strange shaped horse but it fits as best as any could short of a custom saddle.
I think there might be a bit of a problem in that he is very pockety in the withers, so after a few minutes with me on his back, it tends to sink down into those pockets and come up a bit at the very back (the balance always looks slightly tipped forward when I get off) so I was thinking about sticking some foam under the saddle at the very front to try and fill that in until he puts on some more fat and topline muscle. (I already ride in a saddle pad with sheepskin half pad). Could the saddle coming up at the back be causing the rubbing?
I was wondering how common this was and if there was anything I could do to stop it. I was thinking of sewing some satin on my saddle blanket at the back where the rubs would be, would that help? We are just coming out of winter here and he is shedding, if that changes anything.
thankyou!