Saddle slipping on very round pony

[Saddlebells]

Any tips to stop saddle slipping SIDEWAYS on a Fell pony?

I've just recently started working with a very round Fell pony and find that her saddle tends to slip to one side. I doubt it's my balance as I've been riding for years and have never experienced a problem like this.

The pony is on loan and this is the owner's saddle so I'm not really in a position to have it altered in any way.

The girth is quite narrow though - would a wider girth perhaps help minimise slipping?

Also thought of trying an anti slip numnah with "sticky" pannels on both sides.

Any suggestions?

 

[Leo Walker]

Does it always go to the same side?

 

[fabbydo]

If it moves, it doesn't fit and needs a saddler to look at it. A non-elastic wider girth may help. Horse Health sell hypoallergenic sticky pads.

 

[Suby2]

I had the same problem with my loan pony. Saddler had checked the saddle. I bought a Shires non-slip saddle cloth and also changed the girth. I bought a wide girth with elastic at both ends which works for me. I believe the slipping to one side issue in my case was partly because when I tightened the girth when mounted I inadvertantly caused the saddle to move to the off side because he has such a round barrel.

 

[CMcC]

Had the same problem for years with my round native. I use this http://www.horsehealth.co.uk/equipm...-black?zenid=9a168ddc7dc70f9453d8cf15afc8f595 . I experimented with putting it beneath saddle pad and between saddle pad and saddle. Found it works best between saddle pad and saddle. Weirdly it took me a while to get used to the saddle not slipping, felt very strange riding in a still saddle!

 

[sbloom]

There are many reasons for saddle slip, please get the saddle checked first, that should be done regularly. YOu often see non-elasticated girths recommended but in my experience, and I do have quite a lot!, it depends on the saddles, I almost always fit with elastic both ends even on the widest horses and ponies. A wide girth will help, and if it helps that it's better than a sticky pad (would you want one wrapped around your head, ie the part of your body where you have hair?!)

 

[Wheels]

If it's slipping there is probably something not quite right with the fit!

But also - saddle slippage can be down to hind limb lameness

 

[Tnavas]

How many saddle blankets have you got under the saddle? Biggest cause of saddle slippage is too much padding under the saddle.

Add fat equine with no whither, there is nothing to keep the saddle in place.

A string girth works well, and if you can't fix the slippage, a breastplate and a crupper will stop the saddle slipping to the point of no return.

 

[Nari]

If you don't mind spending some money then the prolite girths work very well for this problem, and you can keep it when you're no longer working with this pony. If the owner is happy to have the saddle checked then I'd do that first though.

 

[greycobb]

try a stubben string girth - definitely made a difference on my cob for keeping saddle more stable