Saddle slipping to the left

Flibble

Flibble

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www.annamason-art.co.uk
Advice please. My cobs saddle is slipping to the left. He had his back checked recently and all was ok but over the last few weeks he has had a lighter workload and his rubinesqueness has crept up on me.
I have been checked my pelvis is ok too. I am guessing the fact that I mount on the left may be a clue to my addled brain.

Suggestions for stopping it slipping welcome. I am planning to change my mounting habits (I do use a block) but I was wondering if some of the anti slip numnahs are better than others?
 
I love the Acavallo anti-slip pads. You put them under the numnah, directly on the horse.

I had some trouble fitting the saddle to my horse last year since she kept changing shape (she is a very big horse). In between fittings, this made sure she didn't get sore and the saddle stayed where it should be.
 
Have you had the saddle checked. I had a saddle that kept slipping g to the right. I had my horses back and my pelvis and back done but it was still the same. So I got the saddler out and it turned out the tree was twisted and saddle condemned. Just a thought.
 
Hi Flibble. Try standing on something at the side of your cob so that you are above your cob and you can look directly down onto his back and check his symmetry. Could be he has more muscle/fat on one side than the other.
 
Potato! said:
Have you had the saddle checked. I had a saddle that kept slipping g to the right. I had my horses back and my pelvis and back done but it was still the same. So I got the saddler out and it turned out the tree was twisted and saddle condemned. Just a thought.
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Very good thought I had it checked early April. I will get it checked again but my Saddler is so busy it may well be snowing by the time he turns up.:o

It is a new saddle less than a year old.
 
sheepdog said:
Hi Flibble. Try standing on something at the side of your cob so that you are above your cob and you can look directly down onto his back and check his symmetry. Could be he has more muscle/fat on one side than the other.
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I will be brutally honest here I am absolute rubbish at spotting Asymmetrical issues my OH doesnt know yet but he is about to have his engineers eye requested to give the saddle a quick look.
 
Flibble said:
Very good thought I had it checked early April. I will get it checked again but my Saddler is so busy it may well be snowing by the time he turns up.:o

It is a new saddle less than a year old.
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I'd echo the others who suggested getting the saddle checked - most new saddles need a reflock after 6-12 months as with wear the flock beds down. If you're not good at detecting unevenness, stand on a block behind the horse and take pics directly from the back and post on here. There are many knowledgeable people on here who could tell you from a few pics whether your horse was level or not. :)
 
Definitely worth getting the saddle checked - my (new) saddle started slipping to the left even though I was sure it wasn't me or the horse - it just needed reflocking and hasn't happened again since x
 
If a horse puts on weight then you should almost automatically have the saddle checked - a too narrow tree is not good for the horse and if it is too narrow you should not be riding. I'd be happy to look at photos (firmly girthed, no pad) and give my opinion on the width if you're struggling to get your fitter out.
 
sheepdog said:
Hi Flibble. Try standing on something at the side of your cob so that you are above your cob and you can look directly down onto his back and check his symmetry. Could be he has more muscle/fat on one side than the other.
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Well sheepdog physio has found he has more muscle right then left and I now have an Acavallo anti slip pad forgot to update its magic.
The muscle is a schooling issue and we are now working on getting him to balance himself more effectively.
 
Gloi said:
There was an article last year saying that a slipping saddle can be an early sign of hind leg lameness.
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/research-shows-a-slipping-saddle-may-point-to-lameness/
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I have a very expensive Schleese saddle, brand new at the beginning of the year, and it slips to the left too - that being the side on which my lad has an old injury. I did wonder about the anti slip pads - don't they make them very sweaty? (ETA - back checked last week, no major issues)
 
I will still say that for a slipping saddle the saddle fitter is still your first port of call, especially if you know the horse or pony has changed shape, I never recommend or use sticky pads but they certainly should never be used to stabilise an ill fitting saddle. If I'd spent as much money as a Schleese saddle costs I'd be wanting it sorted by their fitter :)
 
When I read the article I linked to before it struck a note with me because my friend had loads of problems with her saddle slipping and never realised what it was a the time. Later on the horse was diagnosed with a spavin and the slow development of that, although the horse hadn't been noticeably lame at first, was what had been causing the saddle to slip.
It might be worth anyone with the problem having a lameness workout from the vet.
 
hi, I`m a saddle fitter and would recommend you have a good feel of your panels to see /feel if the flock is equal. it does bed down odd sometimes because of mounting on near side. also stand on chair behind your horse and look at the shoulders and each side of spine for one side bigger than the other. there is a lot that can be done to stop saddles tipping. hope this helps.
 
sbloom said:
I will still say that for a slipping saddle the saddle fitter is still your first port of call, especially if you know the horse or pony has changed shape, I never recommend or use sticky pads but they certainly should never be used to stabilise an ill fitting saddle. If I'd spent as much money as a Schleese saddle costs I'd be wanting it sorted by their fitter :)
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That is the point - it was fitted as accurately as any I have ever seen, they fit to the mm right through the saddle, and some flocking added early in the year (it is due again soon) but it was still slipping to the left. So yes, it can be a saddle fitting problem but there are other factors, almost imperceptible gait differences being one
 
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