saddle slipping to the right

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Cassy

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My cob had a new saddle fitted last year and it slips to the right every time I ride. The saddler (a very well repected one) has been out several times to adjust it (I had to pay £60 a go + travelling) and said it was due to the horses confirmation ie. lack of muscle. He suggested a chiropractor but I am not sure as I am not sure manipulation will alter my horses lack of muscle. A pysio has recommended working over raised trotting poles on the left rein to strengthen the muscles on the right. We have begun these exercises but I am still faced with the slipping saddle every time I ride. The saddler suggested a non slip pad under and over the numnah and a girth which is elasticated both sides. I have tried this as well and still having problems. Riding lobsided is doing neither the horse or me any favours. Yesterday my horse shyed sharply and the saddle and I finished up hanging to the right. Any suggestions please.
 
Just as a matter of interest are you using an elasticated girth? I've found that when a girth has elastic on one side it can cause the saddle to shift.
 
I wouldn't write off getting someone out to look at his back, it might help you understand what is going wrong with him that is causing him to be unbalanced in his muscle development. Have you also considered that it could be you? If you are slightly unbalanced then the saddle will slip too. If your saddler (and you!) are happy with the fit of the saddle then my next step would be a chiro for the both of you.
 
Without knowing you or your cob,I'm wondering if another possiblity isn't due to you being one sided ? If you are putting more weight on one side it will cause the saddle to slip and the horse to be unbalanced as he compensates for this. A sports therapist or MRT (Muscle release therapy) could assess you as its such a common problem.
 
Yes echo post above. I've got one leg longer than the other, and didn't know it until a few years ago when I had a medical for something else. I always found my horse was going differently on one rein and/or lopsided, but never understood why!!

I'd definately get yourself checked out as well as the horse; what's happening to you sounds very familiar! The horse might merely be responding to your lop-sidedness and compensating for that, rather than the other way around.
 
Hi

I had the same problem with my cobs saddle. My saddler put what he called balance straps on my saddler and it sorted the problem so may be worth having a chat with your saddler to see if that may be an option?
 
Montysmum said:
Hi

I had the same problem with my cobs saddle. My saddler put what he called balance straps on my saddler and it sorted the problem so may be worth having a chat with your saddler to see if that may be an option?
Click to expand...

What sort of saddle do you have?
My cob has a tendency to take saddles over to the right aswell due to being a bit weak on his right side.
On my saddle I have interchangeable straps. I have 2 positions in the middle, a point strap at the front, and a balance strap at the back. My saddler said that if he continued to take it over to the right that I should use the balance strap on one side only (the left?) until he could get out to look at it. Mine had got so that the right hand panel at the back was more compressed than the left, which was obviously making the problem worse.
Saddler reflocked it, and I have found that since buying a Stubben Trevira cord girth, that the problem has mostly gone away. I have recently bought one of those non slip neoprene pads aswell for his dressage saddle, which also helps, but the girth did make a lot of difference on its own on the GP.
ETA If your girth is only elasticated on side that won't help you at all either, been there, done that!
 
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I had a chiro look at my horse because same as you saddler said it fits no problem and to get back person out.
After 2 sessions, my horse is using herself properly (she had one side tighter than the other and it looks as though she was over compensating with the other) but my saddle is staying stiller (although I am going to get myself checked by a chiro as I have a lopsided issue myself).

If you get both you and your horse checked out then at least you know you are both straight :)
 
I had the same problem with my well rounded mare - (XW T6 saddle) I had the problem right from the start and the saddler advised using a certain girth and numnah and even on 6 month check he still didn't put it right. This year I decided to get a different saddler and he spotted that from the back the saddle moved to the right and didn't go back to the centre again in rising trot due to her lopsided action so was able to put a temporary pad in which has solved the problem and if needed I could have taken the pad out if her movement or musculatory development became more balanced. Do you have any other saddlers you could try?
 
When I was 12 I had a problem like this on a barrel shaped pony.

My instructor just said to me to man up and stop fussing and be better balanced in the saddle, after a few months I could ride without it slipping as I sat perfectly square.
Now, I could ride a horse with a very very loose girth without the saddle slipping, not always the best as I often totally forget to do my girth up.

Balance straps and non slip pads did not work at all!
 
Thanks for your replies.
The saddle slips in the same way for any rider.
My saddler suggested a girth that was elasticated both sides. So I bought one, no change.
Might try the stubben string girth next and continue with the exercises to strengthen up her muscles on the right.
 
Cassy said:
Thanks for your replies.
The saddle slips in the same way for any rider.
My saddler suggested a girth that was elasticated both sides. So I bought one, no change.
Might try the stubben string girth next and continue with the exercises to strengthen up her muscles on the right.
Click to expand...


Hate to say it Cassy - string girth will not help. Save your money for finding out what real problem is. If not you then his way of going might be the sticking point. You said something about muscle wastage. All pads do is move the problem elsewhere. Address you boy's imbalance in himself. Lunging, groundwork, in-hand exercises. Be prepared for about 6-12 weeks work though. It's surprising how a horse can influence how you sit in sympathy to thier shortcomings. Ever been 'moved' into the wrong diagonal? Then you'll know what I'm getting at.

Anyway, lots to think about according to other sensible posts there - good luck Cassy!! :)
 
I had exactly the same problem, especially when using an elasticated girth. The saddler told me to use the back two girth straps on the right side and the front two on the left. Have bought a thorowgood cob girth which is very good as they don't stretch at all, also have now got a Kent and Masters cob saddle with the balance straps which seem to do the trick. Was going to get one of these if i couldn't solve the problem http://www.horsehealth.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=140_163&products_id=1185
I have had lots of people riding Saffy and it slips to the right with everyone but is also improving with lessons and getting her more balanced.
 
I used to have the same problem with treed saddles. It always slipped to the right on my lad.

The saddle fitter said it was due to him being asymmetric. His right side was dipped more than the left. The solution was a wow korrector pad. This could be adjusted every time he changed shape and because the saddle sat level on him this allowed him to muscle up the dipped side without the saddle digging into him.
 
Had the same problem with Malaga but in his case it was the saddle slipping forewards over his shoulder (no withers on a mule) I got him a "cross your heart bra :D"from Crested Ridge http://www.crestridgesaddlery.com/girths.html and it works on him ;)
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