Saddle slipping to the right

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shadowboy

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This is currently the 4th saddler fitted saddle in 18 months!! Only other option is a wow but it's 20x the value that I paid for the pony! Current one is on trial for a week thankfully but after my lesson I got off and noticed the saddle had slipped to the right. I thought it had half way through the lesson bit though maybe it was because I can't quite get the leathers level on my stirrups they are a half hole out. I'm really fed up. This a 16 inch GFS working hunter pony saddle in wide and I have to say is the best fit I've come across for him in 18 months - his trot is bigger and he is swinging more through his back in trot and no flapping on his back in rising trot or canter but not happy with it slipping. Any ideas why? Does it mean it doesn't fit and I need to take it back? He's a 4 year old new forest. Grr any ideas for what I can do to test what the cause is?
 
Are you a balanced rider? Is pony round with no withers? I am riding a welsh at the moment who is exactly that and if the girth isn't tight enough the saddle does slip round a little. I am quite a balanced rider so it isn't too bad and I can feel then it isn't sitting right and adjust it accordingly. Not idea but getting a saddle that doesn't move on this particul;ar pony is impossible - she's a bit of a barrel shape so nothing to hold it in place!
 
Sticking my head out here but....are you definitely level and balanced in you seat? I had a sharer that complained my saddle kept slipping to the left and she kept losing her left stirrup.....I can ride for hours in it with no problem so I knew it wasnt the saddle.
 
Another possibility could be your girth, if it only has elastic on one side it makes it more likely to slip if you have a pony thats a strange shape, I always remember my saddler recomending a girth with no elastic or elastic on both ends
 
I had the same prob until I put a breast plate on her! Went from slipping constantly to not budging an inch! It's fantastic!
 
To answer all the questions I might be in level due to serious riding injury in 2008 when I smashed up my left leg so my right leg is stronger. The pony is round but has a little bit of wither now not huge but it's there. We do have a girth with elastic on one side- never knew that could be a problem! Now I know that's a potential issue I will try a different girth. His left shoulder is marginally larger than the right we looked this afternoon. Hmm it may not be the saddle then? I'll try changing girth first then get someone else to try riding in it! Thanks guys for the tips :)
 
Also are you sure your pony is level.
My mare was very weak on one side when I started her 18 months ago and the saddle kept on slipping to one side. Now she is beautifully level on both reins and no more slipping. However she still has her lazy days when she doesn't want to push with her right hind and then occasionally her saddle does slip slightly.
There is proof that slipping saddles are often the cause of horses being ever so slightly lame (almost not noticeable) on one hind. Perhaps worth checking it out.
If know how frustrating it can be so good luck ;)
 
shadowboy said:
To answer all the questions I might be in level due to serious riding injury in 2008 when I smashed up my left leg so my right leg is stronger. The pony is round but has a little bit of wither now not huge but it's there. We do have a girth with elastic on one side- never knew that could be a problem! Now I know that's a potential issue I will try a different girth. His left shoulder is marginally larger than the right we looked this afternoon. Hmm it may not be the saddle then? I'll try changing girth first then get someone else to try riding in it! Thanks guys for the tips :)
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You would also do well to get new stirrup leathers, as they should both be the same length.
 
They stretched despite me swapping them over, I think I must not have swapped them quickly enough :(
I hope it's not lameness! If it is no one can see it! Nerve blocking seems an expensive route to take especially if I have to declare it to the insurance company next renewal... :( :(
 
I have just discovered that my dressage and my jumping saddles are rotating to the right - the pommel is always directly over his withers, but the cantle shifts so far to the right as I ride that, on my dressage saddle, his spine is not underneath the gullet at the cantle - the jumping saddle is shorter, and the shift is less. I am going to have the saddle fitter out - it has been a few years - but this is very odd. Since his last saddle fitting, he has had two bouts of equine protozoal myeloencephelitis (a neurological disease caused by protozoa prevalent in the US which can cause muscle wastage) and lameness in this right front foot. He is finally over all of that, and I am bringing him back. He is also fairly fat given all the time off or light use, and the Cleveland Bay in him makes him an easy keeper.

I will see what the fitter can do, but wonder what experience there has been with the WOW pad or other devices to help counteract this rotation. I have thought of a crupper, but am not sure he will approve of this.
 
Get some decent non stretch leathers.

Get someone else to ride him and see if it slips with them. Have someone scrutinise your position.

Look at him, is he level? Physio could help you. Saddler should have told you if he is or not.

If he is not level then a correctional pad such as a numed Griffen with adjustable shims will help and the problem may improve with work (my mare did).
 
brilliant advice from everyone. Hate with a passion elastic girths. Get a good leather one, easy to clean and also stretches naturally.
 
Try a simple exercise to see if you slip. Ride your horse straight up centre line in walk. Now do it again and do not correct your horse. If you find your horse is veering off line then that is because you are sitting more heavily on one side than the other. Now try it again, pull your legs up so you are really in your seat bones the drop your leg, repeat the exercise and see of your horse is straighter.

My jump saddle will start to drift every 3 months or so but as my youngster is constantly changing I have to suck it up and have the wretched thing restuffed!
 
Kaylum said:
brilliant advice from everyone. Hate with a passion elastic girths. Get a good leather one, easy to clean and also stretches naturally.
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As a saddle fitter specialising in wide and flat horses I hate non-elastcated girths! I have not found a better all-round girth than a nice, wide, well shaped and softly padded Atherstone girth with roller buckles and strong elastic at both ends. I don't like elastic at one end, it makes instability worse, but a fixed girth has to, by its very nature, leave a moment of slack when the ribcage contracts which is what I believe causes instability. Unless girthed too tightly, which I think too many people are guilty of doing on wide horses.

Oh and no comments about how "easy" it is to overtighten an elasticated girth - check your girth tightness before and after tightening, and it should be snug only. Overtightening is rider error, not a fault of the equipment. We'd say no nosebands if it was simply about it being POSSIBLE to overtighten.

KillarneyISH said:
I have just discovered that my dressage and my jumping saddles are rotating to the right - the pommel is always directly over his withers, but the cantle shifts so far to the right as I ride that, on my dressage saddle, his spine is not underneath the gullet at the cantle - the jumping saddle is shorter, and the shift is less. I am going to have the saddle fitter out - it has been a few years - but this is very odd. Since his last saddle fitting, he has had two bouts of equine protozoal myeloencephelitis (a neurological disease caused by protozoa prevalent in the US which can cause muscle wastage) and lameness in this right front foot. He is finally over all of that, and I am bringing him back. He is also fairly fat given all the time off or light use, and the Cleveland Bay in him makes him an easy keeper.

I will see what the fitter can do, but wonder what experience there has been with the WOW pad or other devices to help counteract this rotation. I have thought of a crupper, but am not sure he will approve of this.
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Any saddle fitting issue can cause sideways slippage - for example a too wide saddle will lack contact at the front and allow one side to rotate, a too narrow saddle may be perched and slip because of that. A too curvy tree is a classic, too upright in the bars (which can't be seen at all by the non-saddle fitter, the fitter must know the tree shape)...anything that causes instability may cause sideways slippage. On some horses it doesn't matter what the issue is, the saddle will always slip to the right, which is way more common than slipping to the left by the way.

I never recommend the use of sticky pads, cruppers, breastplates etc, the right girth and choice of girthing straps is important but ultimately it is pretty much down to saddle fit, correct choice of tree and panel shape, and correct flocking and tree width.
 
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