Saddle too wide??

Firewell

Firewell

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Hello!

I brought a new saddle yesterday for my horse, a beautiful black event saddle, m/w.
Before that he had a medium size jump saddle. This was too narrow, it also inhibited his shoulders and because it was just too small it also was crooked.
Now my horse is moving AMAZING in his new saddle! It was professionally fitted and was the best one I tried out of 20 odd saddles, it's a lot bigger then his old saddle with wider panels, gullet ect.
I rode in it properly for the first time today. He was moving like a different horse and really rounding over his jumps. However at the end of an hour riding I noticed that the front was a lot lower.. When I first put it on there's was a good 3 inch clearance, at the end of riding with me sitting on it there was just about an inch clearance :(
When I took it off he had soft squidgy lumps on his wither :( :(.
He feels like he can actually move his shoulders in this new saddle but now I'm worried it's too wide and will start hurting him.
I'm going to call the saddler on Monday but has anyone else experienced this, these soft lumps?
It was fitted only yesterday and even though he's a TB he is shaped more like a WB, the wither tracing says MW, the saddle is a MW so why is this happening?
Xx
 
if your in any doubt over saddle fit i would get a second opinion from a different fitter. it could be that the saddles flocking has settled and is needing checking. As for the lumps my girl gets them too except they dissapear within half an hour and dont bother her lol
 
Not sure about the lumps.

If its a new saddle it will take a while for the flocking to settle. Its always going to drop when you sit on it, more importantly does it sit level on him, what's the back of it like when you're sat on it? Get a second opinion if you're not convinced. Can you get your hand down past his shoulder under the saddle when you're sat on it? You shouldn't be able to, but should be able to when you're not. These are just little guides to go by, get another professional if you're not sure.

What sort of saddlecloth are you using? Was it fitted with this?
 
Yes the lumps did dissapear but I did notice he was twitching his withers at the end while I was riding.
It feels really comfortable to ride in and jump in, I dont feel the back at all. If I'm super picky I may have felt pushed forward slightly but this could have been due to being used to riding in a too narrow saddle for a while.
Apart from the wither twitching he felt good, he was trotting round with his head on the floor! Really stretching down.
I'll get a 2nd opinion, maybe now it's settled it needs a bit of flocking at the front. I brought the saddle from a fitter quite far away (the only person who had a decent stock of saddles!), so I'll see what my local lady thinks.
I'm wondering if I should ride with a pad underneath it untill she comes? I have a really nice sheepskin gel pad which might fill it out a bit and stop any pressure points?
 
Oops forgot to say, yes I could slide my hand down the front before I got on but no I can't get my hand in at all when I'm on, not unless I really force it. :)
 
I wouldn't put a thick pad under it until you know whether its too wide, it might make it too narrow. What do you ride with at the minute?

To be honest by the fact your horse is moving so much better I wouldn't be too worried, just get it looked at.

If you stand him square does the saddle sit level? This is what my saddler tells me to look for to know whether they need checking, that and a sudden change in my horse's movement.
 
All new saddles should come under flocked, the saddler should then flock up the saddle at the time of the sale once he/she is happy that the actual fitting is correct for the horse.
The flock will be full of air, it will to go down quite quickly, especially if you are jumping in it. The saddler needs to come back, and flock it up, as long as the fitting (width wise) is correct it will lift it back up off the horse.It used to be traditional to offer the first flock up free but I don't know if many other Saddlers do this now.
Oz :)
PS DID the saddler flock up at the time of sale, if not WHY not, if they didn't just putting a new saddle on the horse no matter how good a fit it is is asking for trouble without first flocking it up to the shape of the horse.
 
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Is it a brand new saddle or did you buy a second hand?

Yes mine comes out for free after about 15 hours (I think?! something like that) of riding in it.
 
Thanks for replies. I have a very thin cotton cloth under it at the moment.
The saddler didnt flock the new saddle for my horse at all but then I only rode in it for 10 or so minutes when trying it.
Saddler said they will come back in 3 months time to check it...
I think it needs flocking for him now?!
 
lol, NO it should be flocked up at the time of sale if it was brand new, saddles are under flocked so it is not only easier to lace the panels together when you are making them but you can then flock that saddle exactly to the shape of the horse's profile. EVEN if the saddle seemed high enough off the horse when fitted, they as saddlers, would know that it will come down on the horse fairly quickly if you are jumping in it and should have "firmed" it up a little to make it last longer before the next flock up.That's how I work anyway, Oz
PS 3 months to come back is FAR too long as you are finding out!
 
Thank you so much for replies, I feel a bit relieved now.
The saddle is brand new, never used on a horse before yesterday, it's leather with wool.
No the saddler didn't flock the saddle at all, it is as it came. It was level when first tried but now it looks too wide.
I will call a local lady to flock it for my horse. Will those lumps be caused by the saddle sitting too low and not being flocked up off his withers?
 
Yes it could be, get it checked again for fitting (the width I am talking about) and then get it flocked up, let us know how you get on and good luck, Oz :)
Another PS if you get someone else to flock it up and some thing goes wrong the first saddler can say that some one else flocking it has invalidated the guarantee or agreement with them , it has happened in the past with clients of mine so becareful.
 
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Ah OK,
Tbh I paid a good price on the saddle (under rrp) and I didn't pay extra for call out or flocking so I think they just sold me one that fitted and moved on.
I'll use the local lady as I really trust her, I have a feeling that for the price I paid for the saddle I won't be getting any refunds if it doesn't fit ;).
Thanks for your advice! Btw do you think using a sheepskin pad will tie me over untill she comes?
 
Having anything thick under a saddle can make the channel too narrow and pinch the spine, without seeing your saddle in person I cannot determine if it would do that or not.If I were you, seeing as the saddle could have already marked your horse, I would wait until the local lady saddler has been ,assessed it and flocked it before you ride in it again.Listen to what she has to say.
It will give your horse's back time to rest too, Oz :)
By the way, the flocking at time of sale should be free!
 
Ok thanks :)
Maybe they just forgot?! They went to so much trouble trying on loads of saddles and discarding loads they went happy with!
I didn't realise so I didn't ask.. Oh well, hopefully it will be Ok. My horse choose it as it was the one he moved the nicest in so once it's all flocked up again I'm hoping it will be perfect :).
 
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