Saddle woes - aaarrrggghhhh!

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Izzy1

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4 February 2007
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We have a beautiful little welsh sec B. He is a fantastic pony and we have now had him for 4 months and my 7 year old has been out doing everything on him and he is just brilliant. The only problem is our ongoing problems with his saddle. We have had the saddler out twice. The saddle he came with slips up his neck constantly despite gel pads, umpteen different girths and poly pads etc. We had another little saddle fitted and adjusted for him and it appears to fit him beautifully until he jumps anything over 1.6" then we are back to the same problem. He is quite a fine little chap but has a flat back, only small withers and his girth line is very far forward (in fact in line with the withers). Had saddler out again to look at new saddle again but same problem with all saddles.....straight up neck soon as trot! She is investigating options but seems sceptical they can solve the problem Am deeply frustrated and potentially now having to look at made to measure but even this (I am told) may not solve the problem. Having spent a shed load on various things so far am wondering if anyone else has any other suggestions. What about treeless? Any good? Camp looming and I am getting desperate as I will be adjusting saddle half hourly for 4 days otherwise!! Any advice truly gratefully accepted. Surely something must fit him???
 
hunteress said:
yep its worked for all my teeny weenys i'm supprised your farrier didn't mention it x
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I have thought about a crupper and have wanted to try it as a last resort as I am not sure he will tolerate it. He is a bit funny about having his girth done up and having stiff brushes used on him (he is a bit of a diva) so I will try a crupper if I can't find any other solution but am holding it in reserve.
 
Would it be worth having point straps put on your saddle? It may help a but, I can't think of any suggestions other than the crupper either.
 
If the saddle definately fits but still slides forward I would also say a crupper. I used to do a lot of driving and all the Horses wore them - not one was bothered buy them. You just need to make sure they fit correctly. Aren't they quite common on wee ponies??
 
suzysparkle said:
If the saddle definately fits but still slides forward I would also say a crupper. I used to do a lot of driving and all the Horses wore them - not one was bothered buy them. You just need to make sure they fit correctly. Aren't they quite common on wee ponies??
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Have never used a crupper before -it might be a stupid question but how do you ensure they fit the pony correctly??
 
I would second the suggestion of having point straps fitted to your saddle. Had them on my section a's saddle and never had a problem with it slipping forward.
 
A crupper should be a last resort. With a forward girth groove, etc the conformation is basically pushing the saddle forward.

To help a horse/pony like this you need slim panels and a point and back strap to spread the girthing over as wide an area as possible. Also use a very wide girth non elasticated- again to spread the pressure.

No pad or numnah will stop a saddle that is being pushed by the horses conformation. And a crupper is just pulling the saddle back as its being pushed forward- so really is a last resort and not really recomended
 
What girth are you using - anything with an elasticated end will cause problems, as will narrow girths such as cottage craft. I would look to put a point and balance strap on and use a Stubben cord girth.
 
Do not get a balance strap on a pony who's saddle is dragged forwards because of the forwards girth groove. It will just make it worse.

The girth often has more say over where the saddle sits than the saddle itself. If the girth wants to sit right forwards, under the elbows, it drags the saddle forwards with it. Putting a strap right at the back of the saddle just creates even more pull forwards. The best thing for that kind of horse is to rig the girthing so the girth can sit where it wants, and the saddle can sit where it needs. A point strap will allow this.

I had a nightmare trying to fit a cob with a similar problem: huge shoulders so the saddle needed to stay back, but on the forehand with powerful loins and a forwards girth groove - the saddle was just being shunted forwards from behind and drags from infront so not a hope in hell of staying where it needed to be!

I eventually got this done:

This is where the saddle would sit with normal girth rigging - right over the shoulders:

brodietiaewanalexis032.jpg


This is the only way we could get it to stay back - having the girth rigged right forwards:

brodietiaewanalexis019.jpg


Using a 'donut' like this. A point strap and dressage girth straps - they make a huge difference.

brodietiaewanalexis008.jpg


The girthing didn't stay quite so extreme once it's been ridden in for a little while, but it certainly stopped pulling the saddle forwards as much.

There are a couple of things you can try.

a) get the pony to loose some weight. If they loose weight they loose the extreme forwards girth groove.

b) have dressage straps attatched to the saddle - it makes a big difference.

c) have the girth forward rigged. You can either have a donut made or, more effectively but it needs a good quality thick leather sweat flap, have the back strap anchored forwards onto either a loop or a slit in the sweat flap. A point strap (i.e attatched to the tree points) is essential.

The saddle must be well balanced to be able to do this else the back up rocks up.
 
Re. fitting a crupper. When I went out with a driving friend, the way she said to test the fit of the crupper was to place the long palm of your hand underneath it, i.e. from little finger to thumb, vertically, if that makes sense (the way you'd measure a horse in hands if you see what I mean) - a handsbreadth is what I mean. You should be able to fit your handsbreadth underneath the crupper, any more and its too loose, any less and its too tight.

But beware! When I was a kid we fitted a crupper to a pony and it went mental, bronked all over the place, so you might need to start off with fitting it and lunging it first!!!
 
Hi All

Thanks so much for all the replies. Have tried many things you have all suggested but finally have cracked it!! Had native pony saddle company out today and they fitted him with a saddle and with a little bit of flocking and adjustment right there and then it fits him perfectly. His girth grove is forward but this time the saddle sits exactly where it is supposed to and stays there instead of moving to the withers with daughter sitting on his poor little neck. My daughter has tried it extensively, particularly over jumps which is when the movement usually happens the most and it has not moved an inch and his shoulders are free and his paces flow beautifully instead of being restricted as the saddle shifted. I am so so pleased as he is such a fantastic little pony and it has upset me to see him ridden in poor tack!! Yippeeee - I am a happy person and hopefully have a happy pony! Thoroughly recommend the company as so patient and knowledgeable. Thanks again for all your invaluable advice!
 
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