Saddles for rotund horses with flat backs

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MissMincePie&Brandy

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I have my new horse, I've bought a saddle off my saddler who fitted it - but the saddle slips to the right. It does it for both me and another rider :(
I've called the saddler back, but she can't come out until after xmas.

I'm using a limpet pad, which helps a little bit, but this morning I rode and I tightened the girth far too tight to keep the saddle secure, and when I took it off, he had an indentation around the girth area! i don't think I'll ride again until the saddler comes (well maybe a bareback hack!)

The horse is a Gelderlander, and has a similar shape back to an andalusion I know. He has a big fleshy wide shoulder, a very round barrel with a flat back. He does have a wither, but it's not very high.
I've only ridden thoroughbreds for the past few years, so saddle slippage is rather a strange feeling!

What brands of saddle might be worth looking at? Would a balancing strap be the only way to resolve this?
 
We have an Ideal GP on our welsh x rotund pony with no wither, and I have an albion K2 saddle for my lusitano x who is roundish, but has some wither. I also have a barefoot treeless saddle on him, which doesn't seem to slip :)
 
Try (cheap and easily resellable if you dont like) a Thorowgood cob saddle, they have the 4ths strap and designed for flat backs. Or Ideal H&C if you prefer posh leather. NB my horse came up 1 size wider in the Thorowgood than the Ideal.
 
While you're waiting for the saddler you could try putting the girth on the front two straps on the right and first and third straps on the left. Suggested by a saddler and seems to help. The Stubben string girth is also good.
 
I have just bought a Barnsby H & C haflinger saddle in xxw, it is designed to help with slippage!. So far it hasn't slipped on my hippo shaped cob but I have never had any problems with slipping in her old saddle but anyone else who rides her always ends up wonky!.
I have a Thorowgood Cob in xw that I will be Ebaying soon, but I found it pretty wide to sit on.
 
I imagine the saddler will make a balance strap for the saddle to prevent it from moving. wait to see if the balance strap makes a difference as it will be cheaper than buying a new saddle. also stand behind your horse and look to see if his shoulders are level as this could be why the saddle is moving or it could be the horses movement throwing the saddle but a balance strap should pervent the saddle sliding to the side
 
If you want to spend a bit more and get a "specialised" saddle instead of a GP, look at Equipes. L has a very flat back with round withers, and this was the only saddle that fit her well (I have the jump saddle) The foam panels mould to their shape, and don;t perch like some flocked saddles can.
Otherwise, Barnsby do a Merlin jump saddle designed for a wider flatter horse, and also the H+C GP saddle :)
 
A saddle that slips badly doesn't fit. No amount of girth changing will make it fit. Slipping under extreme conditions on a round no-withered horse is expected but it shouldn't be standard!

If it slips to one side constantly either you sit squint (most riders sit more heavily to the right as most are right handed) or the horse is asymetrical (often a side effect of the squint rider). Sometimes the saddle is squint or the flocking flattened more on one side (again due to squint riders).

Slipping to one side can be sorted easily enough once the cause is found. If it's the rider then a seat saver with a foam pad under the seatbone of heavier side will help. If the horse is weaker behind on one side then a pad between the panel and the tree is an easy way of fixing it. If they're hollower on one shoulder than a little more flocking is needed.

If the saddle is generally prone to slipping then it's a poor fit. The head may not be wide enough (panels too close together making it 'perched'). The panels at the back may not be wide enough, too close together or too sloped and angled (so the outside edge digs in and has reduced contact - the major wintec problem). It the twist is too narrow it makes it perched and and if the tree's too curved it will slide badly (another wintec problem).

Your horse sounds like an arab-type fit - probably short backed too? A cob saddle would probabably be the best fit. If he's not massively wide then a wintec cob saddle might suit (they become too curved at very wide fittings) but they have long panels. A thorowgood cob saddle should be a good fit. Both are fairly well made, the thorowogood more so (the T6 is almost indistinguishable from leather and they do a full leather version). Saddle company are the same tree as thorowgoods but panels can be overly long and not real benefit over the thorowgoods now they have changable gullets. If you want a leather saddle then look at Ideals. GFS can also be a good fit as can farrington. And there are many random, not very well known, brands that may suit -my friend has a Manor saddle which is an excellent fit on her very wide cob.
 
Saddle Company.

Beware things such as Wintecs which although they appear to adjust well at the wither are in fact far too narrow at the rear of the gullet and also have knife shaped rather than flat wide panels, these dig into the horses back.

I have had cobs in the past and now have a pure irish draught, all of whom have been 'awkward' to fit given their flat wide backs. Saddle Company saddles suit perfectly and are very adjustable (by a SC fitter - not by restuffing from your local saddler) in a saddle press.

You may also find a wider girth will help and I would recomend the Stuben string type.
 
spaniel said:
Saddle Company.

Beware things such as Wintecs which although they appear to adjust well at the wither are in fact far too narrow at the rear of the gullet and also have knife shaped rather than flat wide panels, these dig into the horses back.

I have had cobs in the past and now have a pure irish draught, all of whom have been 'awkward' to fit given their flat wide backs. Saddle Company saddles suit perfectly and are very adjustable (by a SC fitter - not by restuffing from your local saddler) in a saddle press.

You may also find a wider girth will help and I would recomend the Stuben string type.
Click to expand...

Nice to hear somebody else say this about the adjustable gullet saddles.
 
My connie has flat withers and he has a falcon event GP, very comfy and puts you in good positon for flat and jumping. On another point saddler said he never fits extra wide's when I went to see him, then he saw him and said oh maybee he will need an extra wide :D just made me giggle
 
Good advice there from Kallibear - I have a Thorogood T6 and it is brilliant but did have a problem with it twisting slightly which we found was my mare's lopsided movement but this was corrected with a pad under one of the rear saddlepads which can be removed easily should she straighten with schooling - a very comfortable saddle.
 
I have a GFS, of the five that that the saddle fitter tried, the two GFS's were the best fit.
A bonus for me, was that the cheaper one was a perfect fit, no adjustment needed :).
 
Frank Baines Zenith Balance Saddle, beautiful saddles.

Ideal.

County Saddles.

To name a few however your saddler should be familier with the makes and models that are better suited for your horses shape.
 
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