Saddles for the flat backed with large shoulders

[Tiddlypom]

My homebred sports horse type mare has had saddle slip issues, she's a wide flat fitting with large shoulders and elbows. Just had her year old 'bought from a long established and respected name in saddle making and fitted by the proprietor' jump saddle condemned by an independent saddle fitter for wonky panels :eek3:. Not sure if I'm more furious or disappointed. The panels were sewn incorrectly, it's not something that can be sorted by reflocking, so now I face dealing with ****** ********** saddles to sort it all out. The proprietor knew the saddle was slipping and has been out to check it, how someone of his experience didn't pick up the faulty manufacture I don't know. He suggested adding a balance strap which would simply have clamped the wonky saddle in place and not addressed the main issue.

A new Solution saddle wouldn't be suitable, she has a wide back bone and the new Solutions (the 'smarts'?) have a narrow gullet, I believe, which some horses object to, and mine definitely would.

 

[Horsekaren]

Ive taken a punt and got a second hand vsd HM saddle to try.
So far he has been in Wintec which wasnt flat enough, an Ideal before i got him which i know had issues as he has a brest girth and it always looked a bit off in pics, the TG cob witch i keep having issues with so i'm already 3 saddles in. Before i commit to looking at the other tree'd saddles that seem to cost a fortune i am going to give the HM flexee a shot.

Some people seem to say it is the best thing ever and there horses loved it, others say they liked it horse didn't and of course there are the people that didn't get on with it at all. From looking at old posts is seems a lot of people have gone through 6 or more saddles before trying treeless so i'm going to skip too the end and see if that's any better.

Interestingly i know a lot of people don't like the position of it as they say it tips forward but i did read somewhere that their TG tipped them and the HM stopped that all together. I don't ride in a chair seat so i wonder if it would actually work in my favor.

All very interesting

 

[Nudibranch]

Mine hated his Flexee as a just backed 4yo. As a 6yo in desperation I tried one again and he is very comfortable in it now. He is quick to tell you if even an apparently well fitting saddle isn't right. Horses change shape continually. Just remember not to place it too far forwards as there are sooooo many saddles which are (in general, not just HMs).