Slipping Saddle

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Tilda

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Hello

My mare has very odd confirmation with a very flat back, wide shoulders and no wither (think growth was stunted when she was young rather than natural) but she is not a cob she is a very TB, TBX.

I have recently bought a close contact jumping saddle for her as this was the only off the shelf option that fitted her but due to the fact that she is more built up on one side her saddle still slips sideways particularly in canter (tends to be OK in walk and not too bad in trot). I have had a second opinion from a very well respected saddle fitter and he says it is the best fit for her and it slipping doesn't seem to cause her any obvious discomfort or pain but it can't be good for her or my riding.

I have tried various different options with regard to pads, such as gel ones that should stick, this white foam stuff (no idea what its called) that was recommended by saddler and sheepskin numnahs but nothing has worked!

Someone suggested I try one of the correctional numnah's that you can build up with inserts but before I fork out lots of money I wondered if anyone else had tried something I haven't?

Any ideas appreciated x
 
Is the saddle slipping to the offside?
Is it a new or secondhand saddle?
When you bought the saddle was it fitted by a saddler or a saddle fitter?
Was it flocked up before you rode on it?
Does your saddle have point straps fitted to help "lock it in" to the withers?
If not get some added if you can.

Most horses muscle up more on one side than the other, usually the near side and when we flock saddles or adjust them we have to take this into account and flock up accordingly.
New saddles need to be flocked as most (but not all!) come under flocked to enable the panels to be laced in easily whilst they are being made. When a saddler fits a new saddle he or she will then flock it up once they are satisfied with the fit and flock it up again after a few months when the flock has settled and moulded to horse's profile.
If you haven't had the flock or foam what ever is in your saddle adjusted then that is the first line of defence.
If you have, have you tried this

http://www.limpetsaddlepad.co.uk

Hope this helps?
Oz :)
 
Tilda said:
Hello

My mare has very odd confirmation with a very flat back, wide shoulders and no wither (think growth was stunted when she was young rather than natural) but she is not a cob she is a very TB, TBX. This sounds very much like my mare's conformation. She's an anglo-arab and although she is half TB and looks pretty much like a pure TB, her back is all arab.


I have recently bought a close contact jumping saddle for her as this was the only off the shelf option that fitted her but due to the fact that she is more built up on one side her saddle still slips sideways particularly in canter (tends to be OK in walk and not too bad in trot). I have had a second opinion from a very well respected saddle fitter and he says it is the best fit for her and it slipping doesn't seem to cause her any obvious discomfort or pain but it can't be good for her or my riding. My mare is pretty even in her back muscles but she also only fitted a close contact jumping saddle (she's a happy hacker ;) ) so that's what I bought her.

I have tried various different options with regard to pads, such as gel ones that should stick, this white foam stuff (no idea what its called) that was recommended by saddler and sheepskin numnahs but nothing has worked!

Someone suggested I try one of the correctional numnah's that you can build up with inserts but before I fork out lots of money I wondered if anyone else had tried something I haven't? What I found worked (as my saddle slipped slightly to the side due to me being injured) was a barnsby grip pad together with a stud girth.

Any ideas appreciated x
Click to expand...

http://www.barnsby.com/products/accessories-barnsby-close-contact-grip-pad/default.asp
 
How about a string girth? I had terrible trouble with my saddle slipping and was recommended the Stubben Cord Grith, and for me it really worked.
Good Luck x
 
The ideas of either 'locking' the saddle to the horse more tightly and securely, or building bits up to prevent the slippage. sound very counter-productive. You need to have a look at why the saddle is slipping, and the most likely things are that either you or the horse, or both of you, are in some way crooked and so pushing the saddle to one side. If you just treat the symptom of the problem, it will get worse.
Have a look at BALANCE saddles for a very horse-friendly approach to saddle fitting, and some information on treating problems rather than symptoms.
 
I understand what you're saying, but the grip pad and stud girth were great as it stopped the well fitting saddle from slipping while I recovered from my injury. The mare never had a sore back while this happened. Infact, I discovered that she prefers the stud girth as it speads the pressure compared to a normal girth. She's a sensitive girl and lets me know straight away if she's not happy. :)
 
Faracat said:
I understand what you're saying, but the grip pad and stud girth were great as it stopped the well fitting saddle from slipping while I recovered from my injury. The mare never had a sore back while this happened. Infact, I discovered that she prefers the stud girth as it speads the pressure compared to a normal girth. She's a sensitive girl and lets me know straight away if she's not happy. :)
Click to expand...

But that's a slightly different situation to the OP - you knew you had an injury, so you knew what the problem was and that it was going to heal itself, so your grips were a temporary solution.
 
True, but if she is able to stop the saddle slipping (and the vet is happy that there is nothing physically wrong with the horse) while she works on building up the mare's weaker/less muscled side.
 
Faracat said:
True, but if she is able to stop the saddle slipping (and the vet is happy that there is nothing physically wrong with the horse) while she works on building up the mare's weaker/less muscled side.
Click to expand...

This was my plan Faracat there is nothing wrong with my horse she has just built up a lot more muscle on the right partly because of me ( I am now working on this) but mainly down to the fact that she spent sometime in a riding school so I am looking for a temporary solution whilst we even her out. She had a lot of work on her back from a chiropractor at the end of last year and she has also had the once over from the vet so we know there is nothing wrong and as I said she is showing no discomfort from the saddle before, during or after its slips.

UnicornLeather it is a second hand saddle that was fitted by the back lady who is also a fitter but the second opinion I mentioned was a saddler (I think Master) and he actually said that because it is a close contact saddle there was not a lot that could be done with the flocking? or it might have been that he didn't think that it would make any difference (my short term memory is still a bit dodgy sorry!)

It doesn't seem to be causing any pain which is good but I just want to sort it! I will definitely look at the girth Faracat recommended as a temporary measure and if it doesn't improve will think again.

Thanks for ideas all :)
 
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Just a quick thought. The barnsby pad (top photo) is quite expensive and I found the prolite pad (2nd photo) to be really good and alot cheaper too. I got the prolite so that I could have a non-slip pad that was suitable for showing.
 
Thanks Faracat I have seen those prolite pads and wondered what they were like its not that I begrudge spending the money its more that I worry that they won't work either!
 
I have the same problem with my mare. I have posted about it on here before and was recommended various things. My problem with the saddler is that he is so popular and busy that the time between getting him to come over and re-flock the saddle has meant already one year lost in riding. I have tried the different girths, pads etc. but nothing works and I know how frustrating it is. I spent £950 on the saddle and must have already spent another 300 on trying to sort out the problem. The saddler did loan me a Mattes pad which is the one with inserts but by this time the winter was here and I had given up riding. My saddle has the extra straps but still slips. I don't enjoy riding anymore and wonder what to do when the weather improves and my mare needs working as she is a good doer and I don't want to lose another horse to laminitis. Not much help I'm afraid.
 
Just noticed the recommendation for the prolite pad. I bought 2 one to go under saddle and one to go on top of numnah. Saddle still slipped sideways.
 
katherine1975 said:
What type of girth are you using? My saddle was slipping and it was partly due to using a girth with elastic on one side.
Click to expand...

Ditto this, if you do use a girth with elastic one side try getting a cheap fabric one ie Aerborn to see if it makes a difference before spending lots of money elsewhere

Also ditto Balance Saddles for a company that really cares about the perfect fit and comfy horses (but appreciate that this is an expensive alternative at this stage having bought a new saddle already :) ).
 
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