Sore back - no saddle fits him!

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bluewhippet

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My Arab is seemingly impossible to saddle fit. In a Kent and Masters that has been adjusted reflocked etc and yet he is still clearly not happy. Had back people out and they have sorted him for a few weeks and then discomfort returns.

I have tried to spend money on a new saddle and yet none fit as well/not well as his current one. He has a wasted area on one side of his back that means all saddles bridge - I have had the saddle reflocked to compensate but I don't think it is working.

I am not the most wonderful rider in the world, but I don't think I am very heavy and rough - no instructor has suggested this as a reason for his discomfort anyway!

I am getting vet to look at him Monday to make sure there is no underlying cause for his sore back.

If there is not any huge sinister reason (am currently driving myself slightly demented with worry that there is!) I am wondering if I should try treeless. Thing is my current saddle won't stay in one place so I wonder if I would feel safe: he is a great one for dramatic spooking.

Wondered if anyone had any ideas.
 
Has the physio explained the reason for the wastage, has it improved, it is the cause of the bridging and there may be an underlying reason for it and why it is there, possibly hocks.
You are right to get the vet as the next step.
Have you tried using a pad under the saddle that is thicker on one side rather than extra flocking in the saddle.
 
I have an Arab x who has had some very bad back issues, and has just finished intensive treatment from an oesteo at the vets. I had to get her a new saddle and decided treeless would be a good option to try as I didn't want any fixed points on her very sensitive back!
So far so good I am loving the saddle and so does she,she is moving lovely In it. I have a Heather moffett vogue,, but I still had it fitted and checked by one of there fitters.
 
be positive said:
Has the physio explained the reason for the wastage, has it improved, it is the cause of the bridging and there may be an underlying reason for it and why it is there, possibly hocks.
You are right to get the vet as the next step.
Have you tried using a pad under the saddle that is thicker on one side rather than extra flocking in the saddle.
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The physio thought it was probably the hock that was causing the pain. The saddle fitter thought it was the last rider being unbalanced. But since he had been ridden very little for years, I think it is less likely to do with the rider and more to do with him. That is why I feel a bit worried - hopefully needlessly.

I absolutely adore him but he has seemed in pain for so much of the time I have owned him and I have moved through saddle, back, teeth, bridle and now back again...
 
Somerset. I have heard very good things about her. Will wait for vet to give his thoughts and then perhaps book and expect a long long wait!
 
Check there aren't any underlying issues. My horse had severe back pain due to bad shoeing. It didn't look horrific from the outside, but the pedal bones in his hind feet had "de-rotated" so he was effectively walking on his heel.

After we got that right, he was ridden bareback, still unhappy in a saddle, we tried hundreds! We decided Treeless was the only way left. He now has a Solution Saddle. I hunt him, event him, show him in it. And he's finally happy!

They look totally traditional and are fully flexible so will fit the vast majority of horses. They have a specific range for Arab's in the "native" saddle. Might be worth looking into :)
 
bluewhippet said:
Somerset. I have heard very good things about her. Will wait for vet to give his thoughts and then perhaps book and expect a long long wait!
Click to expand...

Me too thats why I asked her and she was recomended by The Back Lady..Dorothy Marks. She was super quick and conscientous, she even came out to check fit 6 weeks later and didn't charge. Given - her saddles are not cheap but are well made, comfortable and I'm a bit precious about mine!
 
I used to have an Arab on loan that had very high withers, a sway back and muscle wastage around the withers due to not being worked properly and ill fitting tack. The first saddle I used on her that fit her and that she seemed happy in, was the Lovatt & Ricketts Beaufort model (GP saddle), then as she built up condition, I bought her a Wintec close contact saddle which also fit her nicely. Both saddles can be bought fairly easy cheaply 2nd hand as well.

On the subject of K&M saddles, I had the chance to try one the other week as i was debating buying one and let's just say I was not impressed. My friend bought this saddle a few days before from a well known fitter and they had them come out and fit it as well, and I had to point it out to her that the saddle was obviously bridging on her flat backed horse! She hadn't noticed the daylight streaming down from the panels!! It also bridged on my flat backed TB despite the gullet size being the correct one as well.
 
Thanks very much for all your suggestions. Will wait and see what my vet says on Monday (and let you know). And if nothing too sinister seems to be going on will think about Solutions I think or Lavinia Mitchell.

Has anyone heard of Strada saddles or Reactor Panel?
 
I just bought a solutions saddle ....I waited almost a year to be able to afford one, but I think its going to be worth it in the end :) My mare has had problems on and off with her back, more muscle wastage than anything, but with the correct saddle now, I am really positive for the future :)

Rowreach on here can tell you anything you need to know about solution saddles, she helped fit mine (she is a solution saddle fitter ) :)
Not a nice person but she will do :p :p ;) :D


She also stole my little tommy tucker :p

Col x
 
Hi there "blue whippet".

We had a Pony Saddle Company "Tor" saddle.

My boy is a flat-backed traddie cob; and myself and yard-sharer had literally gone through EVERY saddle fitter in the district. One fitter had fitted a Kent and Masters and seemed happy with the fit, but my horse went as if to bronc as soon as I mounted up, so I thought that wasn't exactly a good idea!!! In the end I'd totally given up and was thinking of going treeless, not because I wanted to go that way (was worried with a flat back it would slip) but I couldn't see what else to do. I tried a Heather Moffatt saddle but by heck could hardly walk for a week :) So not viable long term. I don't want something that pulls my body around like that. Ditto the Barefoot; found I needed more knee support.

I found these people quite by accident but it was obvious from the start that they knew their stuff and that we were going to find something that actually fitted. When I rode my boy in their saddles, I found that he had a lovely elevated trot that I never knew he had - it was wonderful.

My yard-sharer has fitted hers up with these saddles, she competes more than I do; but as I've got a dicky back and a temperamental knee, I know I need something that's comfy, and as my boy has had back problems due to having an ill-fitting synthetic thing plonked on him, I have to get it right for him too.

So I will unashamedly recommend their saddles! Sorry if "advertising", but there it is.
 
Thanks so much. I will see what vet says and if he doesn't think anything too awful happening, then will get in touch with them.

At the moment I am trying very hard not to imagine all the terrible conditions he could have - I am a very bad hypochondriac on other people's/animal's behalf and shouldn't be allowed near Google....
 
Another vote for Lavinia Mitchell saddles - the only range yet that manages to properly fit my short coupled, wide-shouldered, high withered monster of a Trakehner!
 
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