That "saddle" swear word

Wizbang

Wizbang

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Hiya all,

I have a saddle problem with my 15 1 Arab gelding (7).

He has a forward girth groove and not the biggest shoulder in the world so everything I try on him ends up being pulled forward by the girth into the girth groove and over the shoulder. I ideally would like a dressage saddle for him and have tried:

Jaguar XK
Thorowgood T4
Bates Caprilli
Sue Carson

I do have a very old Lovell and Ricketts GP saddle that puts me in the most awful position, this does not move, which proves to me that the right saddle can stay put, I just need to find the right one!

I have tried all the usual non slip pads and banana shaped girths - all to no avail. A few people have recommended WOW and Heather Moffett - has anyone any experience of these saddles? And/or has anyone had this problem and sucessfully found a saddle that works?

Many thanks as my poor boy is getting quite frustrated with the trying of them all! :)

Sarah x
 
I had exactly the same problem with my horse, who is also Arab and has very similar conformation. We got round it by using a VSD cut GP saddle (it was actually a GFS Pro Event) and fitting it with a point strap, so that I was able to put the girth further forward than usual, and there was very little saddle in front of the girth, if that makes sense! It can have the effect of "cranking" the saddle in behind the shoulder though, so some horses might object and it's possibly not ideal in the long term. However, it solved the problem for long enough until my horse built up enough muscle over the shoulder to stop the saddle slipping so much.

Eventually, my horse changed shape and this saddle no longer fitted, so I then got hold of a Barry Swain Semi Flex working hunter saddle, so again not very forward cut. I absolutely love this and so does my horse!

This is what worked for my horse, but you will probably just have to try a few things as it's difficult to generalize when it comes to saddles - each horse is a different shape!

Hope you find something that works.
 
Hi

I have not got the same confo problem (other than the forward girth grrove) but do have a left/right rolling issue. I have a black country eloquence with passier shaped girth and it does not move. The front girth strap is a point strap and comes out from under the front block so I have quite a lot of anchoring in place from the two straps.

I would get a saddler to come out with as many as they can but definitely try ideal and black country as they have a range of trees and can be semi bespoked at not huge cost.
 
Mmmmm I might have to try a VSD - good idea, it's odd how the GP works so this could be the solution ... I had a Barry Swain years ago - I adored it :)

Thank you :)
 
I would recommend WOW's but not everyone gets on with them

They are ideal for the owner that wants to know all about their saddle and willing to tinker as there are so many options

All come with point strap as standard, plus if you add a military girth you get an infinite girthing option which can solve both forward and backward girth groove.
 
Yes I may have to go the WOW route eventually - they are sooooooooo expensive though :( gutted at the price of them. My local saddler actually has the Black County in her shop and the WOW saddle so I am waiting for her to phone me back with an appointment time!

It is so frustrating :( and my poor horse is now getting annoyed and a bit sore - I can honestly say, I've never had an Arab in my life that has been easy to fit :(

grrrrr x
 
Have you tried a banana or curved girth? I have one for my dressage saddle and I find it really helps the saddle to stay put, whilst still being in the girth grrove :)
 
You have my sympathy. This is a frustrating problem

You need a point strap fitted on your saddle. And I would recommend a stubben cord girth which is excellent for resisting sliding forward and very comfy for the horse.
 
Arabs have short backs and very active croups - I find that fitting them short and flat ie a flattish tree and seat and maybe 1/2 shorter than they can take if possible, usually works. A tree that is the right shape at the top, not just the right width, can and probably should be used with a point strap on this shape - with the third strap as a apossible rather than a rear attached strap. You will need flat panels as well - Arabs have a wide flat well sprung ribcage on the whole, and have to be fitted flatter than many people think.

There are flatter dressage saddles around that are suitable for Arabs, cobs and natives etc, otherwise a WH might be a good option - I certainly work with some that give shoulder hip heel alignment, and even have people working up to medium level on them!
 
Yes I've tried the banana girth. It was better but not great! I have a stubben cord girth (I love that girth) I will try that (when I've found a saddle!!)

sbloom - you are right, he has a flat back, he is not very short (like most arabs) he is egyptian/polish/english so a bit of an all rounder !! I will look for a flatter seat and panel - (you mean no knee rolls :( yikes!)

Hopefully my saddler (when she gets back to me) can help.

I've been recommended the new H girth .. has anyone tried this - it retails around £170 so I'm not in the mood for just buying to try !!!!

:) x
 
our pb arab has a all the same traits (and is croup high) but without the big shoulders, which in essence makes her even more likely to end up with a saddle on them. I know that the saddler used a different shaped tree than what is in my cobs saddle, not just width ways and she also has a point strap fitted. We use one of the ergo wavy girths (not a curved one) and also a geleeze under her numnah. This combination seems to work well, certainly better than her old saddle which fitted but didn't stay put especially if she put a dirty stop in!
 
I feel your pain.

My arab is fairly short backed, big shouldered- forward girth groove...the whole package lol. He is quite chunky- mainly polish/russian breeding.

After 7 saddles in 18 months- none of which fit but Ideals I guess being about the best..... I had one made. Which has been the best thing ever.

I do also use a leather anatomical girth with elastic inserts.

I had this saddle made...
http://www.heritagesaddlery.co.uk/c...r-flaps-those-who-wish-do-little-dressage-too

and I use this girth...

http://www.shiresequestrian.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=16218&cat=701&page=1

Problems solved....:D

ETA...I use the point and 3rd girth strap and it doesn't move...even when throwing shapes :)
 
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A lady on our yard had the same issues with her Arab. The saddle fitter described him as lightbulb shaped!! He had an Arabian Saddle Company saddle and it never budged.
 
Good idea Hippona, this could be my last port of call - worried I'll have something made and that won't work either :( that girth looks fab, although it starts in a 44" and I need a 26" . That saddle does look good though, you think they'll give a guarantee of non movement with it? !

Louby I'll have a look at the Arabian Saddle company - thank you :)

Ester, what's the ergo wavy girth? My saddler has phoned me back and is coming out to look - I've asked her for a flat seated saddle (:() !!

:) x
 
like this

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I certainly think it helps with her, although she is still prone to the odd girth rub (so during coat change time has a sheepskin on it.) Using one didn't suit my welshie though, who also has a forward groove.
 
Wizbang said:
Good idea Hippona, this could be my last port of call - worried I'll have something made and that won't work either :( that girth looks fab, although it starts in a 44" and I need a 26" . That saddle does look good though, you think they'll give a guarantee of non movement with it? !

Louby I'll have a look at the Arabian Saddle company - thank you :)

Ester, what's the ergo wavy girth? My saddler has phoned me back and is coming out to look - I've asked her for a flat seated saddle (:() !!

:) x
Click to expand...

He did actually guarantee me that it would fit yes...and it did:D....and as the tree is made specifically for the horse it will only ever really need the flocking adjusting....

TBH I was poo-ing myself as I've wasted soooo much money on saddles it got to the point where I was hiding them from OH.....I thought if this one doesn't fit then I'll just give up and admire him over the fence:o Mercifully its been the making of him - he's like a totally different horse now he's comfy
 
Hippona, your reply made me laugh out loud as I do exactly the damned same now!!!

I love that girth but can't find one small enough - my boy is a 26 in a dressage girth and they all start at a 44 !!!!!!

grrrrr ....

I've spoken to Heather Moffett, they are going to try to get me a flexi to try and my saddler who does black country is coming out with some flat seated saddles for me to try and prob a WOW, if those don't work I'll try the made to measure route with your saddler that made yours :)

fingers crossed X

:) x
 
Reading this thread is like reading an account of my own life :p

My Arab mare has exactly the same problem. She has a forward girth groove, flat shoulders and, to make matters worse, an ex-broodmare's tummy. Everything moves forwards on her! I have tried assorted saddles on her, including a Bates Caprilli dressage, a Wintec GP, a Kent and Masters VSD, a WOW, two made to measures and another VSD though I can't remember what make it was. I have also borrowed a friend's HM Fhoenix saddle.
Verdicts - the Wintec GP worked, probably because it was so forward cut that it physically couldn't move forward! But it also sat me in a terrible position and was quite restrictive of her shoulders. However, I still use it for hacking and it was great value for money. She liked the Bates, but it slipped forwards and sat right on her shoulders and I found it very uncomfortable. I just couldn't ride in it! The Kent and Masters did not work at all. The made to measures and the other VSD all slipped forwards, to the extent where it just got ridiculous. Then the WOW - well, I liked it to ride in, but we had one problem after another with it. First it started slipping to one side, so the fitter had to come and adjust it, then it started slipping forwards, so she came out again, then the physio came out and noticed that pony had muscle wastage, and suggested that the saddle was too narrow, so we had to get the fitter out again, THEN the saddle started slipping forwards again, so the fitter persuaded me to buy an H girth (which rubbed horrendously the first time I used it, despite being second hand and lovely and supple). I'm not sure what the final straw was, but in the end I sold it with the hope of never setting eyes on it ever again. It wasn't until a while later that someone told me that WOWs depend on the fitter being extremely competent, and that there are some not so great fitters out there. Turned out mine was one of them! The HM saddle we both liked BUT there were one or two problems with it. It sat further forwards on her, which wasn't a problem because it didn't restrict her shoulders BUT this meant that there was a point on the gullet that sat very close over her withers and rubbed. It has been suggested that there may be ways round this so when I can afford it I would like to trial one properly. I'm very interested in the Flexee as well. At the moment I just ride in a bareback pad though :p
 
Wizbang said:
Yes I've tried the banana girth. It was better but not great! I have a stubben cord girth (I love that girth) I will try that (when I've found a saddle!!)

sbloom - you are right, he has a flat back, he is not very short (like most arabs) he is egyptian/polish/english so a bit of an all rounder !! I will look for a flatter seat and panel - (you mean no knee rolls :( yikes!)

Hopefully my saddler (when she gets back to me) can help.

I've been recommended the new H girth .. has anyone tried this - it retails around £170 so I'm not in the mood for just buying to try !!!!

:) x
Click to expand...

No, dont' panic - the panel is the bit that contains the flocking, and the bit that affects fit is under the seat, nothing to do with the knee roll! The saddles I fit to Arabs mainly have decent knee rolls, only showing saddles tend to have minimal knee rolls, and we even make some of those with decent blocks/rolls!

You really do not have to go m2m and has been shown here by some people's experiences they do not always solve problems, and are much harder to return if they do not work. Do pm me if I can help more.
 
Possible try a tixerant girth. I have had one on my horse since the saddle kept movnig forward. They have a sticky centre and I find mine fantastic. I bought mine from a Sue Carson Saddles representative.. I think they are on their website.. not sure who actually makes them though. They are well worth the money.
X
 
I used to ride a horse years back, when I was about 10, so almost 20 yrs ago (argggh scary) that had what I believe is called a crupper? it used to go under her tail and attach to the back of the saddle to stop it from sliding forward? not sure how acceptable something like that is these days?
 
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