Used the same saddle for years, no probs

Sukistokes2 said:
I am not sure if this is a general comment or aimed at me?! As you have included my comment to Cortez it might be aimed at me. So I reply........

No where have I said I pad my saddle.
No where have I said I do not check my saddle every time I ride.
In 35 years+ of horse ownership I have leant a lot, unlike some I just acknowledge you can't know it all.
My horses are well groomed...I even know how to strap ....my grandfather was a groom on a farm/estate before the war.
My horses enjoy a happy fulfilled life ,with good care, lots of turnout, lots of time just to be a horse and a sensible high fibre diet.
They live a long time before they leave me ,the last lass being 32, I had her from a 2 Year old , so I must be doing something right.
Just because something is new and wasn't done back in the good old days ,does not make it wrong, newfangled stuff can be an asset, sometimes the old fuddyduddys need to get there heads around it. Who wants to go back to those old canvas NZ rugs for example.
Just because someone does something different to me ,does not mean they are wrong and I do not think they are idiots, I allow them to think and do what they want, within reason, because luckily it's a free world here.
Just because someone chooses to consult a professional does not make them stupid, I think it shows common sense and a concern for the welfare of their animal. It is up to the owner to choose wisely and to know when they have reached the end of there knowledge. It's kinda like knowing when to ring the vet. There are some who would call out a vet for the slightest thing, well if that's what they want good for them.

Now maybe your thread was not aimed at me and was more general but it felt that way. You do not know me from Adam, so can not really have any knowledge about what I do and do not do or know about horses, saddles or anything. You have always seemed to have good advice for people so I am giving you the benefit of the doubt and staying well clear of this thread!
Happy new year.
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For heavens sake! The only part that referred to your post is the start.

If you didn't say any of the other things then obviously the balance of the post SEPARATED by a paragraph spacing from the first part was not personally directed at you.

Remember your English Grammar!
 
wench said:
What a load of old crap.
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Oh dear somebody had a bad christmas.

Most experienced riders can competently asses if the saddle fits their horse or not I would trust my own judgement a lot more than 95% of so called saddlers or back experts I see nowadays. Then again a lot of inexperienced riders have no end of issues caused by these so called experts because they are in awe of them . If I need a saddle fitter I only know one that I trust nowadays and they already have had a mention but I pay good money for that! A lot of riders look at the expense first and go for the budget option. As they say you pay peanuts you get a monkey.
 
Not just saddlers but in many areas with horses one of the most important things you have to do is learn to educate your self so you are in the position to choose the right professionals to help you.
 
My lad will tell you if his saddle isn't right, ignore at your peril, I find it his mainly his dressage saddle that seems to need altering as he changes shape with the seasons, I will use a pad if he has dropped weight and I know he will put it on again fairly quickly, well that's the one he react to, his GP doesn't seem to need altering as often.
 
I have to admit that I never got my mares saddle fitted, was only a wintec 2000, so I used to adjust it as a when I felt it needed it! she had the physio for a few months when she started biting her own tongue when ridden! the physio didn't think she was in too much pain but she stopped biting after a few sessions!
 
When I bought my first pony, I had a saddle fitted and never got it checked in the years I had him and sold him with it. He had shoes fitted every 6-8 weeks, yearly Jabs and teeth seen to once a year.

Never had a physio out to him and he was never sick or sorry.

My last mare, had the dentist twice a year, I trimmed her barefeet as and when needed, got her jabs. I got someone to check her back etc a few times a year or more if she needed it, and saddle checked twice a year. Times change really.
 
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I tend to be if it ain't broke don't fix it, if I thought mine really has a problem, then yes, get someone out.

He has feet done regular, I have an excellent farrier, he has his jabs and teeth done every year, and vet if he isn't well.
 
My pony has had the same for 12 years. It's been reflocked a few times and his owners have ensured loaners have taken care of it.

I'm clueless to fit etc, so when he lost a lot of weight after I put him on a diet, I had someone out to check (turns out it would've been too tight when I first got him... explains his bucking everytime the previous lass rode him- which was once in a blue moon, hence the weight).

I might ask the saddlers for tips next time he comes though, as I'll be the first to admit I don't know enough about fitting.

Ax
 
Thought I should probably explain why I started this thread!

I bought Dollys saddle 2nd hand from the tack shop and no it hasn't been professionally fitted. I have had a very knowledgeable person take a look, and have read up on the basics of checking fit etc. From all I have read, learned, been told, and most importantly from Dolly herself it seems fine. I know 'fine' isn't ideal, and I will probably have someone out to have a look in spring, but I will continue to ride her until then.

What amazed me most is that the 3 saddlers I had out for the old loan boy all had different opinions, and the fact that 2 of them said it fit him fine even though it was rubbing the hair off his back! Surely that's not right? I mean who do you trust when you choose a saddler??
 
My boy presently sees a fully qualified physio every 6 weeks as he had a life threatening illness 2yrs ago and as I have been building up his work load he has needed some help. He had muscle wastage on his pelvis so had some Electro therapy 5 months ago and hasn't looked back due to this we struggled with saddles, I agree with Wagtail Milners are amazing gutted I'm too far now. But I have found another fab fitted but my horse tells me when it doesn't fit he won't canter.
 
tankgirl1 said:
Thought I should probably explain why I started this thread!

I bought Dollys saddle 2nd hand from the tack shop and no it hasn't been professionally fitted. I have had a very knowledgeable person take a look, and have read up on the basics of checking fit etc. From all I have read, learned, been told, and most importantly from Dolly herself it seems fine. I know 'fine' isn't ideal, and I will probably have someone out to have a look in spring, but I will continue to ride her until then.

What amazed me most is that the 3 saddlers I had out for the old loan boy all had different opinions, and the fact that 2 of them said it fit him fine even though it was rubbing the hair off his back! Surely that's not right? I mean who do you trust when you choose a saddler??
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Finding a good saddler, and saddle that works for you is a minefield, and some horses are easier than others to get right.

I use my judgement, the views of my bodyworkers, trainers, what my horses tell me, and my saddler's view. One of my horses needs lots of adjusting in both directions, other is fairly static.

If find good saddler, hang on to them.
 
Agreed, a good saddle fitter is one who can recognise some signs of a poorly fitting saddle. Rubbed hair, lumps, and patches that don't sweat should all ring alarm bells.
The Saddle Research Trust website has lots of links which explain in detail ways of checking and ensuring comfortable horse/saddle/ rider interaction - well worth a read imo. : )
 
I must admit that I haven't had my jumping saddle checked professionally since I got it nearly 7 years ago. My mare has regular physio every few weeks as she events and likes to fling herself around in the field. I used to suffer with a bad back and could hardly function when mine was bad. I found physio to be a god send, so I think that by getting hers done regularly, she will be as comfortable as possible and be able to compete to the best of her ability.
It also allows my physio to see how the saddle is effecting her over the season when her muscles change shape and if she ever said to me that my mare was sore where her saddle was, I would get the fitter out as soon as possible to check everything over. Luckily, in the 7 years that I have had her, she has never had a saddle related problem.
I always check my saddles over for damage and I check the fit every time I put them on my horses back. Like many have said, saddle fitting is mostly common sense, although getting a professional is always the better option. However, I like to think that I would be able to tell if a saddle fits or not after all this time!
 
I ended up giving up on saddlers and going treeless about 12 years ago when I had a young welsh cob with massive shoulders - he was fitted with 5 different saddles in less than a year and even then none really fitted him properly. Maybe I was just unlucky but I've seen too many 'master' saddlers get it wrong just to make a sale it seems. I had 2 well known, respected saddlers offer completely opposite advice on which size/width my horse took and none of the 5 who saw him seemed able to take into account his shoulders or his short back.

THe first treeless I tried on him was ugly, really, really ugly :) but all of sudden he could walk out properly and his trot improved 10 fold. I eventually moved on to a gulleted treeless for another horse who had had an accident years before that affected his back and he also went much better in that too. This was a horse that didn't tolerate ill fitting saddles at all yet I had a 'master' saddler tell me that all treeless were bad? All of them?

Not so many years ago a friend of mine took her highland to a very highly recommended (on here and many other places) saddler to have a fitting. This was an ex RDA pony, an absolute doll who was as easy as you like to ride but he had a few back issues so it was decided that a treed saddle would be better for him. He was fitted with an Ideal Highland IIRC, flocking adjusted and a balance strap fitted and taken into their school where he proceeded to do handstands nonstop for 10 or 15 minutes. Despite that, the saddler still tried to sell her the £900 saddle saying it did fit him and he'd get used to it! Luckily she didn't listen and bought another saddle that while it wasn't a perfect fit if you followed all the rules, the pony liked it.

And people wonder why I don't trust saddle fitters?
 
WindyStacks said:
My theory is that many British made saddles are designed for natives - but many of us are riding wbs or ish. Ime stubben/keifer/etc fit these generally "off the peg".

My current boy came with a made-to-measure English - my two old stubbens are a far superior fit.

As for bridles - this is an odd one. When I bought him he came with Indian crafted leather (stamped UK - very sneaky!) and I just don't think it fitted quite right as he practically puts on the old supple stubben himself which fits in a totally different way and is IMO far kinder along the cheekbones.
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Ha, if only UK saddles were made for natives!! Well actually I'm glad they aren't as I specialise in them and see sooo many poorly fitting saddles on wide flat backs.

I never recommend made to measure - much better if you can to buy from stock, you ride in the saddle you buy and usually have a 7 day trial on it, not so on anything customised in any way. I'm not a fan of Stubbens though, they can work on the odd very shapely back with a narrow spine, and I know they do some wider variants, but everything I see has a two finger gullet and a very curvy tree.

As for Indian leather being stamped British, it can be if it is stitched or in any way put together in this country sadly, always double check that a product you are buying is English leather. Some English leather is sent abroad for stitching etc and this can be really nice quality strap work, but Indian leather is a whole different call game.

On the topic overall I have always worked with my customers to help them understand a little more about saddle fit so that they can monitor the fit themselves, as educated horse owners used to do. In the last 30 years or so SO many more people own horses and they don't have the depth of background in horses to know these things. I know I had to learn a LOT when I bought my first horse aged 27, and I had sat in on years of BHS stages lectures at my riding school as a kid. It still didn't cover what you really needed to know.

The Saddle Research Trust has found that saddles need checking "several" times a year - I do agree but it is very expensive for owners and there is an even better way, that owners know what to look for and know when to call the fitter. We even offer to look at photos and videos for all our customers to see IF they need a check.

If you know your saddle was well fitted to begin with then you can monitor clearance, movement, front to back balance and any coat disturbance and even if your eye doesn't tell you when your horse has changed shape the parameters of your saddle fit should.
 
I check my saddles fit each time I use them.

I get my saddle fitter out if I think there is a problem.

I fitted my dressage saddle myself and I have had no problems with it at all Lucy is moving better than ever in it.

She gets the back person out if I feel a problem. I have ridden her since she was broken in & I know if there is an slight niggle.
 
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