where do you place your saddle?

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fizz-tally

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talking to a girl on the yard who has a shire x tb,quiet a narrow horse & still filling out & changing shape as he is young.

she had her wintec fitted to him but as it slips back a bit she places it further back to start with so it doesnt slip
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she doesnt change gullets & doesnnt know what one he has.

where do you place your saddle & is it where it should be or further forward/back than normal?
 
Not quite sure what you are meaning there..when I put the saddle on it goes on a little forward of where it should be, and then I slide it back into place..I don't need to check as I know my saddles and how they fit on my horses, but on a strange one I would be checking to clear the shoulder, but no further back.
If they won't stay put in the right place I would reassess if the saddle still fits, change the gullet if that is applicable or consider a riser - or change the saddle

I think there are more problems with saddles tipping and not sitting level, most people know about clearance through the gullet and spine, I think
 
Actually most people put their saddles too far forward

I keep getting told off by my saddle fitter for this - however both mine have their saddles with the girth at least a handspan from their elbow.... just not right!

However apparently it depends where the horse's natural girth line is and the centre of balance
 
Actually the person described by the original poster sounds as though they are putting it in the right place. THe saddle should sit behind the shoulder. Not on the wither As Cotswold SJ says, most people put their saddle on too far forward.
 
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firstly on the withers then slide back til the saddle lays flat...thought everyone did that?

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thats what i do
 
I always make sure it suits clear of the shoulder so they don't constrict the horses movement. But not so far back that it sits on the horses loins.

This website explains why it is important to have the saddle in the correct postion though the images aren't great.
http://www.saddle-fitting.com/source/positioning.asp?catID=3&subCatID=&saddleID=16#3

ETA: another one with slightly better pics. Though it looks like the saddle in the pics has a high cantle as my saddles have a straight line across the cantle and pommel.
http://www.countysaddlery.com/html/fittingguide/fittinguide.html#step1
 
saddles can sit anywhere on the horses wither if the horse is happy, at the dressage yard we had one that sat further forward than normalish. And then one that was frther back. If the horse is in no pain i dont see a problem.
Lou x
 
so the gullet has four fingers of room between his withers. if the saddle lays too low, use a riser pad and if applicable, change the size of the saddle/gullet.
 
You can see where the saddle should be on your horse! Look at the shoulder, and draw a straight line behind it, and the saddle sits behind that. You can see the hollow where his whithers meet his body, and thats where the points would sit
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It is better to have the saddle slightly firther back than too far forward, the horse wills oon tell you if it is too far back....

My lad also has a hands width between elbow and girth, saddler likes it like that cos he says you can girth straight and not worry about girth interference
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[ QUOTE ]
Actually most people put their saddles too far forward

I keep getting told off by my saddle fitter for this - however both mine have their saddles with the girth at least a handspan from their elbow.... just not right!

However apparently it depends where the horse's natural girth line is and the centre of balance

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this, I found out recently my way of saddle on the wither then push it back, was meaning I didn't put it back far enough and I was putting G on his forehand more.

He's flat backed too and I think that makes it hard to find the "click in" spot for the saddle.

I try and put it a bit farther back than I would have in the past now, and really make sure it's off his shoulder, and he seems much happier.
 
I have this problem every time I tack up!!

I had my saddle fitter out as my saddle looked like it didn't fit Axey at all, expecting him to put a new bigger gullet in (its a wintec isabel) I was most surprised when he put it on and pronounced it was fine
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It turned out that I was putting it far to forward and it was restricting his shoulders and causing him to hollow. I rode in the school and Axey immediately was round and soft, I was over the moon, although a little embarrassed
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However since that day I cannot seem to get the saddle in the right place, when I put it on I slide it back to where it looks right then put it back a bit more, then a bit more, then it looks too far back so I move it forward etc etc.....It takes me ages to tack up lol
But everytime I get on it feels too far forward and I feel like I'm sitting up his neck and 9 times out of 10 he goes hollow and tense and I end up getting off and moving it!

One day I might be able to tack up a horse properly I've only been riding for 24 years after all!
 
Depends on the horse!

Patches has HUGE shoulders and has to have the saddle straight cut and sat behind them so as not to pinch them and restrict her movement. However, Tweenie seems to want her saddle tucked up against her shoulders. All attempts to have it further back annoy her.

I think horses have a nice little area that suits their saddle....albeit further forwards or set further back on some compared to others.
 
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