Will a 4 year old’s back grow in length?

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Ali27

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My rising 4 year old mare is 15/ 15.1 and an ID with 1/8 Welsh. She is really short in the back compared to my 14.2 Connie x cob! I was hoping my 17” Equipe saddle might fit but it looks like it is too close to the last rib! Saddle fitter is coming out next week! I think she might need a 16”🙈
Is her back likely to grow in length to fit a 17”?
Thanks 😊 Excuse the mud, shoved saddle on for 1 min today to take quick picture!
 

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HeyMich said:
Yes. Our 16hh youngster was in a 5'6 rug at rising 4, now she's rising 6 and is in 6' rugs. Hope that helps.
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Its not the back that lengthens though, they get wider through the chest and just generally broader and that takes up the room in rugs. You might get a tiny bit more length but I wouldn't be expecting any noticeable growth I don't think.
 
You should be able to have the end of that panel sculpted so it's an inch shorter, it might be cheaper than replacing it. It will work well unless your bum really fills the seat as it is, in which case you wouldn't fit in a smaller one anyway.
 
I'm Dun said:
Its not the back that lengthens though, they get wider through the chest and just generally broader and that takes up the room in rugs. You might get a tiny bit more length but I wouldn't be expecting any noticeable growth I don't think.
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I agree. My horse is 15hh and maximum seat size at 4 was 16.5. At 8 it is still 16.5. He has gone up two widths though.
 
Yes, my Id was a.small 6'6, squeezed in some 6'3 at 5. Now at 13 he is a good 6'9...
Saddle width went from xw àt 5, mw at about 8. Back up as less jumping, currently 2xw.
 
As ID has said, increasing rug size is not usually an indicator of increasing back length. Rather than additional back length in a 4 year old you're more likely to get a wither rise and shoulder muscle up that pushes the saddle further back and on a short back that makes it even more difficult to fit.
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Yes, entirely possible. However if a forward balance saddle is fitted correctly, with you sat forwards, and weight down your inner thigh and across your pubic arch as well as your seatbones, it's possible to fit longer. Different saddles, fitted differently, spread weight in different ways.

The Equipr has a foam panel, I don't think it would be possible or advisable to shorten it, and, if your weight is towards the back, then a shorter panel will end up with more psi on the back edge which is just as bad as too long.
 
The ribcage doesn’t seem to, not enough to go up a saddle size anyway, but they do lengthen noticeably between the last rib and the hip.
 
ycbm said:
A Rachel Bayliss is the same construction and a friend had one done. It's fine many years later.
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The panel in a Rachel Baylis saddle (essentially a Nick Dolman type) is a different shape, it's deeper so would have a little more support at the back anyway. The Equipe ones are very thin, and it is just physics that you can end up with too much leverage over the back of the panel if you shorten it too much. Usually these non-gusseted panels are pretty short anyway, and if the saddle has a remotely high cantle then that leverage would be increased so I'd definitely advise against it.

@maya2008 it definitely can happen, I've had one just recently with a 4 or 5 year old.
 
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