Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
http://s292.photobucket.com/user/so...Photobucket to play so hope the link works...
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Wits end with saddles....
- Thread starter Nudibranch
- Start date
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
http://s292.photobucket.com/user/sootyandmog/media/Jasper/Jasper1.jpg.html
Oh I give up! Photobucket doesn't seem to be fully Android compatible 😠
Oh I give up! Photobucket doesn't seem to be fully Android compatible 😠
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Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
http://s292.photobucket.com/user/sootyandmog/media/20170210_131726.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2
Fwiw this is where they always end up...sometimes worse. And yes, thats a gp shim pad under a dressage saddle!
Fwiw this is where they always end up...sometimes worse. And yes, thats a gp shim pad under a dressage saddle!
antigone
Well-Known Member
I am not saddle fitter so wouldn't advise but I have had a couple of tricky to fit horses over the years. It was very expensive going through saddle after saddle following poor advice. I would recommend Strada. Expensive but available second hand. It is run by Ilga Cottle and I haven't found anyone have a bad word to say about her. She doesn't come out if you are north of the Humber but she will send you a box of replica trees so you can see if one fits your horse. She advises on fit from photos you take. I learned so much from her. http://stradasaddles.co.uk/
Theocat
Well-Known Member
What about a Wintec Pro? They have a flattish tree, and you ought to be able to find a cheap one to try.
I can see why you're having problems!
I can see why you're having problems!
ponydi
Well-Known Member
As a temporary fix try a Limpet pad
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
I've thought about Wintecs but I read an article about their gullet plates which was interesting, and did make me question what horse they'd really fit. They seem to be very slightly concave so I can imagine the points might pinch a bit? Although beggars can't be choosers so I might have to try. Thanks everyone so far tho...three things to think about!
fliss26
Well-Known Member
I had a similar situation with a young horse of mine. I was recommended a WOW saddle, after I scraped myself up from the floor after being told the price tag I decided to have a look at them at a horse trials stand. I wasn't overly impressed by the look but liked the feel. Anyhoo long story short I got one and loved it so much I bought another! I absolutely love my saddle and after 6 years it has now been fitted to my new 5 year old. You can find them second hand along with the seperate parts.
Frumpoon
Well-Known Member
That saddle looks in the right place
He looks like he has a long wither which can be deceptive to the eye and folks try and make saddle fit to the front of the wither and not the bottom
He looks like he has a long wither which can be deceptive to the eye and folks try and make saddle fit to the front of the wither and not the bottom
blitznbobs
Well-Known Member
This he just needs a forward cut girth and leave the saddle where it is
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
They slip back further than that... to the point where they're almost touching his croup. Way too far back for the last rib. I'm not trying to fit to the wither but the back, and it really isn't right. I've used various forward cut girths and it doesn't help.
HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
Try a flatter tree, both my horses need flat tree's.
On Skylla everything moved back as it wasn't quite flat enough through the tree, and like yours she has a forward girth groove. She's ended up with a Kent and Master original dressage saddle, (not S series or the cob one!), finally doesn't move but I still pop the breastplate on just in case for fast hacks/ jumping.
Rather than a fitter who only has one type/ brand try and get someone out who stocks a good range so you can see which will suit, I got Saddles Direct out due to how many saddles they stock and then had it checked over by Freedom Saddlery as she worked wonders with Topaz but doesn't quite have quite the same range as SD.
To add I also wouldn't be happy to have a saddle that only 'fits' if held in place by a sticky pad or girth, been there done that, the issues will always come back or make the horse sore as the saddle just isn't right in the first place.
On Skylla everything moved back as it wasn't quite flat enough through the tree, and like yours she has a forward girth groove. She's ended up with a Kent and Master original dressage saddle, (not S series or the cob one!), finally doesn't move but I still pop the breastplate on just in case for fast hacks/ jumping.
Rather than a fitter who only has one type/ brand try and get someone out who stocks a good range so you can see which will suit, I got Saddles Direct out due to how many saddles they stock and then had it checked over by Freedom Saddlery as she worked wonders with Topaz but doesn't quite have quite the same range as SD.
To add I also wouldn't be happy to have a saddle that only 'fits' if held in place by a sticky pad or girth, been there done that, the issues will always come back or make the horse sore as the saddle just isn't right in the first place.
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Good WOW fitter is your best friend
Wheels
Well-Known Member
The saddle in the pic is in the right place - the problem then is that it looks too long - you might be just in front of the last rib there but I would look for a saddle with shorter panels. Or if you are small enough a shorter saddle altogether. If you need the room then avoid cut back heads.
A flatter tree will help and you may not need such large rear gussets if you can stay forward of the last rib
Saddles that are too wide can also have a tendency to slip back as can ones with girth strap placements that are incorrect for your particular horse.
All in all I would maybe get a fitter out who is very familiar with cob types and has access to some of the brands with flatter trees.
A flatter tree will help and you may not need such large rear gussets if you can stay forward of the last rib
Saddles that are too wide can also have a tendency to slip back as can ones with girth strap placements that are incorrect for your particular horse.
All in all I would maybe get a fitter out who is very familiar with cob types and has access to some of the brands with flatter trees.
Damnation
Well-Known Member
So I've met this lovely horse and seen the saddle problems first hand.
When you are there, you put the saddle on in the right place, but it really slips back. We tried him in my Thorowgood GP and the same happened!
Nudibranch - he's a lovely boy but an awkward shape for saddles!!
When you are there, you put the saddle on in the right place, but it really slips back. We tried him in my Thorowgood GP and the same happened!
Nudibranch - he's a lovely boy but an awkward shape for saddles!!
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
Damnation you can say that again! He's a quirky young man to say the least. For those who say the saddle us in the right place, I'm not sure how as there are two full hands clearance between the point of the shoulder and the saddle. And it slides right back to the croup as mentioned. It's only 17" as it is.
What really confuses me is that even treeless do the exact same thing.
What really confuses me is that even treeless do the exact same thing.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
I wouldn't want it much further forwards either? I can see that it would go back further than that too though but I would think that is as much to do with girthing as anything as once that starts to come up you loose any anchor. I would try a forwards girth or I do like my pro choice grippy one too.
He really doesn't look to have a lot of space so that is going to have to be a consideration too.
He really doesn't look to have a lot of space so that is going to have to be a consideration too.
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
OK epic fail for my photobucket skills...I've posted a before pic. Wondered why people are saying it's in the right place! When I can get an Internet connection for more than 30 seconds I'll post another 😶
Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
It looks from those pics that he has shoulders set far back and huge with sloping withers too. It looks from the photos that the saddle is in the right place, but that it could get pushed back further by the movement of his shoulders. It basically looks like you have nowhere to actually put a saddle on this horse, like the saddle would have to be 12" or something silly to not interfere with shoulders or be too long. If he's well behaved, I'd get a couple of limpet numnahs for cushioning, a surcingle to keep them on and ride him bareback.
ETA his belly slopes upwards too, which will encourage a girth and therefore the saddle, to slip backwards.
ETA his belly slopes upwards too, which will encourage a girth and therefore the saddle, to slip backwards.
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Abacus
Well-Known Member
To me he looks built uphill, with a high front end and lower croup/bum. This, with the weight of a rider and his movement, might make a saddle slide back even if it's not a bad fit. He also doesn't have a very clear girth groove which would help anchor it more. Have you tried rear risers on the saddle you have, or different girthing arrangements (sticky or shaped girths)?
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
Yes abacus that's an accurate description. I've tried a few shaped girths including a banana, but no sticky ones. Rear risers don't help either. He is very much a carriage horse, with a big trot, which isn't helping.
Abacus
Well-Known Member
You mentioned using a breastplate, have you tried a 5-point breastplate without a martingale attachment (if you do dressage) to spread the pressure, perhaps with an ordinary breastplate as well?
HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
Honestly he sounds exactly like my two (both carriage bred, Friesian x Hackneys), took a while but they do both now have saddles that don't move.
For Skylla I was advised we needed flat rails, a good depth of rear gusset (shes only 5 so not developed over her back yet) with enough clearance for her withers. She's in a MW which is technically too wide but she absolutely hated the medium gullet :eek3:. I'm hoping the K&M's will last her a while as it's flocked with a an adjustable gullet (without the weird shape of the wintec ones!). If I'd not found a 'off the peg' I'd and then looked at WOW or a made to measure, but really if this ugly duckling can find one to suit I'm more open minded for others and all saddle fitters have done a sharp in take of breath when they've seen her :lol:
Topaz has the Equipe Olympia which is just fab but not adjustable.
MDB
Well-Known Member
He looks like he has a long wither and possibly a forward girth groove. Have you tried one of those anatomical shaped, curved girths? This is what I use on my very difficult (went through 4 saddles) PRE mare. To add, I have a treeless saddle where the girth straps fall at an angle, not vertically. So that and the anatomical girth really help with prevent movement of the saddle.
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ester
Not slacking multitasking
Yes essentially everything about him shoulders/wither/girth placement, belly shape and level of bum are not going to make it easy/end up pushing most saddles back so I think he is going to need some serious thought and skill. A friend had a gelderlander and had similar issues but not quite with that shoulder/lack of length of back.