WOW saddle fit question

[SEL]

I feel a bit sorry for my saddle fitter because trying to make sure a horse who is not 100% sound is happy in a saddle is tricky. She came out last week because saddle was moving around a bit, adjusted it and horse seemed 'ok-ish' on the day (but this is my PSSM mare who can come up stiff without any warning anyway). Horse is now telling me she is definitely not happy and I'm pretty sure its saddle.

I know the saddler will come back out but I really need to educate myself more because she's a tricky mare, muscles likely more sensitive than most and often takes 48 hours before she tells you that it isn't working.

I think the saddle is pressing on the muscles behind the shoulder blades - the bit where they get fat pads when allowed to get porky. Took photo below this morning after taking saddle off, but its not as easy to see on there as I was hoping.

Its where the panels press. Shes in a 2U headplate and the description on my invoice for the panels is SDXWG+T panels. When the saddler adjusted the saddle it was by allowing a little more air into the panels. She checked headplate and said it was correct. Thin saddle pad and a VIP pad under saddle. I took VIP pad off this morning, but made no difference. She's fine in walk - striding out nicely - started off really nicely in trot and then stride shortened and the downward jerking of the head happened which is one of her 'tells' that she's not comfortable. Having had her get tetchy a couple of times since the adjustment I had a sneaking suspicion is was saddle so had a good poke around and the blue square is where I think it is pressing.

Thoughts? Just needs less air or wrong panels / headplate. Any checks I can do myself that you would recommend before ringing my poor saddler again?

 

[Wheels]

Did she pump more air in or let air out?

You may need a different set up of panels - what did your fitter try when you first had a test ride to decide on panels?

 

[Nari]

First thought is that that looks rather far forward for a pressure point, but it could just be the photo. A 2 plate isn't very wide, is she quite a narrow girl? If you have a wider headplate I'd be tempted to see how that looks on her, and maybe try it with a sheepskin underneath if she's a sensitive girl - also some do prefer the saddle fitted a bit wider to allow for a sheepskin & with muscle problems that may be more comfortable for her.

What does the width look like when you're sat on her? Can you feel pressure spots if you feel down the front once you're on? When you're sat on her do the panels still feel comfortable, or has the extra air made them feel a bit too hard? When you've put the saddle on & she moves is it blocking the shoulder? And is it staying in place or can you feel her shifting it, or is it in a different place at the end of a ride? Sorry for all the questions!

 

[SEL]

^^^ thanks for the questions they are useful to helping me work out what's not right. Saddler did pump air in (horse has trimmed up a bit).

I think you could be right about it being a bit forward. Can you see the 2 girth marks (h-girth) slightly on photo? I'm wondering if it's pulling it forward.

She's pretty broad but is a MW gullet in normal saddles. One of my reasons for the WOW was she needed a 16.5" length & MW gullet but saddles i tried had too narrow a channel or were designed for ponies and looked ridiculous.

She's not shifting the saddle since it was adjusted but when I sit on it and stick my fingers under the panels they feel very, very tight. She's not a narrow horse though (she's part bred French draft!) so if that is a narrow headplate then I'm not sure that's right.

Tried different headplate when fitting the saddle but not panels. I've been reading up and I'm not sure I'm any clearer on what type she needs!

Do you think emailing photos (better one than this ) to saddler might help?

 

[Nari]

I doubt a 2 would be a conventional narrow fit, but it's certainly one of the narrower plates & if the panels feel very tight when you're sat on then I'd certainly question if it's too narrow. Whether the problem is the headplate or the panel style I don't know, I'm not very up on panels & I can't seem to find anything on the current panel styles & the shape of horse they suit. I did think your girth marks look quite forward too, in fact that was what drew my eye to how far forward the point you were worried about was.

Sending photos is a good idea, and if your fitter isn't helpful maybe speak to Wow.

 

[ycbm]

I have often found that horses go better in a WOW in a gullet which is technically one size too wide. Worth a try. She certainly doesn't look from the photos like a horse I would have in a two. My TB horses have been in 2s

Alternatively, it sounds like your panel may have no front gusset? This means it has less room to expand and will feel harder for the amount of air that's in it than a DWG or an SDWG with a gusset.

 

[SEL]

I have often found that horses go better in a WOW in a gullet which is technically one size too wide. Worth a try. She certainly doesn't look from the photos like a horse I would have in a two. My TB horses have been in 2s

Alternatively, it sounds like your panel may have no front gusset? This means it has less room to expand and will feel harder for the amount of air that's in it than a DWG or an SDWG with a gusset.

She's definitely not a TB build even at her slimmest! I will speak to my saddler about a wider headplate - that should be easy to try out. Thanks for clarifying on panels. Another one we can try.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Not WOW saddle specific and I'm sure you've already thought of it but I found a banana/moon girth really useful for preventing the saddle being pulled forward by the girth on Granny horse. That was a treeless saddle but I'm assuming the same principle applies for treed.

 

[ycbm]

I've just looked again at your photo.. Are you using a saddle cloth which has straps which are sewn on anywhere near that rub?


You could double check your fitting by getting the measuring gauge that WOW sell on their website, but its a complex beastie and £145 !!

 

[SEL]

I've just looked again at your photo.. Are you using a saddle cloth which has straps which are sewn on anywhere near that rub?
You could double check your fitting by getting the measuring gauge that WOW sell on their website, but its a complex beastie and £145 !!

I just have a normal close contact saddle cloth with a VIP pad over the top - shouldn't be rubbing. Physio out this morning and both shoulders sore (I didn't tell her about saddle until she was pondering over left shoulder), with right shoulder worse along with diagonal bit on left at back of where saddle sits. Explains why my back is sore too. We used to fit her wide with a shim on right shoulder so I think we might need to go back to that for a while.

I saw those gadgets and decided my budget didn't stretch that far - its what I pay a saddle fitter for!!!

PF - I'll have a look at banana girths

Thanks all. At least I can keep adjusting this one and it doesn't have to join the spare saddle mountain upstairs.

 

[ihatework]

I’m surprised she is in a 2 headplate.
I had a WOW for my dressage mare who was reasonably round/broad but with a much clearer top line and wither definition and she would be in either a 3 or 4 depending on her blubber status. She was an off the peg MW in regular saddles.

 

[siennamum]

In my experience there are Wow fitters and there are Wow fitters.... not an easy situation but I would be seeing if I could get a 2nd opinion

 

[Andrew657]

Thinking aloud

You say the panels are SDXWG (with Tab); this means that you have a very wide gullet with thin panels that are set low down. The WOW website talks about this as a scenario where you need a narrow headplate and have to compensate to add gullet width.

It sounds like you may be doing the opposite compensating for an extra wide gullet by using a narrow (er) headplate.

Have you thought about the shape of the headplate, as opposed to the angle.

 

[SEL]

Thinking aloud

You say the panels are SDXWG (with Tab); this means that you have a very wide gullet with thin panels that are set low down. The WOW website talks about this as a scenario where you need a narrow headplate and have to compensate to add gullet width.

It sounds like you may be doing the opposite compensating for an extra wide gullet by using a narrow (er) headplate.

Have you thought about the shape of the headplate, as opposed to the angle.

Ok - read this a few times and think I understand what you're saying. So the mare needs a wide gullet (agreed - she's got a big rib cage), so that's the SDXWG panels required. They are designed to go with a narrower headplate, which is why people are surprised it's a 2.

Understand that (thank you), just not sure my knowledge is good enough to understand alternatives. I've dropped a message to my saddle fitter. I'm confident she'll work with me on this - horse hasn't been the easiest to fit.