xxxwide saddles! cob having a growth spurt!

cob&onion

cob&onion

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My 4 yr cob last had her saddle fitted in September, it fitted lovely back then, its a x wide-xxw WH saddle. She has been in work since the end of Jan and the last week or so i have noticed it doesn't seem to be staying put - its moving about and also rising very slightly. It looks fine clearance wise and doesn't feel tight. Am getting the saddler out to have a look this week as its not right. She is filling out alot lately - at this rate she will need a XXXXXW :eek:
So what do we think? does she need to go wider?!
 
Is it rising at the back? This could be an indication that it's too wide. Is it possible that she's lost weight now she's doing more work?
 
Yes, if it's lifting at the back it is eitehr too wide or too curvy from front to back, not too narrow. Do you know what clearance you normally get at the front? Always useful to know what is normal so that you can monitor it and spot it if it changes. If narrower there will be more clearance than there was, if wider there will be less.
 
sbloom said:
Yes, if it's lifting at the back it is eitehr too wide or too curvy from front to back, not too narrow. Do you know what clearance you normally get at the front? Always useful to know what is normal so that you can monitor it and spot it if it changes. If narrower there will be more clearance than there was, if wider there will be less.
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There is def more clearance at the front now and it is tilting slightly forwards (when am not sitting in it) also its feeling very tight when am on board along the front (where her shoulder is)

I have been told to go for a Close contact saddle - any thoughts?

She is just 4 and bound to change shape yet again before the summers out :rolleyes:
 
cob&onion said:
She is just 4 and bound to change shape yet again before the summers out :rolleyes:
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Hence why a saddle able to flex and grow with her is ideal! Went to a biomechanics lecture last week and am now even more convinced treed saddles are restrictive to movement.
 
cob&onion said:
There is def more clearance at the front now and it is tilting slightly forwards (when am not sitting in it) also its feeling very tight when am on board along the front (where her shoulder is)

I have been told to go for a Close contact saddle - any thoughts?

She is just 4 and bound to change shape yet again before the summers out :rolleyes:
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Semi close contact yes, this is how I fit wide horses. But close contact by definition should mean a foam panel which I'd not recommend for most horses or situations.

It is odd that there is more clearance yet it is tipping you forwards - could it be that the saddle is tilting backwards and so you are leaning forwards to compensate? I often find that riders can think the opposite is happening because of how it makes their body feel. It is very hard for a saddle to lift at the back if it is too high in front, from being too narrow anyway. If it is too curvy and that makes it too high in front then it MIGHT still lift.

TigerTail said:
Hence why a saddle able to flex and grow with her is ideal! Went to a biomechanics lecture last week and am now even more convinced treed saddles are restrictive to movement.
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A well fitted treed saddle, with the right length points, right shaped head to the tree, allows a horse to move as it should - freely. If a horse is not opening up through the shoulder then the saddle doesn't fit.

I love ReactorPanel saddles and believe they allow great shoulder freedom, but I totally disagree that one is REQUIRED for shoulder freedom, and certainly do not agree that treeless is always better. I think it seldom is but I'm biased as I fit treed saddles of course.

A tree that has too much flex in it can be very unstable on some horses and in some situations, hence some treeless saddles slide around very wide, round horses.
 
sbloom said:
A well fitted treed saddle, with the right length points, right shaped head to the tree, allows a horse to move as it should - freely. If a horse is not opening up through the shoulder then the saddle doesn't fit.

I love ReactorPanel saddles and believe they allow great shoulder freedom, but I totally disagree that one is REQUIRED for shoulder freedom, and certainly do not agree that treeless is always better. I think it seldom is but I'm biased as I fit treed saddles of course.

A tree that has too much flex in it can be very unstable on some horses and in some situations, hence some treeless saddles slide around very wide, round horses.
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I just do not agree that a horse can reach the full extent of its possible movement with a fixed rigid object such as a treed sadde on its back. The movement of the back is massive, we also then ask for self carriage and an out line at which point the back is lifted. Which point do you fit the saddle to? The stationary horse? A moving one? One in self carriage? impossible !

Heather Moffett saddles are not treeless, as in glorified pads with stirrups stapled on, they are soft treed. The new ones are leather treed. Putting a rigid tree on is like crap instructors telling riders to sit still on a horse - its impossible on a moving object!
 
I fit to the moving horse (VERY important), and yes, they are in self carriage where the rider knows how to get the horse in self carriage. The saddle does not interfere. I would suggest that you have not seen treed saddle fitting at its best.

A find that on tricky wide fits even synthetic trees do not always have the stability needed to fit well, hence my comment about treeless as they are the extreme.

I know how often the right (treed/whatever) saddle can transform a horse's movement, I see it regularly.
 
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