Saddle Fit, Arghhh!

I've been trying to sort out Dex's saddle fit issues over the last few weeks. Sometimes I wish I just had another QH, like Major, that every saddle seemed to fit.

I started out in my Western Rawhide with the new bridge pad when I rode on Tuesday. He was a complete pixie, swishing, bucking, grunting.... so I switched to the Wintec I just got from Ellie Mae. Both are Semi QH bars and 16" seat. To me the Western Rawhide looks like it fits better but he goes much nicer in the Wintec. I've got a couple videos I'll post and you can clearly see the difference in movement and attitude (No making fun of my riding though, I haven't ridden regularly in years )

I guess I'm just going to keep using the Wintec unless anyone else has some suggestions. It seems to sit to close to his withers but it doesn't come in contact with them. I'm at a loss, saddle fitting is not my thing.

The pictures were after I rode, I wanted to see if the saddle was slipping back like it was without the bridge pad. Atleast I think that problem is solved.

Wintec




WR





Dex wearing his cape I really need a proper cooler for him. I think he was almost asleep at this point. Poor boy hasn't had to do so much work in years!

I feel your pain. I am in the middle of "saddle fitting from hell" for both my riding horses. Both my saddles are too small, so I feel guilty riding, therefore not much riding has been happening. Beauty is bitchy enough as it is, I feel I owe her a saddle that fits. I have one for sale, that I need to sell in order to buy a new one. I'm going to upgrade and invest a bit more money this time and I've armed myself with the tools to find a saddle that SHOULD fit (see links below).

I've been searching for a good replacement, but even that can be challenging. Finding the right size saddle for me, the horse, a style I like and in my price range is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

I've found a stable not too far from my house that does 24hr turnout and has an indoor. I really want to achieve some goals but I am being held back by my saddle! Dear saddle - please SELL!

If he is happier in the Wintec, I say go with it. All brands are made differently (just to throw another loop in the whole thing!). The Western Rawhide seems to be tilting forward a bit. How were the sweat marks on the saddle pad afterwards?

Here is a gullet template that you can download, just to be sure:
http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/western-saddle-fitting-tree-sizes.html

and this page offers a lot of advice on general saddle fit (western):

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/saddlefit.html

He definitely seems happier in the Wintec. I don't know ANYTHING about saddle fit and am going through the same struggle myself.

I did, however, LOVE the "cat coach" that you had in the first video. It was pretty funny. She(he) was just sitting there watching. Well, at least until Dex almost ran over it!

BTW, I heard your little comment to Dex. If Kayla were here she'd tell you to put $10 in the swear jar!

god I'd be in the poor house if I had to put money in a jar...........Cindyrelly, the second saddle looked like it squeezes in more along the top of his shoulder.......you need someone to stick their hand in while you are in the saddle and feel........who was the videographer anyway...........and the noise of that thing.....I thought it was a crop duster coming in to swoop you guys..........while you are riding, you are so far away as to see anything really worth saying......and I would have to see his gait without you being in the saddle to see the difference............BUT.............WOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO.....YOU ARE UP and trying.... :cowboyhound.gi

I'd be broke too if I lived at Tammy's. 10 bucks is pretty steep!

No videographer Joan, just a fence post. It would be much easier if I had someone to check that for me while I was sitting in the saddle but doh head won't give me a hand so to speak.

The crop duster was a freakin ATV. I never see them on the road, figures the day I actually go out and ride this bozo shows up. And he just sat there starring at me before he sped away. I was out of camera range so you can see Dex having a fit and trying to run for the hills.

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"cat coach"

That's Mizmo. He follows me everywhere. I hand walked Dex down the road after to cool him out and Mizmo was right behind us. Did you see Molly make a dash for the barn half way through. They have a keen interest in jumping in and out of the shadows just at the right time and freak out the horses.

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the second saddle looked like it squeezes in more along the top of his shoulder

See I thought the first one looked that way but Dex is definately telling me something, it must be pinching him.

what are you doing saturday.........if the weather is good I could come down, check out the saddle and change out your faucet in the bathroom....I believe I am free. :cowboyhound.gi

I don't have any plans, none that I can remember anyway. Are you allowed to drive now?

I am free to partake in many things so long as its not dark!!!!!!!!!! hahahahaha.........so I could come early saturday, but you gotta put me up for the night............we could play crib or something...or I could paint your toenails.........not

I don't mind putting you up for the night, but would you mind putting up with Bozo, that is the question He'll likely be there to watch the hockey games. Actually he'd probably behave himslef with company there. He was quite polite when Mariea came up a few weeks ago.

shoot........I WAS HOPING TO GET AWAY FROM HOCKEY.......its always here...........maybe we can make it another time..........sorry Cindyrelly.......

No worries, I don't like hockey either.

Now back to saddle fitting ladies, share your input/experiences please :bigsmiley.png:

I'm too lazy to read what other people wrote the posts are too long lol.

However I want to let you know that since I have the WORST horse to fit a saddle to on the earth I have learn alot about saddle fitting in the last 9 years i have owned him.

Personally I disagree with you that the WR saddle fits better it's much lower from the inside of the horn to your horses wither which means that when you sit in it that is probably pushing down on his withers. it also looks more narrow then the wintec. The wintec for sure fits him better out of the two and you can tell as he goes much better in it then the leather saddle.

another thing that I have learned over the years less pad is more as the more bulky the pad is the more your saddle is going to pinch your horse there for i ride with a thinner pad.

My horse is a tb paint cross he has a super high wither and really really fat shoulders. No one believes me that I can't find anything to fit him but literally some saddles i have tried on him will just slide right off his back because of his fat shoulders. He's super sensitive to his withers so if anything sits on it he twitches like he's having a spazz attack or something. Also pull your pad up into the space below the horn because when you sit in the saddle the pad underneath is going to sit tighter against his wither and cause rubs or irritation

Sorry i can't be of much help but that all i know and I really don't know too much about western saddle fitting so I'm just going by what I know with english. Oh and the only types of saddles that fit my horse have flex trees both my english and western have a flex tree in them and fit him pretty well. if you ever want to try one iwth a flex tree let me know i don't mind you trying one of mine out

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less pad is more

I've come to learn that too. This new pad is really thin. I was kinda skeptical when I first looked at it but it really is better than my puffy fleece one. It was always moving around and the saddle was either slipping back or to either side.

Next time I ride I will try and get the pad pulled up off his wither. I did notice that it was pretty tight across his withers once I got on. It's still quite stiff from being new so it doesn't really cooperate when I try to frig with it.

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it's much lower from the inside of the horn to your horses wither

I think I'm being tricked because of the height of the swell on the WR. It looks like it up off his withers more but I think the actual gullet height is less than the Wintec. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks NBN for the info and offer. Which flex tree saddle(s) do you have?

my western is a tex tan barrel saddle i got in the states used and i have a english made by a company called canadiana i think they also make santa cruz saddles

1st - Why on earth would anyone comment on your riding? You look great up there!!!!

Why not try him a couple of more times in the Wintec, and see how he goes? He really was swishy in the WR one, do you think it's resistance to work, since that was the first ride, or does he always do it in that saddle?

You do have more clearance in front with the Wintec, it seems to set on pretty good....
BTW - I love that horse!

I can't seem to watch the videos for some reason, but if he seems better in the Wintec it must be more comfortable for him. From the photos you posted it looks to me like it is shorter in length...any chance the longer skirts on the other one are bothering him?

That is a very good point threehorses. I used to ride him in a rounded skirt saddle because he has such a short back. I did notice that the WR had a longer skirt and wondering if it might be bumping him in the hip. He's such a sensitive guy when it comes to things touching him in certain spots. I can't used a breastplate or martingale beacause he's convinced it's a fly on his chest and he freaks out the entire time.

I'm gonna go back and watch the video again to see if I can see the saddle bumping him.

And thanks Elle Mae for the compliment. At the time, I felt like I was flopping around more than I actually was. I love Dex, but he has one of the worst trots ever. He'll bounce you right outta the saddle if you're not paying attention.