Monday, October 24, 2011

Uh Oh... I Think It's Saddle Fit

So I've been noticing some other tell tale signs that Rosie just isn't happy to be moving out under saddle.  Things like ears back on transitions, not wanting to move forward,  head tossing etc.  The "Bucking Incident" could have been the "Wake Up and Check The Saddle" call.

Her body shape has changed since I bought her, and my Wintec All Purpose with the Cair easy change (nothing easy about it) Gullet system.  At the time, she was an "extra wide" (fitted by saddler) and that was the gullet in the saddle when I purchased it.  Well Rosie was a four year old then who had not been worked at all, well really never had a saddle on as they didn't have one that fit.

She's six now, working for 1+ hours x 6 days a week at mostly working and extended trots with lots of stretchy walks, spirals, circles (20 and 10 meters), cavaletti, etc.  Her body has shaped and changed over the years obviously - but now she's REALLY getting well muscled.

I noticed last night that pommel of the saddle was sitting directly on top of her withers AFTER bearing my weight.  It's not that way when I  saddle and tighten the girth.   I can easily get my three fingers sideways between withers and pommel.  It's only after I've been sitting in the saddle does it smosh down on her withers.  Poor girl, I'd be a bit upset with that as well.

So I started looking through pictures, at the Starry Nights Dressage Show you can clearly see the pommel sitting up off her withers, so this is a very new development.

More to come tomorrow as I do a more thorough investigation, pictures and tracing. 

10 comments:

  1. Don't you hate that? We may be going through the same thing with Betty's saddle on Morgunn. Oh well. It's only money - I guess.

    Dan

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  2. Sounds like somebody's doing some saddle shopping real soon.

    Lucky for Rosie that she has an owner attuned to her behavior and willing to make sure she's comfortable.

    ~Lisa

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  3. You might possibly be able to make it work with a Mattes pad - try one first before you buy as they're pricey - I'm having somewhat the same problem with Drifter - he was a pudge when I got him and is now much leaner, so the saddle tends to want to nose down in front - Mattes with a front shim seems to work. That said, better to have a saddle that fits right by itself - and failure/resistance to moving forward is a classic indication of the saddle not fitting on the front end.

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  4. Oh, good luck! I went through 5 saddles before I found the one I have now, I hope I don't have to get another one. I keep watching to make sure that it still is fitting correctly. So far so good, hope you can get things resolved soon!

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  5. Maybe you can ride in a nice supportive half pad until you can get the fitter out? I like my thinline fancy dancy pad and my fleeceworks. Maybe it would help get her a little relief.

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  6. What a good thing it is that you noticed this! By the way, I'm so impressed with your training and fitness. She looks amazing and I love your banner picture.
    Good luck sorting this out. We have an extra wide Albion on our draft cross and by luck it is just right for her. We were even lucky enough to get it second hand from the saddle fitter. I imagine Rosie could easily be bigger than Savanah.

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  7. She is changing , sad that the ssaddle might not awork with her , but yay! you get to shop!

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  8. I just went through this with my growing Koda...best of luck - sounds like it's time for a saddle search.

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  9. Jeni,

    If you need to try some other pad options, this could be a great time to meet up. =) I have a Mattes pad, a suber pad (although it is out at a friend's, but I can pick it up),a fleece half pad, a wintec pad, the less recent but still not old Wintec Pro Jump and Pro Dressage, both with the white gullet in, um... I have other things too.

    If you do start shopping about, I think for the price Duett is the best saddle for wide horses. I think Tack Trunk often has one, you can get a better idea of them in person =)

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  10. I LOVE your Header photo...happy faces on horse and human!

    Good job to notice the signs...they avail themselves to the detail oriented riders.

    Wide may be fit better with padding creativity but narrow- as in what I have going now again, just gets tighter with padding!

    I jsut want a saddle to fit on the bare horse and ridden with the least amaount of help from padding for the blalance and the horse. I oved my ANSUR... close and flexable and feeling every movement.
    Hope top trade for one with a wider gullet.

    I think your Wintec will be easier to maanage a change itself with the change out gullet- I hope!
    KK

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Happy Trails!

~Jeni