Posted 2007-06-12 10:56 AM (#62186) Subject: Saddle fit
Member
Posts: 15
Location: Portage, WI
I bought a Crates 2221 saddle for my horse whom has gone through four or five in the last 4 years. I went on a 6 hour ride with him and when I took the saddle off both sides of his withers were dry. I have a Todd Sloan 3/4 thick pad. When I talked to the lady that sold me the saddle she said the Crates saddles were made to work with a 3/4 saddle pad. Does anyone have any other suggestions. Thanks.
Posted 2007-06-12 11:30 AM (#62191 - in reply to #62186) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434 Location: Brooksville, Fl
Hi, First you need to determine if the dry spots were from too much pressure (which is often the case) or the saddle is not sitting on the horse in those areas (which means the saddle is not contacting the horse in those areas). First of all, look at the saddle from the side. Is it sitting level? Pressure can be caused in this area from the saddle being too narrow in which case the saddle will be too high in the front or from being too wide which will cause it to be too low in the front. If it's just a bit too wide you can get a special pad that has extra thickness in the front to take up that bit of room and help the saddle even out on the horses' back. If it is too narrow, no pad will help and padding it thicker will only make matters worse. What kind of back does your horse have? Many western saddles are made with full quarter horse bars or semi-quarter horse bars. These saddle do not fit well on a horse with higher withers and a fairly narrow back. Have you considered a treeless saddle? I have 2 and love them. This may be stuff you know already. Saddle fitting sure is a pain! That's why I went to treeless for my trail saddles, both English and Western. Happy trails, Tammy
Posted 2007-06-12 5:00 PM (#62208 - in reply to #62186) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
Go to www.aboutthehorse.com and order the video entitled "About Saddle Fit." There is more info in there than can by typed here.
Also, you could see if Dave (on that site) has any clinics coming up in your area. Bring your horse and your saddle and he can give you good tips.
Not to be a smartypants, but when you bought the saddle, what pad was used on the horse to make sure you were buying a saddle that fit?
I have found that most people who sell saddles do not know beans about saddle fit. Their answer seems to always be, "Add some more padding." Well, if your shoes are too tight, do you add more socks? Of course not. You may change the insole, or arch support, or just buy new shoes. Same thing with saddles. Change the thickness of the padding, change the location of built up padding, or change the saddle. QH bars, Semi-QH bars, gullet width, etc don't mean crap. Every manufacturer has their own version of all those variables with inconsistent ways of measuring them. All that matters is that the saddle fits the horse properly. Cinch up both the front and rear girth and check the fit. If it doesn't fit, change something until it does.
If that Crates saddle is new (it sounds so), and it doesn't fit your horse, take it back to the people that you bought it from.
Posted 2007-06-12 7:08 PM (#62214 - in reply to #62208) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434 Location: Brooksville, Fl
Lots of good info in the previous post however, once you have ridden in a saddle they often will not take it back. This becomes an expensive propositon when trying to fit a horse that is obviously hard to fit. I can say the a saddle with QH bars will generally not fit an arab or TB with a wither and a dip in the back regardless of manufacturer.
The best way, if possible, to go about getting a saddle that fits is to search out sellers that have demo programs. I did the demo with Tucker saddles and found I did not like how it felt to ride in and it did not fit my horse. For about $80 I was able to put 10 hours on that saddle. That is a lot cheaper than buying one and having to sell it 'used'. No one wants to buy a 'used' saddle for the price you paid for it. I was also able to demo my Bob Marshall. I had 10 days to decide and I could return it. Fortunately, I loved it and kept it. Then I demoed (sp?) the Freeform and ended up buying that saddle as well.
If the padding doesn't work you may have to find yet another saddle. Padding sure isn't everything but if the saddle is close, then it just may be the thing.
Posted 2007-06-12 7:38 PM (#62219 - in reply to #62214) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
Originally written by randemtam on 2007-06-12 7:08 PM
Lots of good info in the previous post however, once you have ridden in a saddle they often will not take it back. This becomes an expensive propositon when trying to fit a horse that is obviously hard to fit.
Never buy a saddle that does not come with a demo trial period of at least a few weeks!
Posted 2007-06-12 7:44 PM (#62220 - in reply to #62186) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Veteran
Posts: 140 Location: Ft. Lawn, South Carolina
Thumbs up on the Bob Marshall Treeless saddle!!! I had a terrible time fitting one of my horses until a friend had me ride him in her Bob Marshall for the weekend. What a difference!! I ordered mine and it's been "happy trails" ever since! Good luck!
Posted 2007-06-13 7:26 AM (#62232 - in reply to #62214) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
Originally written by randemtam on 2007-06-12 7:08 PM
Padding sure isn't everything but if the saddle is close, then it just may be the thing.
I think that is a good statement. If the saddle doesn't fit the horse relatively close, you should be looking for a different saddle, not different padding.
Personally, I think treeless and flex-tree saddles are a joke. I think one of the reasons they have gained popularity is a shortage of options when it comes to GOOD wood/rigid tree saddles that are made to fit horses. Other reasons are outlined in the video I suggested.
Maybe different regions are different, but I don't know of any serious tack dealer that does not let you try a saddle for a certain period of time, as long as you bring it back in the same condition it was in. I wouldn't do business with any dealer that had a no-return policy.
Posted 2007-06-13 1:22 PM (#62258 - in reply to #62220) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
Originally written by galsgottaride on 2007-06-12 7:44 PM
Thumbs up on the Bob Marshall Treeless saddle!!!
If you decide to go with a treeless saddle, please make sure that you are using the correct pad with the saddle. You will need a spine clearance pad, such as a Skito Pad. If you do not use a spine clearance pad with the treeless saddles, you will be hurting your horse's back.
Posted 2007-06-13 1:27 PM (#62259 - in reply to #62232) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
Personally, I think treeless and flex-tree saddles are a joke Treeless saddles are a great option for many riders and horses. I ride in a Reactor Panel Endurance saddle which is a flex panel saddle. It was the only saddle that worked for my Icelandic Horse and me. I did try the BMSS and LOVED IT, but after a summer of using it, it was not working for my horse.I personally do not like Flex Tree saddles.
Posted 2007-06-13 4:39 PM (#62266 - in reply to #62186) Subject: RE: Saddle fit
Member
Posts: 15
Location: Portage, WI
The person that sold me the saddle is working with me. When I bought the saddle she told me to use the 3/4 saddle pad with it, and that is what I am using. Another girl at the shop told me I might be cinching him up to tight. My horse is a regular QH, nothing special about him, I don't know why he is so hard to fit.
Saddle fit
