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One more saddle fit post (my obsession for the week).
I'm trying a dressage saddle for Dolly, and I've got a fit conundrum. She's wide and flat and she always has dry spots beside her withers, even with her super-wide, semi-custom Aussie. So, I got a Thorowgood Cob ("Broadback" in the USA) to try. It came with an extra-wide gullet installed, and it also has the Fish (TM) system where you can slide some plastic inserts along the sides to narrow it a bit. I also got a Wintec Icelandic with an extra-wide gullet.
The Wintec noticeably "perched" in front. A friend grabbed a Wintec gullet measurer and, sure enough, she's wider than their extra-wide. So, that went back.
The Thorowgood sat really nicely on her back right off the bat (got two other riders helping me eye-ball the fit). It's got a nice wide channel as well as a flatter profile to the tree, and it really looked good. I gave it a short try, though not long enough to really get her good and sweaty. Still, it felt like she had some dry spots on the withers.
Today, I compared her wither curve to their chart and she measures as an extra-wide to wide. Their suggestion for "between sizes" is to use the wider gullet and slide in the Fish. They also suggest trying just one Fish if your horse is uneven. Since Dolly's saddles always list left, I popped a Fish in on the left. After cinching the saddle down tight, it popped up in back while lunging. I thought that meant it was too wide in front and, sitting in it, I did feel a little tipped forwards (though not terribly, and it has been years since I've sat in a dressage saddle). I popped in the other Fish and, though it still popped up a little in back while lunging and it was improved. I felt straight in it. But then, after pulling the saddle off after a good, sweaty ride, she's got dry spots!
What gives? Do dry spots always mean too narrow, or could it be an indication of something else? Otherwise, her back felt wonderful--she's usually a little sore in her low back immediately after a ride, and there was absolutely no tension this time, so I'm hoping that means the saddle is at least a step in the right direction.
In other news, the saddle has creases in the flap flocking--it looks like it was stored too long with the flaps folded in. Dover will replace it for me, but all the Broadbacks are back-ordered until September, and I don't want to wait that long. I'll get at least closeout price if I keep it. How big a deal is that? It's below where the dry spots are, so I don't think that's contributing to it.
I'm trying a dressage saddle for Dolly, and I've got a fit conundrum. She's wide and flat and she always has dry spots beside her withers, even with her super-wide, semi-custom Aussie. So, I got a Thorowgood Cob ("Broadback" in the USA) to try. It came with an extra-wide gullet installed, and it also has the Fish (TM) system where you can slide some plastic inserts along the sides to narrow it a bit. I also got a Wintec Icelandic with an extra-wide gullet.
The Wintec noticeably "perched" in front. A friend grabbed a Wintec gullet measurer and, sure enough, she's wider than their extra-wide. So, that went back.
The Thorowgood sat really nicely on her back right off the bat (got two other riders helping me eye-ball the fit). It's got a nice wide channel as well as a flatter profile to the tree, and it really looked good. I gave it a short try, though not long enough to really get her good and sweaty. Still, it felt like she had some dry spots on the withers.
Today, I compared her wither curve to their chart and she measures as an extra-wide to wide. Their suggestion for "between sizes" is to use the wider gullet and slide in the Fish. They also suggest trying just one Fish if your horse is uneven. Since Dolly's saddles always list left, I popped a Fish in on the left. After cinching the saddle down tight, it popped up in back while lunging. I thought that meant it was too wide in front and, sitting in it, I did feel a little tipped forwards (though not terribly, and it has been years since I've sat in a dressage saddle). I popped in the other Fish and, though it still popped up a little in back while lunging and it was improved. I felt straight in it. But then, after pulling the saddle off after a good, sweaty ride, she's got dry spots!
What gives? Do dry spots always mean too narrow, or could it be an indication of something else? Otherwise, her back felt wonderful--she's usually a little sore in her low back immediately after a ride, and there was absolutely no tension this time, so I'm hoping that means the saddle is at least a step in the right direction.
In other news, the saddle has creases in the flap flocking--it looks like it was stored too long with the flaps folded in. Dover will replace it for me, but all the Broadbacks are back-ordered until September, and I don't want to wait that long. I'll get at least closeout price if I keep it. How big a deal is that? It's below where the dry spots are, so I don't think that's contributing to it.
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Re: Saddle fitting advice, please.
Sat, October 10, 2009 - 10:43 AMI just got back on Tribe, hows the saddle fitting going now? I'm having problems finding a good saddle I like for my draft cross, but just because I'm picky, not because his back is. He's got a barrel back too, but he doesn't seem to be as difficult to fit as your Dolly sounds. I bought a second hand saddle made in the 1930's, I forgot who it was made by, but evidently back in the day they made very good quality saddles, but have quit making them years ago so it's hard to come by them. Anyway, it's western, with some features I found difficult to find, such as a high back (or "bear trap" seat) and no fancy scrollwork anywhere, just a good built straightfoward western working saddle in great condition, considering it's age. The underneath needs to be re-felted and the stitching has come undone a little on the swells, but other than that it's incredible. What really sang to me was the fact that when I sat in it on the rack it felt like it was like heaven for my darrier, but alas, it's way too narrow for my horse. Evidently, back in the day the horses were smaller, thus so were the saddles. I plan on getting a mustang later though, and if it still doesn't fit the horse, it'll make a wonderful bar stool. So, I stil need a saddle for my draft cross, I think I'll get a treeless and avoid the hassel of fitting. Do you know if english saddles come without trees? Or do you prefer to have them?
