Re: saddle fit HELP

["Tamara Jane Habberley" <tamarahabberley@lineone.net>]

Hi

I have tried many saddles with varying success from 2 x gps ( medium narrow
and then a narrow), 1 x dressage saddle ( narrow),  a horse with a wrecked
back due to loss of muscle and restriction leading to him ripping his back
muscles , 1 x sports saddle ( which helped him but killed my hips) then I
tried a wintec gp for about four months at the start of this season and had
similair problems with roaning under the stirrup bars on my horses back, dry
patches and the  damn thing rotated to one side a lot as well.

Having been through a similiar problems to yours can I sugest that the
reason changing to a wide gullet worked temporarily is because the narrower
gullet had cramped your horses muscles preventing them from builing up
correctly under the saddle . Changing to the wider gullet allowed them to
rebuild a little , so now they have rebuilt the wide gullet is too narrow
for your horses back.

I would suggest investing in a really well designed  saddle - I use a flat
paneled saddle which is adjustable to the horses back ( mines now v. wide
backed) is built so that the panels conform to my horses back, flex with it
and do not restrict the muscles from correctly building up and do not
restrict my horses movement. The saddle company that supplied my saddle has
a very good website which is worth a visit as the designer has included very
useful information on saddle fitting does and doesnt which can apply to any
brand. its at
 http://www.free-and-easy-saddle.co.uk

Unfortuanltly I dont belive these saddles are avialable yet in the US ( In
in England) but reactorpanel and orthaflex are similair.

Good luck with your saddle hunt.

Tamara

----- Original Message -----
From: <TddWil@aol.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 2:29 PM
Subject: RC: saddle fit HELP


> OK, I've been thru this before with another horse so I didn't think I was
a
> total idiot when it came to saddle fit, but...   I got a wintec all
purpose
> with the changeable gullet, and ALL the gullet plates. The horse appeared
to
> be narrower than my other one that took a medium, so I went narrower.
White
> hairs and the saddle kept sliding forward. So we went wider. No luck. So
then
> I bent a piece of wire over his back and made a cardboard template to test
> the saddle with. it fit with the widest gullet plate. So I used it on a 30
> mile CTR (last 10 on foot, lame) and he had no dry spots or pressure
lumps,
> and I checked him repeatedly that day and the next day. So after a few
weeks
> off we did 20 mi yesterday. He had dry spots and a lump on either side of
the
> withers. He lost hair on the white spot on the left side of his withers.
> OUCH. The saddle sits a bit low in front but has adequate wither
clearance. I
> pulled it back away from his shoulders. I'm using a wool felt pad. The
girth
> is not over tight. He is an egyptian bred arab, pretty average
conformation,
> he is not rump high. I am about ready to buy a bareback pad and throw a
bunch
> of saddles in my front yard and have a bonfire!
>
>                                                        Shelly
>
>
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