There are a couple reasons a saddle can go forward without
the horse being downhill or even the saddle not fitting perfectly.
Some horses bring their hind legs so well under them that
their rear end action really drives the saddle forward.? I haven’t really
had a problem with my 4yo arab/mustang because he has nice withers and even
though I’m using a panel saddle that fits him very well, it’s
stayed put on some really steep downhills.? However, he just did his first 25
mile ride and decided that this stuff is kinda fun and cantering all the time
to keep up with hubbies speed demon is work so he learned to travel wide and do
a serious trot.? Now my position is less steady (I used to be able to sit his
trot if I wanted to) and the saddle is inching forward just a touch.? I haven’t
started him in a crupper yet, I might just wait til he gets his balance really
figured out, but that change in how he moves his hind legs makes a huge
difference.
The other time that cruppers can be useful is with panel
saddles that don’t rely in the shoulder to keep the saddle in place.? I’ve
got a little mare that we’ve just started with some dressage even though
she’ll be an endurance horse too.? On the trail we haven’t needed a
crupper with her FnE saddle because we haven’t done much cantering.? But
the dressage trainer is really teaching her how to use her hind quarters to
drive and that is pushing the saddle forward at the canter.
I know there are a lot of people that think if the saddle
fits the horse it won’t go forward – but I think there are an awful
lot of cases where it’s just the saddle running into the shoulders that
prevents further forward motion.? In fact there are a lot of saddle
manufacturers that rely on this notion and create a bulge at the front of the
tree to fit in the “pocket” behind the shoulders.? My theory is
that poorly designed and fitted saddles are what causes this undesirable
pocket.? I’d way rather use a crupper to keep that saddle back just that
half inch or so when necessary and let the shoulders move properly.?
Using a crupper will help a lot of people that have girth
galls that they just can’t figure out too.? Sometimes it’s just the
position of the girth and literally ¼” to ½” can make all the
difference in the world.
