ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] Saddles

[endurance] Saddles

Betsy O'Shea (boshea@magic1.org)
Thu, 07 Mar 1996 23:10:38 -0600

I ride a 15.2, 1000 lb Appendix QH with high withers and hollows each side
of his withers.He also changes shape during the ride season and the hollows
become more pronounced. I also put more of my weight on the right stirrup.
My horse is stiffer on the right than the left. I am 5 ft 6 in and weigh 140
lbs. I ride English and have to have a saddle with a narrow twist.
My sad saddle history is: 1. County Event All Purpose, 17 1/2, med tree.
This hurt my knees and also gave him pressure sores under the stirrup bars.
2. County Competitor Dressage. Wonderful for me, no knee pain but not enough
weight bearing surface. I had it restuffed and the tree narrowed by County
and that improved things but there was still pressure under the bar on the
right. 3. Horse was fit for a Sharon Sayer saddle and takes the narrowest
tree. I couldn't stand the saddle because of needing a narrow twist and not
riding Western. I could hardly walk after trying it out. I think the
horse would probably do well with it. 4. Orthoflex Stitchdown 17 1/2. I
love this saddle for me and this is what I am currently riding in but I
have't solved the fitting problem. I have sent the saddle back three times
for a) new panels, b)reset of panels and c) new stirrup bars. I have also
taken the horse down to Orthoflex twice. I am using shims in the right front
wither and the saddle is placed forward so that the panels are actually on
the horses shoulder blades (per Orthoflex). The horse now has a wide area of
white hair loss in the right wither hollow, so the pressure is less but
still there. I have used no
pad or booties, and also booties alone. The horse does not loose points for
a sore back but obviously I have't solved the saddle fit problem. 5. I
thought I would try a Stubben as I love those saddles. Stubben people are
wonderful to deal with and sent me several saddles to try. The horse takes
a very narrow tree of 30 cm, but there is still not enough weight bearing
surface for my horse and it was not an improvement over my County Saddles.
A lot of these problems may be due to the unbalanced position (which
incidently I do not have when I ride my other horses) and the right side
stiffness of the horse. I don't know how to solve these problems. Ideas?
I would appreciate any suggestions for saddle fit, and exercises for me
and the horse. Also I am skeptical of placing the Orthoflex up on the
horses's shoulders rather than farther back. Any ideas on this? Thanks


Betsy O'Shea
boshea@magic1.org
Kansas