OF Saddle fit problem

Betsy O'Shea (betsy@micoks.net)
Sun, 26 Jan 1997 06:16:53 -0600

I ride in an Orthoflex Stitchdown which I love for me, but have had
persistent problems with fitting my horse. I've made a lot of different
shims which work fine for a while and then as the horse changes shape, I
have to re-adjust. But one thing I have not been able to solve is that the
saddle always slips to the right. I thought it was because of my riding and
perhaps a weakness on my left side, but now I am not so sure because I just
ran into someone who complains of the same problem, except that his saddle
slips to the left. He thinks it is because his horse has uneven development.
What part of the horse's back would be over or underdeveloped to cause
slipping to the right? And how would I pad or compensate for this and how
would I recognize it. I am currently using wool shims to fill in either side
of the withers, and shimmed neoprene sponge, to fill in the hollow of the
back where my horse has a dip. The rear part of the panels have no padding.
I have thought about padding the right side of my saddle on the top, to
raise my right buttock which is much more comfortable for me. I almost
always have a collapsed right hip when I ride this horse no matter what the
saddle (more accentuated with the orthoflex but I do not have this with my
other horses even when I use the orthoflex on them. I do have a bad right
sacroiliac joint (from riding accident) which cannot be repaired and do have
a tendency to have a right collapsed hip even with the other horses, but
nearly as severe or annoying as with my trail horse. Any suggestions would
be GREATLY and GRATEFULLY appreciated.
Betsy O'Shea and Afterglow
Paola, Kansas