Apparent saddle fit issue

[poniegirle]

I’ve been having a strange bit of trouble with my 6 year old mare, and I’d be very happy to hear any thoughts on my issue.

I have a close contact saddle and a dressage saddle that I’ve been using pretty much her entire career under saddle. Most recently (past year) I’ve been riding predominantly in the dressage saddle, and we’ve been awesome.

I pulled out the close contact in April of this year for a hunter-type show, and had an absolutely miserable ride. Ms. Mare was shaking her head so much that we couldn’t even trot a straight line. At the time, I couldn’t decide if it was that she didn’t like her fairly fresh bridle path, the show grounds, or the fact that I was having a meltdown.

Since then, we’ve been riding only in the dressage saddle, with no issues. The other day, I was feeling brave and pulled out the close contact- much less headshaking than at the show, but it wasn’t a fun ride, all the same. I measured her back, discovered that my medium tree no longer fits my now much wider mare, and figured that was it. Tried a medium-wide A/P saddle, and got less shaking, but still some. She measured wide, so I tried a wide close contact with a deeper seat that made me feel more comfortable, and got more head shaking than the A/P, but less than the other CC.

Help! Is it possible she’ll headshake with the more forward position just because she’s gotten so used to me schooling dressage, and she’ll have to tough it out and get over it? Or is there a real saddle fit issue here to look for? Bridle, pads, and everything else has stayed constant- the only thing changing is the saddle and girth, and this definitely wasn’t an issue when she was three!

Any thoughts here would be much appreciated- I want to buy a new saddle for me anyway, but I want to make sure I’m not missing something obvious that might impact my shopping.

[Linda]

Had a similar problem with my tall 17’2 warmblood cross who at the time was younger, narrow and had shark fin withers. Under saddle, he would throw his head, offer an occasional buck and was just unhappy. While my saddle didn’t look like it had a fit problem, I did notice that it tended to slip when riding up or down hills. Breast plate helped stabilize it some but the fact that it “was” moving so much meant it didn’t fit him. At the beginning of the ride, the saddle had about three fingers of clearance by his withers - but would close down on him as we rode. Finally had a saddle fitter out and that was the answer. Saddle was refitted to him and now he is a much happier horse. He has also filled out some as he has become older and that has also helped with the fit. Sounds like your dressage saddle is a good fit - and the jump saddle needs to be refitted to his back (or you can buy a new one that is a better fit than your current saddle.

For a while when we were trying to figure this out, I had the saddle fitter out every 6 months just to make sure it still fit the way it was supposed to. So get someone to look at the saddle fit - and then get them to keep coming back to look at it every 6 months or so to make sure it is still fitting him well.

[poniegirle]

So I’m not completely crazy that it could be linked to a specific style of saddle? I’m planning on having a saddle fitter out to assess her back and try a variety of close contacts to see what needs to happen for her to be comfortable, but I found it suspicious that the saddles she has the most objection to are all of a similar style, but different tree sizes and seat depths.

[Lilypad]

There is so much more to saddle fit than the gullet width. I had a CC saddle for example that looked like it fit in the withers but the panels were too flat for her back shape which made the gullet hit her spine in a small area. Bridging is another example of something that isn’t immediately obviously from the outside but definitely makes the horse uncomfortable. Some horses you have to try quite a few saddles to find one that fits well.

I would get a pro saddle fitter out if you can. Always best to rule out pain first.

If it turns out not being a saddle fit issue–you say you only ride in the CC when you feel “brave”. Could you be mor nervous and tensing up and she is picking up on it?

[Bogie]

Can you post photos?

[caryledee]

[QUOTE=poniegirle;7215186]
So I’m not completely crazy that it could be linked to a specific style of saddle? I’m planning on having a saddle fitter out to assess her back and try a variety of close contacts to see what needs to happen for her to be comfortable, but I found it suspicious that the saddles she has the most objection to are all of a similar style, but different tree sizes and seat depths.[/QUOTE]
Not crazy at all! I haven’t found any all purpose type saddles my horse likes. Everything he likes has been a close contact type saddle. And I have had somewhere between 20-30 saddles on him! There are so many reasons why a saddle may not fit, even if it looks like it should. Definitely get a good saddle fitter in for help.