Hi @Belmont! Can you please assist me!
I have found a saddle with 910 panels. The full stamp is SE02 17” RT 2L TR, PA910 RT. I understand the meaning of the stamp thanks to you! You are the best!
But do you think it will fit my horse or do you think that 910 is too much padding?
Purely based off this one picture, a 910 could work!
I would make sure it’s not squeezing your horses wither area too tight and creating soreness there. When you put it on, girth it down without a pad first, and check for wither clearance and any weird gapping or tightness.
Just remember, everything changes in motion. What you think might work standing still could drastically change once your horse starts trotting.
Thank a lot @Belmont! I will try it on and check! My biggest problem with my current sadel is that it to wide I think, so standing still it looks greater in balanced. But once my horse starts walking it lifts in back and moves forwards when riding.
Hi @Belmont congrats on the baby, and thanks for all the fantastic information you’ve provided on this thread so far!
Would appreciate your opinion as I’m trying to locate a saddle for my recent lease. She currently goes in my trainer’s CWD Mademoiselle with PA RT panels, but there is clearly a pressure point on her shoulders and we need to locate something better for her.
I’ve found one with PA 205 905 RT RG+ panels. Based on your previous descriptions, I understand this to be foam added throughout, plus additional foam added behind the shoulder pocket, then additional foam shaving around the withers and the scapula. Is that right?
Would that combination possibly resolve the shoulder pressure points we’re seeing with the plain RT? Adding pics of horse if that may help your recommendations.
Thanks Riki! Sorry its taken a few days to get back to you!
Is the Madem slipping back at all and are you using non-slip pades/back risers with it? If you think it’s just panel causing problems, you could try something like a 705 RT or 710 RT or RT+ on either. However, you might find a different fit issue like balance or slippage arising.
However, you might hate me when I say this, but a CWD might not work for this one. If the RT alone is putting pressure in a Madem (carbon fibre, kevlar tree), that might mean your horse is too wide at the tree points for that particular saddle.
I appreciate the honesty, even if it means my hunt for the right saddle continues!
We’re currently using a half pad with equal padding throughout under the mademoiselle to try to lift the pressure from her shoulder. No slipping issues noted. I was hoping the RT and RG+ combo with the thicker rear panel might help, but was worried it wouldn’t sit properly balanced on her. I’ll keep an eye out for a used 705/710 RT/+ and try or some other brands too. Thanks for your help!
Unfortunately, the half pad is likely adding more pressure vs doing any real helping. I definitely wouldn’t not try something with a 305 (like a 705 305 RT), but if your perfect pon tends to lift their back and round out in motion, you might find any extra paneling in the back to throw you off balance!
Isn’t saddle shopping so fun?
Sorry I couldn’t be more help. If you need any more panel reading, just let me know!
The RT allows some room at the scapula but the RG is more relief at the sides of the withers I think (like the effect of opening the channel where the Mlle is narrow). The 705 or 710 panel would take out foam on the whole front part which might help for too tight shoulders. That is if the tree fits. If the tree is too narrow, then you can’t fix that with the panel. If the saddle is sitting too low which is causing the shoulder not to fit properly then maybe something like a 205 panel with 710 for shoulder room, or a 905 panel, would lift the saddle enough without making it too much tighter as you might be getting with the half pad.
You may want to consider a different saddle entirely with tree points farther back.
@Belmont I’ve found another Mlle CWD for a steal, but am unclear what the panel stamp means – it looks like it was restamped at some point, and now reads PA 700 300 RT+.
If I understand correctly, this would be a “standard” panel with extra (RT) extra (+) scapula room, but not other modifications. Is that right?
Why would the saddle be restamped? Or am I reading into the slight misalignment of the original stamp?
I’m not necessarily thinking this will fit Ms. Wide Shoulder, but she’s one of multiple horses I ride… So maybe I have an excuse to get multiple saddles? 
That is correct!
The restamp would be because they modified the panels at some point.
It looks like they brought it back down to standard from whatever it was originally!
Looks like it used to be 710 305
This thread is amazing! @Belmont thanks so much for all of this information! I’m in the market for a CWD and came across one the tack shop says is a 2022 model. But on the stamp I see “20” in the bottom left…does that mean it’s actually a 2020 model? Here’s how it looks on the stamp:
SE32 S1 TC 1L
PA 305 RT
20 77827
Yes, that would be a 2020 saddle according to the stamp.
Mademoiselle
17" Seat, 1L (short, straighter flap)
5mm added to back of saddle + shaving for scapula.
2020 year made & 77827 is the serial #.
I agree that this thread is amazing! My trainer has this saddle that seems to really fit my hard to fit WB and myself and I am trying to understand what all this means so that if I can’t buy this one I know enough to be able to locate one similar to this one. Here is what the stamp says:
SE02 180 TR 3C
PA ST RT
15 45683
This is a Classic model CWD (when the trees were wood/steel).
SE02 - Half Deep Seat
180 - 18"
TR - Half Deep (Repeat of the model)
3C - Size 3 flap, forward
PA ST RT - Standard Panel, RT shaving for scapula.
15 - 2015 (anything before ~2018 should have the wood/steel trees)
45683 - Serial #
@Belmont I’m going to pick your brain some more because you have allllll the CWD answers haha! So the rep that came out for my horse ended up suggesting a used saddle with this stamp for me:
SE32 S1 TC 2L
PA RT
21 84042
But she told me to ride my young horse (he’s only 4) in a correction pad with just the front shims in it for now. She suggested I do that rather than get the panel re-configured just yet, since he’s still growing and will likely change. I ended up not liking the color piping on that particular saddle so I’m not keeping it, but I do want to find this model saddle elsewhere. I found one with PA 305 RT, but if she said my horse needs the shim up front, then a 305 would be doing the very opposite correct? Which means, I believe, that if I bought that 305 saddle I would definitely need to get the panels redone in order for it to work for my horse, even temporarily?
By the way, I attached the photos she took of him and her notes during her consultation if that helps. She has since quit the company so unfortunately I can’t bounce any of these questions off of her anymore.
Okay, so I didn’t see this horse in motion with a saddle on and you riding, and I am only judging based off the pictures you put here (which can be totally different than in person), so take this with a grain of salt, but I’m going to go on a slight tangent here…
In my humble opinion, shimming the front of your saddle doesn’t make sense unless its for a wither clearance reason because he does have a more uphill build with a larger shoulder. However, shimming the saddle for wither clearance might create more pressures along the front of the saddle, as he does have a larger shoulder, and it is likely going to throw your balance off, to where you might want a back shim as well (or a 305 panel).
Again, this is purely based off two photos and to be fair - the horse is not square in photo one and I don’t know the conditions of photo two. Also, your horse might really round up his back under saddle and you may not need anything else other than some wither clearance. I will agree: at 4 your horse is going to change, so the perfect fit now might not be the perfect fit later. However, on the flip, maybe he doesn’t change much at all and you have a great fit for a long time (that just happens much less).
I guess my questions would be:
When you ride in the PA ST RT - did you feel like it had enough wither clearance without any shims, and did you feel like it fit the horse shoulder area well (no pinching, no sliding, etc)? Did you notice any difference during and after you flatted?
IMHO, I’d try and avoid any shimmable half pads, if possible, upfront if none of those things were a concern. A shim in an area where it might bridge while muscle is developing (mid back, if your horse doesn’t round out under saddle) might be a good option, and depending how he rides, you might want a little shim in the back (or a 305). I’ve added 305s in saddles just because my client liked that balance a little better. Honestly, at least back in my day, a 305 didn’t cause too much trouble upfront unless the horse was real withery.
Here is my general though ton half pads/thick pads (I’m looking at you western people) in General. You don’t add thick socks on top of your regular socks to help relieve pressure in your shoes that are a little tight, because it creates more pressure, so instead you generally try a different brand of shoes that fits better. The same standard should be held to saddles.
TLDR version: A 305 might not be bad on this horse, depending how he moves and how you like your saddle balanced, but I don’t know that you actually need to shim the front of the saddle. 5mm is really only ~.20 of an inch, so less than half an inch, which isn’t a whole lot on most horses. However, I wasn’t boots on the ground, so I couldn’t really be sure why she wants you to shim the front or how the ST saddle actually sit/rode. It could be worth a try if the person selling will let you trial it!
Thank you SO MUCH for your insight, that makes total sense to me!! This horse honestly loves the saddle I’ve been trialing (PA RT) as is, without any shimming. And I’m with you, if the saddle fits I would rather not just stick more stuff between the saddle and the saddle pad. I’ll take a look at it next time I’m at the barn both before and after I get on him. I will say, he does seem to like my fluffy Ogilvy half pad for whatever reason. It’s not shimmed, just a fluffy pad allover. The rep said she hates those because “the memory foam just squishes in and out the whole ride while you’re posting” but for whatever reason, the horse disagrees and is very happen in that half pad 
In your opinion, if the horse is happy and moving nicely and not sore, is there any reason to take away his fluffy Ogilvy pad? I know theoretically if he doesn’t need it, then I guess I shouldn’t be using it, but he seems to be telling me otherwise I guess!
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
Plus a good look at those beefy shoulder blades we wanna avoid putting pressure on.
