CWD: Redo on custom saddle?

[JenEM]

I’m confused by how changing stirrup length affects the fit of the seat? I can see how it would affect how the flap size/length/placement works for you, and I understand how something like depth of seat affects what length stirrup you’re most comfortable riding in, but I don’t understand how shortening or lengthening the stirrups changes the fit of the seat.

Flatwork length, XC length, galloping or doing sitting trot work, my balance point may change, but the seat area I need doesn’t, because my body remains the same size. When I’ve tried saddles (and I tried a bunch the other year) the first thing I did was get on and walk around without stirrups to see how they felt, and I could usually tell right away whether they worked for me. It took more than that to see how they worked for the horse, usually, but for a person it should be relatively easy to feel.

[IPEsq]

The image that’s farther away looks like the seat size is fine. It does look like the saddle isn’t level–it could be too high in the back which is encouraging you to be pitched forward and not sit back. The flap looks wrong.

[IPEsq]

There is a girl in my barn having the opposite problem. She just received a custom configured CWD after sitting in many different seat and flap configurations. The saddle would fit her fine except it isn’t sitting level on the horse–it is too low in the back, so she winds up looking like the seat is too small–she sits off the back of it and then the flap looks like it’s too far out in front. I think it’s a flatter seat saddle but that shouldn’t make her fall off the back. It looks like it needs more flocking behind or something. She had done all the demos on the same horse, so it seems odd that it’s so wrong. I don’t think the trainer has mentioned anything to her about it and that it needs adjustment.

[eclipse]

Why do you need all that padding under the saddle? It looks like it’s pushing the back of it up, thus making you fall forward onto your crotch. I’d first try removing that bulk and see what happens. Looks like you need to be able to “sit” more instead of fighting the loosing battle I see right now of you being pushed forward! You should always be able to drop your stirrups without it affecting your seat the way the rep has told you…otherwise non of use would ever be able to ride without our stirrups. I find I actually sit deeper and better WITHOUT my stirrups!

[akhunterrider]

Personally, I bought two high end used saddles and wouldn’t have kept either if I didn’t like how they fit me, even though they cost far less than brand new price.

There is just something that doesn’t look quite right about the fit. As others have asked, how does the saddle fit your horse without the thick Ogilvy? It looks like it may be too much padding. Definitely ask your trainer, but I wouldn’t expect to just make it work with a stirrup adjustment. In my opinion, the right saddle should feel like “home” as soon as you sit in it.

Edited to add…FWIW, I’m about 5’6" and previously had a 17.5" CWD with 3L flap. It was completely wrong for me and made it so I couldn’t get my leg in the right place (it was shoved out in front of me). I never did get to try a CWD with a 3C flap, but I think it would have been a much better fit. I’ve also found I’m more comfortable going up to an 18" seat.

[Bogie]

It may be the photos or all the padding but it looks like the saddle is pommel low/cantle high. That alone would tip you forward. You do look perched but it’s hard to say whether you always ride that way or whether the saddle is making it impossible for you to ride more correctly.

Have you tried riding in the saddle on another horse? Do you have the same problem? If the saddle is the wrong shape/size for the horse you’re riding, you might be able to fix the balance with padding correctly, but simply adding a pad that’s universally thick, doesn’t help.

Too much padding under a saddle also creates instability and the saddle can move during your ride. As a foxhunter, I make sure my saddle fits well with just a thin pad because I don’t want to find that it’s moving around while galloping/jumping.

A saddle that fits well should make it easier for you to ride correctly. From what you’ve written, you are fighting with it to keep your balance. I would not want to pay that much $$ and still fight my tack.

As others have said, when you sit in a saddle that fits the horse and fits you, it should put you in that magic spot effortlessly. Something here is not working.

[Against_All_Odds1]

I actually think if the saddle sits where it is supposed to (rise the pommel) that the flap is right for you. Ditch the half pad and try something maybe with shims at the whither? I can’t believe the rep would think that all that padding was a good fit!

[kbrethauer]

[QUOTE=AgainstAllOdds;7605113]
I actually think if the saddle sits where it is supposed to (rise the pommel) that the flap is right for you. Ditch the half pad and try something maybe with shims at the whither? I can’t believe the rep would think that all that padding was a good fit![/QUOTE]

100% agree! I can’t believe you would spend +5k for a saddle and have to add a huge memory foam pad with it.

[amnich123]

eclipse:
I don’t need the pad, but at the time it was all I had to use. Supposedly I’ve heard with a CWD you don’t even need to use a pad? I’m also finding it makes my saddle pads slide back, so I’m considering ditching the Ogilvy for a little while and see how things go with a regular pad. I agree with you on the no-stirrups, it does make me sit deeper and more correct.

kbrethauer:
I don’t have to use the pad. It’s the only one I had available to me while I was visiting the barn I used to ride at (since it’s mine), so naturally I brought all of my personal tack/gear with me. At the barn I ride at right now, a lot of people use Ogilvy’s but they have general half pads for everyone to use.

Bogie:
Yes, I am riding different horses right now since I am between leases. I’ve found that the feel and fit of the saddle for me varies greatly from horse to horse.

Believe me, I wouldn’t want to pay 4k+ for a saddle and have it not fit. That’s why I had the rep come out. Keeping in mind this is my first personal saddle so I don’t have much to compare it to other than clients saddles which I’ve ridden in (all being Antares since the barn I ride at is sponsored) and the demos I tried. Seeing that the saddle has a pro-panel, I don’t think it’ll fit any horse perfectly.

[vxf111]

If I had to wager a guess, I’d say the pad is not helping the saddle fit level and is making it fit mega mega tight on that horse. Whatever the saddle may be on its own, I don’t think that pad is any help.

[amnich123]

[QUOTE=vxf111;7605383]
If I had to wager a guess, I’d say the pad is not helping the saddle fit level and is making it fit mega mega tight on that horse. Whatever the saddle may be on its own, I don’t think that pad is any help.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. Ditching the Ogilvy even though I got the 1" instead of the 1.5 thinking it would work better but I guess not.

[vxf111]

I think the saddle is pad spitting because it’s so TIGHT and also really not fitting due to the amount of padding underneath. I don’t know that it’ll be cinderalla’s slipper without the Ogilvy… but I’d be curious to see it without.

[Pancakes]

For what it’s worth, I used to have an Ogilvy that I used religiously UNTIL I got my CWD…the balance was all wrong then, and now I only use a Thinline pad or thin Mattes pad, if anything at all. It fits great without it. The half pad you use can make a difference.

[woodhillsmanhattan]

Agree with the others. I think the seat size is great for you. The flap looks good to me, but flap length/forwardness can often be a rider preference. I also agree to ditch the Ogilvy. The saddle is definitely low in the pommel. Try a regular square pad, thinline (optional), and a pommel pad.

ETA: Whether a saddle “looks fine” or fits correctly does not mean you should settle. A saddle is for the most part a personal preference. This is an investment that should last you 10 years or longer (hopefully!). Don’t settle unless you LOVE it.

[Across_Sicily]

Agree with trying a different half pad; it really can make all the difference. Be curious to see what it looks like when the balance is better on the horse. That said, my initial thoughts are that this isn’t the right config for you. The flap definitely looks off. I actually think, based on pictures, you could almost go up half a seat size, esp as this is CWD’s deeper model, and it may help you get back in the seat. Did you try a 2C/3C flap at all? How does it feel on different horses, do you still fight it all the way?

[amnich123]

[QUOTE=Across Sicily;7605680]
Agree with trying a different half pad; it really can make all the difference. Be curious to see what it looks like when the balance is better on the horse. That said, my initial thoughts are that this isn’t the right config for you. The flap definitely looks off. I actually think, based on pictures, you could almost go up half a seat size, esp as this is CWD’s deeper model, and it may help you get back in the seat. Did you try a 2C/3C flap at all? How does it feel on different horses, do you still fight it all the way?[/QUOTE]

I did try a 2C and a 3C, both of which put too much saddle in front of my knee. I look like I’d be a C flap but I ride an L flap.

[vxf111]

Going up 1/2 inch in seat size can solve many flap woes too, FYI.

[amnich123]

[QUOTE=vxf111;7606025]
Going up 1/2 inch in seat size can solve many flap woes too, FYI.[/QUOTE]

Going up a 1/2 inch in seat size as in 17.5 or 16.5?
If you’re thinking 17.5 i think that’d be much too big. I already think a 17 has too much space since I can put more than 5 fingers behind where I sit. I think 16.5 would be better.

The 16.5 which I tried that was my trainer’s 2G couldn’t have fit me more perfect in the seat.

My only fear is that if I decide on my own that the saddle isn’t a good fit (which I already have–but the shortening of stirrups helps) I think they’ll charge me to have another custom made. Or they’ll charge me the difference since I paid $4,000.00

–I had $500 discount since I bought a 2006 Antares that didn’t work and couldn’t return it since the tree broke when shipping back to CWD USA in Cali.

[vxf111]

I wasn’t necessarily saying you needed to go up 1/2 size seat in the flap. I was just generally commenting that increasing the seat size can change the flap needs and can make it a lot easier to get the right fit.

I actually think the seat size is ok, but as I said I’d like to reserve final judgment until I see a photo of you in the saddle sitting level so you can actually get into it instead of being tipped forward. I would NOT think you need to go DOWN a seat size… but I am going to guess that when it’s level, the seat size is good. I think the flap is ok in terms of forwardness but not length.

As to what CWD will/won’t do for you-- your guess is as good as mine. A lot depends on your rep.

[amnich123]

[QUOTE=vxf111;7606074]
I wasn’t necessarily saying you needed to go up 1/2 size seat in the flap. I was just generally commenting that increasing the seat size can change the flap needs and can make it a lot easier to get the right fit.

I actually think the seat size is ok, but as I said I’d like to reserve final judgment until I see a photo of you in the saddle sitting level so you can actually get into it instead of being tipped forward. I would NOT think you need to go DOWN a seat size… but I am going to guess that when it’s level, the seat size is good. I think the flap is ok in terms of forwardness but not length.

As to what CWD will/won’t do for you-- your guess is as good as mine. A lot depends on your rep.[/QUOTE]

When I ride this week I will try and ask one of the girls around the barn to get a picture of me sitting in the saddle with a normal half pad.

As far as flap size goes, do you think it’s too long and that a 2L would be better? I’ve ridden in a 17" 2L and it fit well, but rep told me right off the bat that where my knee was hitting on that saddle was incorrect and that I’d need to go to a 3L. Sounds like I might be between a 2L & 3L.

Again, with emphasis the rep told me that the flap was perfect but when I drop my stirrups I’m seeing where the flap is wrong.

I agree with what you’re saying. It depends on the rep.