Does anyone use Shims? Help needed.

[4horses]

My Paint mare has tall withers and is wide. I tried Semi-QH bars- every saddle I tried pinched her in the shoulders. Moved to Full QH bars and they sit on her withers. The only saddle I have found that fits is a Fabtron with the 6.75 inch tree. Even that only fits one or two fingers under the front, so wider than it should be.

Tex-Tan with Full QH bars = too wide
Simco Arabian tree= pinched her shoulders
semi-qh clearly doesn’t work.

Add to this issue, is the problem that I am a petite rider. A 15" saddle is out of the question. I’ve tried Simco, Circle Y, and Tex Tan. A 15" seat is simply too big for me. I feel like I slide all over in it. The stirrups do not adjust low enough. I even tried stirrup turners and that does not help.

I finally found a youth saddle with Full QH bars- and that is a rare find, as almost all youth saddles come with Semi QH bars. I like the saddle, it fits me great. But it sits on my mare’s withers. It doesn’t rock on her at all, and seems to fit, just lays low over the withers. :no:

Would specialized pads help? Should I sell it and keep looking?

The Fabtron is the closest fit I have found. It is a 15" inch seat so again, it feels too big for me, but I use it because it fits her the best so far. But it still seems to lean down in the front.

[froglander]

Do you have any picture of your horse with and without the saddle on?

[barnchick277]

I have a wide but somewhat low backed paint mare and was having a terrible time finding a saddle to fit her so my vet recommended a pad with shims. I got this one and it works great. I think the only other option for my mare was a custom made saddle which is just not in the budget.

http://www.horse.com/item/diamond-wool-contour-relief-pad/E006939/

ETA: I have to put 2 pads in the middle section and it keeps the saddle off of her shoulders.

[beau159]

@4horses;8580236

I finally found a youth saddle with Full QH bars- and that is a rare find, as almost all youth saddles come with Semi QH bars. I like the saddle, it fits me great. But it sits on my mare’s withers.

Would specialized pads help? Should I sell it and keep looking?

I would absolutely keep looking.

Now, without seeing pictures of the saddle in question, I usually assume a saddle is too wide in the gullet when it rests on the withers; even if the bar angle is correct.

Can you take pictures? Best if they are with the saddle on the horse’s back (no pad) and not being cinched.

So what size seat do you need? Does a 14" work? Or a 14.5"? There are many saddle makers that make “full” trees with those size seats.

What TYPE of saddle are you wanting? Trail? Showing? Reining? Or just something general?

Meleta Brown make a great saddle (Crates) that is wide and has tons of wither clearance. She excellent to chat with as well. I tried one of her barrel racing saddles a couple years ago and the fit was just beautiful on my horse … but my butt could not get used to the flat seat! She has loaner saddles she sends out that you can try.
http://thefreedomsaddle.com/

[GallopingGrape]

Pictures would be helpful but alot of gaited trees have a taller pommel for wither clearance, and come in a wider fuller bar angle. I like the Fabtron alot. Post pics.