Surely this is the tack, and not how she was originally broke out with a saddle and rider up on day one, while wearing hobbles. Yup.
She’s improved 100 fold from when she’s arrived. Appreciate your not fully informed but fully formed feedback though. Would expect nothing less from you.
I like her. We will continue to progress at her rate. She does not need a new saddle to do that.
Looking at riding videos, it sits down some but not completely down.
Suggestions on what to do to make this work for now? Should i be using the thicker felt pad? As soon as she cools it, my preference is to ride in my dressage saddle, so this is short lived.
On the rare occasion she’s gotten sweaty, it doesn’t appear there are any pressure points, and a ride in the Port Lewis pad confirms that. Even pressure along the shoulders, the only area with out contact is the back part, where it visually stands off. It tapers evenly though.
I don’t know how thick of a pad you’re using now or what material its made of, but I’d try going with a thicker pad or adding a blanket on top of your current pad first to see how it rides.
I don’t like padding so much the saddle ends up perched on the back. You lose feel and then you can run into problems of it rolling side to side. But you might be able to add enough to make it work.
You could also try folding a towel or blanket over the front part of your pad where your front bar pads sit to close it in a bit. Be careful as you can tip the pressure to the rear of the bars. I’m not sure how that’d work with a flex tree though. Same with shimming.
While the saddle is too wide, I think you would still have issues with the saddle riding up without a crupper even if it was the perfect width
She looks narrow through the shoulders and shaped like a wedge, thicker in the rear and narrow shoulders just going off the picture you posted. Why I asked about the surcingle riding up. It always does on the wedge shaped horses/ponies.
If you pad the front it’s going to make it rock on her back and put pressure on the back.
You may not have visible pressure points, but you have girth galls which are a big red flag and unfair to knowingly impose on a horse.
I’ve seen plenty of saddles that don’t look like a great fit, but the horse shows no obvious red flags so as long as they aren’t complaining and show no physical issues, good enough. When you have a saddle that clearly doesn’t fit AND is causing harm…that needs a second thought.
Does the saddle have the 3-way rigging? If so how are you positioning it? Full, 7/8, 3/4?
To me it looks like even when just tacked up the saddle is too far forward, or you’re not using the right rigging position.
Usually the latigo/cinch will be vertical or IME be angled forward slightly, but in all of your pictures the latigo/cinch are angled back. Being angled back could contribute to the galling.
If a saddle fits well even with the latigo/cinch angled forward slightly the saddle won’t move.
I don’t know what all the rigging are called, but I’m using both rings. It ends up looking like a Y.
I’m currently using my thinner 5 star pad, but I have a thicker cashel I could try. It’s not as rounded though, so may flop around back there some. Worth a shot, and great idea with the towel.
It was actually @Simkie on the other thread who said to ride all this stuff out until she matures more because she might grow some shoulders.
The dressage saddle fits the best, and we will work our way back into that saddle. Right now I need grip and a horn. 
Thanks for your take. I’m working on it, clearly. This pony hasn’t been easy to fit, for anything. If I didn’t give a damn, I wouldn’t be here.
The saddle is not causing this mare pain. It’s not a perfect fit no doubt. But notice the pictures of “galling” the skin isn’t even red - that’s because I check after every single ride because this is a problem she came with, and continues to rear its head.
I’m sorry, I can’t keep track–am I an uninformed idiot, or a knowledge resource?
I did not ever advise riding in a saddle that’s a poor fit, rubbing your horse, and very likely contributing to her ongoing under saddle issues.
It’s pretty weird how you know this saddle doesn’t fit, you have evidence it doesn’t fit, your horse continues to show behaviors that suggest it doesn’t fit…but you refuse to consider even trying to find an inexpensive saddle that could be a better fit and make her happier. Because the only problem is her previous training, absolutely never anything on your end.
Yeahhhhh, got it.
That’s the 7/8 position. 
(Full would be front ring only, 3/4 would be back ring only.)
Where is the bar tip in relation to the back of her shoulder blade? I think the Flex2s have flexible bar tips so are a bit of wildcard in terms of positioning. I think the jury is still out whether the flexible tips can be positioned over the shoulder blade or still need to be behind it.
What happens if you move the saddle back a couple of inches? Can you get the latigo/cinch to hang either vertical or even angled forward a bit?
I’ll take the former for 1000, Alex.
You like to twist everything I say into “I hate my horse/wildlife/the environment.” I’m done with ya!
Would the bar tip be at the front of the swells? I’d say it’s right at the back of her shoulder blade. The tops of her shoulder blades are broad, in comparison to other horses, I’d say.
I will try pushing it back a bit further next ride, but then will run into it sitting over her loin too much I think. Not enough real estate.
Here’s a side shot of her, breaking in her new hoof boots a bit while it’s pissing rain out.
You have to feel for it on each saddle:
Seeing shoulder blade under saddle
I’ve run into this before when trying to find saddles for my Pasos - short back but still needs to fit me. I wound up going treeless, similar to @FjordBCRF. A good western style treeless can give you plenty of security.
I’m trying to get pictures of how big the top of her shoulder blade is. It’s bigger than my 15hh QH, and same size as my 16.3hh TB.
I’ll give some tweaking a try. I may just need to suck it up and get back in the dressage saddle. But that girth has galled, too, and that saddle has been fitted.
Saddle definitely doesn’t fit and is placed too far forward. Honestly, your best bet is swapping to the dressage saddle if it’s better regardless of anything else. Or groundwork instead until she can go bareback or you can get a better western saddle. The situation is unlikely to improve otherwise in terms of the girth galls and her comfort.
You’re in northern IL, right? Last time I was at a Skeeter auction there was a bunch of saddles <$1k there. But I’m not much of a western person so I could be mistaken. Still I feel like it’s feasible to find something budget friendly that’s an improvement
Reminder that the dressage saddle has galled too. It’s not the magic bullet. Better in fit, but the galling is still there.
Have you tried a TSF girth with the dressage saddle? Maybe that would open up that armpit spot better with that combo.
I have tried a girth very similar in shape to a tsf, and it galled the worst yet, even with anti friction powder applied to the girth and to her.
I’m honestly starting to think the DEEP galls she came with may have left scar tissue, far more susceptible to re-galling.
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