Saddle number 1,679 at this point 
. This is an Albion 17 MW. What are everyone’s thought on this?
So much better than the other ones.
Looks good and it will wear like iron.
Me too! But I am concerned with it possibly being a little too narrow and not enough clearance. It does sit a little pommel high. I’m going to try it out with a shim and see how it sits
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Looks a lot better in the shoulder. I’d check it out under rider weight and with the horse lifting his back in motion before adding shims personally.
Maybe try moving it back just a bit and see how it looks
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I would try changing your girth it looks like it might be pulling the saddle out of place.
I don’t worry about it being slightly off balance, that is just a flocking change or wait a few weeks to see where it ends up. To me in the pictures it looks fine, just needs minimal adjustments.
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Much better! It may be a bit pommel high but that’s also something that can be tweaked by a saddle fitter.
How does it work for you?
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Haven’t ridden in it just yet, weather has been bad unfortunately!
I saw you posted on the Saddle Fit FB group . . . I think there’s a lot of good knowledge there but they do not (IMO) go deep enough into the ability of a good fitter to modify flocking to customize fit. Yes, the tree shape needs to work for your horse, but a good saddle fitter can get you the last bit of fit. I’ve rarely had a saddle fit exactly right out of the box (or used).
Although this would also be considered heresy, I also use a CorrecTor pad or a Colin Dangaard pad sometimes when I have a saddle that’s a bit too wide. They are pricey, but I find it’s helpful to have one on hand.
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I’m so skeptical of fitters at this point, the ones I’ve used previously tell me the saddle fits and then people on the group tell me it’s not a fit… the fitter I’m using now I found on this website actually, so I’m looking forward to see what she says regarding the fit. She’s from equestrian imports.
Yes, it’s hard to know who to believe. I had the same saddle fitter for about 20 years and he was able to make most saddles work well for my horses. I haven’t found a replacement for him yet! My last horse, who died a year ago, did really well in a Heather Moffett soft tree saddle, so I was spared the fitting dilemma. My new boy is going to be trickier. Right now I’m using a saddle that’s the right shape for his back but a hair too wide, with a CorrecTor pad. I also have an Edix dressage saddle that has a soft tree and he looks pretty good in that. Sadly, I think my HM Vogue will be too long for his back.
