Need saddle pad reviews and help with saddle fitting

[HicksteadFan]

My mom is hoping to buy a western saddle for her older quarter horse. This is the pad she wants:
http://www.pleasantridge.ca/index.php/western-tack/saddle-pads/smx-all-around-saddle-pad.html
Has anyone used it? Good? Bad? Also is there much difference between having felt or fleece on the underside?

As for the saddle, she bought one from someone nearby which does not fit. (Don’t worry we can return it and get the money back.) So I need help determining why it doesn’t fit and what we need to look for in the next one. The gullet actually touched the withers without a saddle pad. And it was much too tight lower down on the shoulders. It seemed better once I got the pad underneath but then same problems once a rider was up. I’m thinking it’s because the gullet was too wide. Am I right? The horse is a large, well muscled QH but has higher withers than my TB. We didn’t think to take a picture so that’s all I can tell you. At least now we have something to compare other saddles to.

I have this template to see what size of tree (is that the right word?) I need: http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/thesaddleshop/template-simple.pdf?utm_source=Downloads&utm_medium=Download&utm_campaign=Gullet+Templates
That simulates the gullet right? Once I have the saddle on the horse I can tell if it’s too tight over the shoulders and the nerve by the withers (don’t know the name of it but I know it’s important) and I can see if it’s too long. Is there something else I should be measuring to see if it will fit the horse?
Thanks for any help.

[Dee-Vee]

Probably best just to call Pleasant Ridge, describe the horse and ask for recommendations for best fitting saddle. Various brands and type fit certain types of QHs. Then try before you buy. I think Pleasant Ridge allows this with shipping. I know some people who have just trucked their horses in to PR and fitted there.

Went through this a couple of years ago because I wanted a western saddle just for hacking out and because I have a QH. Went through the second hand route and could find nothing that fit. It is hard to find something that fits second hand. So I bought a brand new lower end Billy Cook and it fits. Fits my friend’s high withered Appendix gelding…moved much more freely in the Billy Cook than in his Jeffries professionally fitted English saddle.

Buying a western saddle is different from buying an English saddle. You find one that fundamentally fits the horse…does not pinch anywhere…and refine the fit with a professional saddle pad fitting. Of course the rider needs to be comfortable…the saddle cannot be too tight or put the rider in an awkward position. Most women ride in a size 16. Probably what your mom will ride in.

When your mom finds her saddle…see if it fits your horse and ride in it. It will help with your dressage seat. I have always had a better ride in my English saddle after riding in my western…opens your hips.

As to the SMX pad, a lot of people use them. Felt is a PITA to adjust under the saddle and a pain to clean. I have felt cuz that is just what happened.

PS…we are trying the Billy Cook on my coach’s WB dressage mare as she is building top line, saddle fit is changing and we are hoping that it will allow the development of certain area of top line that may be inhibited by saddle fit. Investment in a dressage saddle for the mare will come once her shape has stabilized.

Best of luck.

[beau159]

OP, I have personally never used the SMx pad. Looking at it, the biggest thing I do NOT like about it is there isn’t any cut-away for the withers. I also don’t like felt at all. The contour is good; the thickness is good (3/4").

If you want a GOOD saddle pad, I am sold on the 5 Star Saddle pads. They hold up extremely wear to wear and tear (and washing) and you can get them in about any size and thickness. And they’ve got a cut-away for wither relief.

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/saddle-pads.html

You can try to simulate gullet with the templates, but in my honest opinion, it’s a waste of your time. There are too many other factors that go into western saddle fitting to try to pick one based on gullet size. Plus, a 7" gullet in one brand might fit a horse perfectly, and then a 7" gullet in another brand fits them horrible. Gullet size in the western world are NOT interchangable.

The saddle tree can have flare, rock, twist, and more. All of those things needs to fit the contour of the horse’s back. Here’s some more information on that:
http://www.rodnikkel.com/content/tree-and-saddle-fitting/factors-that-affect-tree-fit/

Basically, if you’ve got a saddle shop near you that has a lot of different saddles in stock, take your horse to the shop and try a bunch on. That’s really the only way to tell if a saddle fits. You’ve got to put it on your horse’s back.

@Dee-Vee;7689609

Most women ride in a size 16. Probably what your mom will ride in.

In a Western saddle? NO.

For the average woman, you’ll want around a 15" for most styles of western saddles.

For myself, I barrel race and I have one barrel racing saddle that is a 14.5" and one that is a 15". I very much like my 14.5" better because it hugs me better. I’ve got thighs and a booty; certainly not a twig but also not overweight. I’m pretty “average”.

[KSAQHA]

[QUOTE=beau159;7704802]

In a Western saddle? NO.

For the average woman, you’ll want around a 15" for most styles of western saddles.

For myself, I barrel race and I have one barrel racing saddle that is a 14.5" and one that is a 15". I very much like my 14.5" better because it hugs me better. I’ve got thighs and a booty; certainly not a twig but also not overweight. I’m pretty “average”.[/QUOTE]
IME, I think 15" is going to be on the small side. I’m 5’7 1/2", 132lbs, size 6, and fairly proportional. I had a 14.5" barrel saddle I rode in for years, but always felt it was on the verge of too small. I have a 16" roping saddle that I tend to slide around in, but it fits a couple of my horses very well, so I keep it. The saddles that fit me best are 15" and 15 1/2", both sizes work for me. A friend, who is a size 14 (which, is the “average’ " size for American women), tried sitting in one of my 15” saddles and deemed it too small for her.

Keeping in mind saddle seat sizing can vary by brand, anyway, it would be best for the OP’s mom to sit in the saddle before purchasing it.

[Bluey]

This is the kind of pad many trainers around here use for every day training, then add a single ply pretty show wool blanket over it for showing in classes where that is necessary:

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/gel-saddle-pad.html#.U-Z1PihiFaU

[Aces_N_Eights]

I have had a couple of the Professionals Choice SMX pads.
One of them was the style you posted but the Charmayne James barrel pad version. My complaint with it was that it is built like two individual pads sewn together in the middle, that seam made it hard for me to keep the pad even when I tented the pad over the withers. It always ended up crooked. A big pet peeve for me.
I had one of the ortho pads with the Navajo top. Loved it for one of our older horses wish I wouldn’t of sold it.
Husband just bought this pad:
http://www.pleasantridge.ca/index.php/western-tack/saddle-pads/professional-s-choice/comfort-fit-western-pad-flagstaff.html
He loves it! It tents well and stays up off the withers, when we pulls it off at the end of the day you can see that it sweats well but breathes. Just used it for a ranch rodeo in the heat, no sliding and didn’t over heat or burn his horse’s back.
Another good thing about PC pads is you have 60(?) days to try it, if it doesn’t work you can send it back. Hubby had tried one that wasn’t contoured, didn’t like it and sent it back no questions asked.

As far as saddle fit. The templates are a good place to start. But other factors like style of tree, tree maker, bar angles, rock, twist along with rigging style and placement will be factors for a good fit.
Seat size will be determined by tree style as well. I range between a 14" to a 15.5" depending on a barrel saddle, cutting, roping or ranch saddle.
I say sit in a lot of saddles and see if you can try a lot of saddles on your horse.

[HicksteadFan]

Thanks. My mom’s now looking at one from pleasant ridge. You can only pick the gullet size and seat size. Unfortunately I do not live anywhere near a good tack shop. There used to be a greenhawk 3 hours away but it closed. We have a tiny tack shop mostly with low quality brushes, halters, leads and western bridles. I once saw a western saddle there. We may have to wait until we move to southern ON or someone happens to have another saddle for sale. Also the one we tried was a 16. It was ok for me but I thought it was small for my mom. Its for trail rides once or twice a week so a bit big would be better than a bit small.

Aces N Eights I’ll show my mom that saddle pad. She really wants a plain one but not a big deal if it will fit better.

I also was just wondering if any western saddles come with different seat widths? I know there are english saddles specially made for women with wider seats. When I sat in the saddle it seamed like my pelvic bones were right on the corners of the seat. May just be because I’m used to riding in my english saddle which I call “the couch”. Most comfortable saddle at the boarding/lesson barn I ride at.

[Aces_N_Eights]

[QUOTE=HicksteadFan;7707546]

I also was just wondering if any western saddles come with different seat widths? I know there are english saddles specially made for women with wider seats. When I sat in the saddle it seamed like my pelvic bones were right on the corners of the seat. May just be because I’m used to riding in my english saddle which I call “the couch”. Most comfortable saddle at the boarding/lesson barn I ride at.[/QUOTE]

On most manufactured saddle seat width may not be an optionand is going to vary by saddle type and maker but there are a few out there usually advertised as “ladies” saddles. I found that most barrel saddles that I’ve ridden have a narrower seat.
Here is one that advertises a narrower seat:
http://mccallsaddle.com/lady_wade.php

If you get bored and want to wade through a bunch of saddle tree information this is a good read:
http://saddlemakers.org/id193.htm

[DressageFancy]

[QUOTE=Aces N Eights;7708725]
On most manufactured saddle seat width may not be an optionand is going to vary by saddle type and maker but there are a few out there usually advertised as “ladies” saddles. I found that most barrel saddles that I’ve ridden have a narrower seat.
Here is one that advertises a narrower seat:
http://mccallsaddle.com/lady_wade.php

If you get bored and want to wade through a bunch of saddle tree information this is a good read:
http://saddlemakers.org/id193.htm[/QUOTE]

The Lady Fabtron is built for women. Look it up on line. It is not an expensive saddle a saddles go. Nice lower mid price range. I really love mine and I do use the saddle pad your mother is looking at. Mine has the felt bottom. It works for me and my mare.

[HicksteadFan]

The Lady Fabtron is nice. And yes a good price considering we got the used saddle package (from kijiji) for $500. And the saddle we tried was a barrel saddle.