New mare saddle woes. Normal pads too long, cantle tips up when cinched

[ThatGirlTina]

Ive had my gelding for 10 years and we have been riding in the same saddle. I had another given to me a few years ago, I use it on occasion on him but rarely.

I just bought a mare a few weeks ago, and she has a very short, round, mutton withered, QH back. None of my saddle pads fit right, all are too long and go past the flanks a tad. Maybe I need a pony pad?

Also my spare saddle, when cinched on her, the cantle tips forward several inches. Seems like a good indicator of poor saddle fit, but where doesnt it fit properly? I feel like I need to know whats wrong before I go looking for ways to make it right. (including getting a new saddle)

I havent done any serious riding on her at home yet, due to saddle/pad fitting issues. But I have ponied her under saddle and done some walking around. I meant to try my regular riding saddle on her and see how it does, but I still have pad length trouble.

Ive browsed several threads that suggest back cinches, but I feel like more than that is needed in this case. Because even with no back cinch the saddle shouldnt tip forward so much after nothing but a front cinch snugging.

[Tee]

Hard to say on the saddle fit without a picture.

For the pads, there are smaller sized pads. I have a Morgan with virtually no back. Anything 32" long runs up his neck and over his hips. But he does well in a 30".

[clanter]

Try a saddle pad made for an Arabian, we has to use those on our Morgans

[ThatGirlTina]

I will measure my current pad size and see what else I can find. She is a 15.1hh STOUT QH/Paint cross. My gelding is also 15.1hh and a sturdy solid QH. But her back is super short and his is fairly normal. Ive never had a good sized QH with this short of a back.

Super comfy to sit on bareback though! Hardly any withers, round squishy short back. (Shes a tad overweight to me). She hasnt been worked in years. Even on our walk around the pasture she got a little winded!

[DeeThbd]

I have it in my head that if the cantle tips up the gullet is too wide…hopefully someone well versed chimes in!

[aktill]

What Dee said. Though riding without a rear cinch is still a really bad idea IMO, tipping significantly is usually an indication that the front half of the saddle isn’t fitting well.

[Bluey]

Generally when that happens with a horse standing there, not one that is somewhat cinchy and tightens bringing it’s back up, that means the saddle is too wide in front and/or has too much rock to the bars, are more banana shaped, than the horse’s back needs.

Either way, that tends to put more of the weight in a smaller area, even if it didn’t impinge directly on the spine.

Better have someone that knows help you see what is going on there and how to correct that, or find a saddle that fits better.

Many reiner runs, if you watch the videos, in the fast big circles, the saddle tends to come up behind a few inches, because the horse rounds it’s back so much.
That is normal, but not when that happens just by cinching.

[JamieD]

Having a mutton withered, short backed QH myself, I feel your pain. I usually go with a 30x30 pad. My first thought with the cantle tipping up would be to use wither shims to build up the front of the saddle, because the gullet of the saddle may be too wide for her. A back cinch could also help with keeping the back of the saddle down, but it wont fix the poor fit of the front. But I am no saddle expert by any means, so I would have someone experienced take a look at it for you and give you some suggestions.

[ThatGirlTina]

Hey! Update! I tried a pad with wither shims and it helped greatly. Saddle sits more evenly, she moved better and seemed more at ease.

[beau159]

[QUOTE=ThatGirlTina;8206582]
Hey! Update! I tried a pad with wither shims and it helped greatly. Saddle sits more evenly, she moved better and seemed more at ease.[/QUOTE]

Are there pictures you can post?

Keep in mind that shimming a saddle can work if you have an “almost” fit … but they won’t be a good enough band-aid for a saddle that doesn’t fit at all.

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=Bluey;8191854]
Generally when that happens with a horse standing there, not one that is somewhat cinchy and tightens bringing it’s back up, that means the saddle is too wide in front and/or has too much rock to the bars, are more banana shaped, than the horse’s back needs…[/QUOTE]

Exactly what Bluey said.

[craz4crtrs]

Also a saddle that just doesn’t fit in the shoulders will do this. My cowhorse saddle wasn’t wide enough and way too straight in the shoulders. That made the saddle to tip up. It didn’t go on her shoulders far enough to be be too wide. So too narrow and perched up there can make the back pop up.

[ThatGirlTina]

Yes well while the thicker shims worked in making the saddle more even, it still isnt a good fit. Took her to vet for a work up (Shes new to me) and we messed with the saddles some… When I put another of my saddles on her, (the only one in my trailer tack at the time) its like putting an V on a barrel. Theres about a 1 1/2 inch space above her spine, can see its not form fitting to her. Like its perched up there. Still working on things, only riding 1-2 times a week at a walk for now due to minor injury but will need a better fitting saddle for when we start some more serious work.

Will take pics after the weekend, no good saddle fitters or reputable tack shops in town that I know of. There is a saddle repair shop I thought about asking around at. But most tack places around here have anywhere from 2 to 15 saddles tops. Many work only on consignment in saddle sales. May have to haul a tad to have a professional assessment if thats what it comes to.