Reminder: maybe it's not you after all (aka, check your saddle fit!)

[alisa]

I’ve been struggling for what feels like ~ 18 months - always feeling like I was leaning forward and couldn’t keep my shoulders back. I seriously thought I had just forgotten how to ride (for context, I’ve shown up to PSG, so it’s not like I’m new to this!). New horse has had some mild back tenderness here and there, so thought I should get my saddle checked for her sake. I just got my saddle back from the fitter, and can not believe the difference it made in my seat! I can sit up effortlessly. He had even said when he looked at it the first time that it was tipping me forward, but I didn’t believe him (I never feel like I was “tipping” forward, just slouching). What a difference a balanced saddle made for me - now let’s just hope my pony likes it, too!

Anyone else have any “d’oh!” moments, where you wish you hadn’t waited so long to fix something? I just can’t believe how many hours I’ve spent in this saddle, struggling with my position. Now I can finally see what faults I actually have, ha!

[Training_Cupid]

Lol I wish I could blame my saddle. Nope, that’s just how I ride!

[Ready_To_Riot]

This is exactly what makes it so hard for me to find a saddle! For so long I thought it was ME! Its not!!! Its my horses build that makes off the rack saddles not work, but I kept trying to make them!

[soloudinhere]

@Training Cupid

Lol I wish I could blame my saddle. Nope, that’s just how I ride!

Yeah, I struggle as a short, fluffier than I’d like to be person with 20 years of riding hunters. I just can’t balance upright like that. Working on it.

[BigMama1]

I hear you! For the past month I’ve been struggling with getting my stirrups to feel even, struggling with my balance and almost completely lost the ability to turn to the right without my horse’s body bulging out to the left. Lightbulb moment when I realized the saddle itself was crooked.

[keysfins]

Yes! Saddle fit horse, but I kept fighting with my leg position, due to position of thigh blocks.

Borrowed my trainer’s saddle and voila! Legs draped naturally, knees/thighs/pelvis not locked by thigh blocks, seatbones not fighting the saddle, upper body is upright, and correct balance restored. Never realized how much I was fighting the saddle.

Ordered my own (same) saddle with a wider tree, and horse was even happier.

[tbchick84]

This happened to me with my jump saddle. After spending years being pitched forward every time we went over a fence, and that it was my bad position to blame, I bought a used high end saddle. Problem was instantly fixed. My position and security in the saddle was night & day.

[RedHorses]

Yes, twice last year in fact! The first time it was because the stuffing had packed down a bit over my horse’s shoulders and was pommel low. The interesting part was that I couldn’t even ride my other horse bareback without issues. Got the saddle adjusted and was fine.

In the fall I had the other horse’s dressage saddle fit due to muscle loss. Like magic he could trot over poles without taking a short step in front of the first pole! So that was a horse thing not a rider position thing, but it had never occurred to me that the saddle was forcing the short step.