Saddle - dressage or gp?

[HH1]

I have a very high withered slightly croup high horse with very broad shoulders and he is pretty wide. Picture a cob with a camels hump at the wither.

Do you think a dressage saddle would be better as it sits behind the shoulder or a gp that goes over the shoulder?

I find my current gp which I am pretty sure no longer fits, is being driven forward into the shoulder. Its like he needs an extra wide gullet to go over his shoulder but then there is not enough to support it anywhere else.

Anybody else found this?

[poltroon]

If you are doing dressage, a dressage saddle is better. If you want to be able to jump, you’re going to need the GP saddle. Either can be made to fit.

[jaybird660]

It’s likely being driven into the shoulder if it doesn’t have the right tree or panel configuration. A croup high horse needs a panel that helps balance the saddle longitudinally, in addition to, being the right shape laterally. The tree points should always be behind the scapula in all cases and the flap, unless super stiff, shouldn’t bother the horse.

[Equibrit]

A saddle suited to your purpose, then fitted to the horse and rider is the ideal. If you want to do do dressage, use a dressage saddle, if you want to trail ride/hunt/etc then get a GP. The IMPORTANT thing is that IT FITS THE HORSE and you correctly. Whatever type of saddle you choose can be made to fit.

[2DogsFarm]

While I agree with Equibrit that saddle has to fit both horse & rider,
IIWM, I’d get the saddle that fits the discipline/style I plan on doing the majority of my riding.
FWIW:
I have jumped (small fences) in a dressage saddle with no thigh blocks & minimal knee roll. Not the best position, but it worked.
The above- described saddle is my choice for trails as well - took me comfortably on a weekend camping trip that included 4h rides.
I also showed H/J & lower level dressage in a deep-seated All Purpose & placed well in both disciplines despite the unorthodox tack.

[Equibrit]

OP may benefit by trying something like this ;
http://www.horsehealth.co.uk/lemieux/corrective-pads/plain-pro-sorb
Without the rear shims. (They also have different shim thicknesses).

If that fixes the problem, get thee to a saddle fitter and have him adjust the panel flocking. You tend to get a forward leg when your butt is skiing down the seat of the saddle towards horsie’s ears ! This happens when the saddle balance is lower at the front, and digs in to the horses shoulder.

[HH1]

Thanks everyone. I do both dressage and jumping but the jumping is really small. I am a total wuss and the horse has been started wrong and flat out panics at jumps but we’ll get to that. Mostly flat work.

[HH1]

Equibox, I have tried a lot of solutions like that but the problem I have is his withers are so wide and high that I can only put so much under the saddle to get clearance before it becomes too tight and it’s usually not enough but in the correct saddle it may well work.

[IndyEquestrian]

An all purpose or dressage saddle could be custom made to fit. . . Are you looking to go custom or off the rack? Do you have pictures of your horse?

[HH1]

I know both should fit if they are the right saddle but hes is complicated. I am trying a dressage in high wither tomorrow so will see what that does behind the shoulder.

Thanks

[Equibrit]

[QUOTE=HH;8305629]
Equibox, I have tried a lot of solutions like that but the problem I have is his withers are so wide and high that I can only put so much under the saddle to get clearance before it becomes too tight and it’s usually not enough but in the correct saddle it may well work.[/QUOTE]

That was a way to suggest a PERMANENT solution. Play with the balance of the saddle until it works with the temporary fix and then, YOU NEED TO GO SEE A SADDLE FITTER.

[HH1]

Unfortunately I am three fitters in, two of three have got it horribly wrong in every way. I tried the dressage saddle. It fits better in a lot of ways but it keeps catching him on the downward angle of his withers .
Ironically the standard has more clearance than the high wither. He really is odd.

I am trying some high withered GP’s today so hold thumbs.

[HH1]

The other problem is he has a short back and my butt fits fine in a 17" gp but I would need a 17.5 dressage and he just cant take that.