Saddle Fit Issue? Pics included

[Against_All_Odds1]

![]( purchased my saddle a little over a year ago. I had it fitted by the tack store I bought it from then professionally fitted 1 month later by an independent saddle fitter. It is wool flocked with a wood tree and I thought the tree might need to be let out a hair (1/8 -1/4") The fitter said the back of the saddle was extremely over stuffed and when he removed the excess wool the saddle felt much better. However, I have noticed that the sweat marks left have sort of “stained” her coat in the perfect shape of the saddle. I spoke with the store I purchased it from and they said some saddles can block sweat glands and maybe that is causing it. I’m wondering if the saddle is too tight? These are perfect, even on both sides, making it look like she’s wearing a leopard saddle outline. She is not sore to the touch or making any fuss under saddle.

Not the greatest photos but…

Photos of the saddle on:
[IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/2lm4coj.png)
[IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/keai4k.png)

Photo of the pattern:
[IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/23lml1c.jpg)

Thoughts?

[rememberthenight]

Black horses are the most likely to have sweat or sun burns on. I found careful hosing and a slight bath helped prevent the obvious sweat burns, but paprika and keeping inside or covered with a kook coat sheet or something similar worked best. It can be hard to keep some black horses black, and probably has nothing to do with the actual saddle but wij the sweat!

[akhunterrider]

My black horse is only black a very small window of the year. What’s left of his winter coat is kind of coppery right now. He was a buckskin by the end of summer last year. So far the summer coat that is visible looks fairly black, but we’ll see. He will be wearing a fly sheet most if not all of the summer, as he lives outside.

[Against_All_Odds1]

Thanks guys! She does bleach out in the summer but this saddle mark remains year round. I’ve had other saddles and never this problem.

[no.stirrups]

I can’t really tell much about the saddle fit from these pictures, but I’m not seeing or reading anything that indicates a problem either. You might try a wool pad since natural fibers breathe better and absorb sweat better than synthetics.

[Against_All_Odds1]

Phew thanks guys! Seems the consensus is just sweat stains so I can avoid finding another fitter. Most of her pads are either all cotton baby pads or ogilvy baby pads but we do use a thinline trifecta halfpad. I’d kind of like to keep this shock absorbing layer if possible. Does anyone know if these breath?

[no.stirrups]

They do not. Only natural fibers will breathe. Cotton does, but baby pads are so thin that there is no room for air. Your horse would probably be more comfortable with a thicker (natural) fleece pad than with the combination of baby pad and thinline.