Saddle fit question - short term options for poor wither clearance

[knic13]

I have a 3 yr old OTTB with very high withers. My current saddle (older crosby xl AP that I have hung onto since high school) appears to fit ok from the ground but when mounted the wither clearance is poor.

I am wondering if there are any pad options that can help with this problem in the short term. It doesn’t make sense for me to invest in a new saddle since he is going to change so much in the coming months and since I don’t have an indoor I won’t be putting many rides on him this fall anyway.

Riding this fall consists of hacking out in the field while the weather permits and since I live in Minnesota that could end any day now ;). He will get the winter off from riding and I will focus on groundwork and then I plan to shop for a used close contact in the spring.

Any advice on a short term fix would be greatly appreciated!

Also, if anyone wants to chime in on used CC to look for this spring that would be awesome too.

Thanks!

[woodhillsmanhattan]

A pommel pad. Can get them on bitofbritain or there is a nice lady on eBay that will make you one.

[Bogie]

It depends on how low the clearance is. If the saddle is level but just too wide (not enough clearance) probably just a thicker pad will give you enough height. Or you can one of the shimmable pads. There are several available. I have a Mattes pad (no sheepskin)that works great.

I think you need to be careful about just raising the pommel because you can end up causing pressure points in other places.

[jaybird660]

He is likely to change a fair amount. I would get a pad that you can shim in the 4 quadrants. That way you can add or take a way as needed. You can stack shims or stack and add a half shim. I cut extras out of yoga mats for fitting using the different shim templates.

You can also ask a fitter to “flock” the shim slot for more depth if needed. I wouldn’t wash it with the flocking, though.

[Belmont]

When I talked to a fitter once before when my budget was much more minimal, she suggested the Lami-Cell pad to be ridden with my Crosby. It’s done great, and it’s one of my favorite pads. However, a pad that can be shimmed different ways is a great option too. I just couldn’t afford a $200 pad at that time.

[akhunterrider]

Equine comfort products makes some reasonably priced shimmable pads. You can sometimes find them on eBay or English tack trader on Facebook for less also

[Sport]

I use one like this one on ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fleece-Wither-relief-half-pad-back-pad-horse-/181906707786

It provides padding where they can be hollow at the shoulder to lift the pad, but then doesn’t put anything extra on the withers to press down.

[Bogie]

This is what I use. It’s very helpful to be able to adjust the fit of the saddle as needed, not just to lift the front.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mattes-Correction-Half-Pad-/191724568273?hash=item2ca3acbed1:g:ECEAAOSwT5tWJW

[Heinz_57]

[QUOTE=akhunterrider;8377440]
Equine comfort products makes some reasonably priced shimmable pads. You can sometimes find them on eBay or English tack trader on Facebook for less also[/QUOTE]

I got an ECP shimmable half pad (with all the shims!) for $35 at a tack sale a few weeks ago. No sheepskin, which I don’t need anyway, since I’m using it on top of a regular pad and I hate having to clean sheepskin anyway. It’s one of those items I don’t see myself ever selling!

[jaybird660]

ECP, as others suggested are very reasonably priced and I was told by them that they are made in the same factory as Mattes. The shims are not the same but you can also make your own to supplement as I mentioned above.

[caryledee]

I was having the same problem. I had a ECP shim pad, but it was not enough because those shims compress so much once you are in the saddle. The Yoga mat is a great idea to combat this! I ended up using a Roma wither relief pad and cut a slot out for the withers. This worked best for me!

[fordtraktor]

the old Beval therapeutic pads are good for this. Super thick and dense wool.

What is your saddle budget going to be approximately? That will help us suggest more easily.

[knic13]

Thanks for all of the replies!! Especially ones with links to exact pads.

I would like to stay in the $500-800 range on a used saddle this spring, recognizing that his back will still change a lot in the next couple years and this likely will not be the saddle I keep long term.

[ammy-ville]

I love the fleeceworks shimable pads, they are pricey but will work well beyond your current situation.

That said, as long as you aren’t jumping, if you have any clearance, even tight, you will likely be okay for what you describe. Some horses are manic about their saddle fit (usually manic about everything) but most are pretty tolerant if they aren’t working hard.

I personally am neurotic about fit, because I am a heavier rider, but in all honesty, my neurosis hasn’t really seemed to make much difference to my girl. She just keeps trucking no matter what I do.
B

[Bogie]

@ammy-ville;8382786

That said, as long as you aren’t jumping, if you have any clearance, even tight, you will likely be okay for what you describe. Some horses are manic about their saddle fit (usually manic about everything) but most are pretty tolerant if they aren’t working hard.

This.

[knic13]

[QUOTE=Bogie;8382916]
This.[/QUOTE]

Great point and it makes me feel better about continuing to ride in my current set up.

I am going to keep an eye out for a reasonably priced used shimmable pad but realistically I don’t have many rides left until the weather turns and have been keeping sessions low key and short. We have been working on advanced concepts such as moving in a straight line and steering

[fredrich]

I ran into a similar issue with a young horse and needed a bit more than a half pad with shims. I bought a diamond wool endurance pad–these are inch thick really high quality wool felt with a wither cutout–a tad long but very manageable and under $100. you don’t need the canvas covered version–I used that with a baby pad under to keep it clean.

These are available all over --Stateline tack or just google diamond wool endurance pad

[Bogie]

[QUOTE=fredrich;8382974]
I ran into a similar issue with a young horse and needed a bit more than a half pad with shims. I bought a diamond wool endurance pad–these are inch thick really high quality wool felt with a wither cutout–a tad long but very manageable and under $100. you don’t need the canvas covered version–I used that with a baby pad under to keep it clean.

These are available all over --Stateline tack or just google diamond wool endurance pad[/QUOTE]

I tried one of these years ago and found them too stiff and too thick. I guess it depends on how much clearance you need. Right now I have a saddle that fits my draft x well but is a bit too wide on my TB. My saddle fitter checked the fit with a fitted pad plus a supracor half pad and that’s enough for him, plus the fitting on the Supracor pad makes it stable. It’s hard to know without seeing the fit of the saddle how much lift is needed.

[BeeHoney]

Spine clearance is an important part of saddle fit. I own a couple of horses with prominent spines, and here’s what I think. I would start by trying a half pad with shims and an un-padded section down the spine of the pad. The super squishy shims don’t seem to work as well, they seem to smush down to nothing once you sit in the saddle. For this type of situation, I prefer the thin line half pads, as the shims do not squish down and give you a very predictable result.

Now, if your horse also has hollow areas behind the withers, there also are some jelly half pads that are shaped to fill that area in.

To double check your result, have a person on the ground check for spine clearance while you are seated on the horse. Remember, even if the pommel of the saddle has enough clearance, there still could be an issue with clearance a little further back.

Remember, even if there is some clearance, it may not be enough as you land from a jump, or when the horse is in motion, etc.

I’m NOT one of those people that thinks that every horse needs a custom saddle, but spine clearance is a pretty primary issue. If I were you, I would go ahead and buy that new saddle now. Horses DO change some, but honestly, usually not that much IME. I’ve had one or two that have changed drastically, many others barely change at all. IME TBs change the least, unless they are super skinny and unmuscled to begin with.

[knic13]

[QUOTE=BeeHoney;8383377]
Spine clearance is an important part of saddle fit. I own a couple of horses with prominent spines, and here’s what I think. I would start by trying a half pad with shims and an un-padded section down the spine of the pad. The super squishy shims don’t seem to work as well, they seem to smush down to nothing once you sit in the saddle. For this type of situation, I prefer the thin line half pads, as the shims do not squish down and give you a very predictable result.

Now, if your horse also has hollow areas behind the withers, there also are some jelly half pads that are shaped to fill that area in.

To double check your result, have a person on the ground check for spine clearance while you are seated on the horse. Remember, even if the pommel of the saddle has enough clearance, there still could be an issue with clearance a little further back.

Remember, even if there is some clearance, it may not be enough as you land from a jump, or when the horse is in motion, etc.

I’m NOT one of those people that thinks that every horse needs a custom saddle, but spine clearance is a pretty primary issue. If I were you, I would go ahead and buy that new saddle now. Horses DO change some, but honestly, usually not that much IME. I’ve had one or two that have changed drastically, many others barely change at all. IME TBs change the least, unless they are super skinny and unmuscled to begin with.[/QUOTE]

I have to respectfully disagree, based on my own experience with ottb, that some pretty major changes take place in the first 6 months or so. Coming down from racing fit, while also adding at least one BCS and being only 3 all together result in a lot of changes across the top line. Keep in mind this is with horses coming directly off the track and not through a trainer/group rehoming them.

I do agree that after this initial period the changes are much less dramatic than we might see in other horses bc tb have been bred for early maturity.

I do appreciate the comment on spinal fit throughout and will be sure to have a second evaluate from the ground while mounted.

I should mention that there is some clearance while mounted, the saddle is not sitting directly on his withers but it’s not ideal. However, his behavior does not indicate any major issues although the fact that I am keeping riding sessions short only 3 days a week (partly due to work getting in the way) likely helps this.