Saddle fit questions..

[KSquared]

It has been awhile since I have had to fit a saddle to a horse. When I got my gelding his saddle fit him… now that he has gained some weight his saddle is pinching his withers.

Here is my question…If it is pinching it is too narrow for him right and he needs a wider gullet?

(I know the pad is too high, the pad is way too long for him and needed to be up on the neck otherwise it was on his rear…I don’t ride him yet)

He has gained 300 pounds since I took these photos, as of now the saddle pinches his withers. I have been told it sits too low… Does that mean it is too wide or too narrow?

Sorry for the newb questions. This aussie fit my mare great but I sold her and now am trying to fit a saddle to my gelding.

[Kitt]

The saddle is sitting very close to the withers, but the width seems within the acceptable range, at least from what I can see in the photos. It’s possible that adding some flocking might help (some Aussie saddles have flocked panels, but I can’t tell for sure if this one does). It’s also possible that the saddle tree may be too curved, and the girth is pulling the saddle down in front while it pops up in back, or it could be that the panels aren’t quite right. Can you post more photos? They’d be a help.

[KSquared]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a104/OTheMessiahO/IMG_20121120_123421_zps68a03b2b.jpg

Here is a full body of the saddle on him.

[KSquared]

If I understand the width is good, but maybe he would do well with a cutback saddle? Or wedging the sides up a bit?

I am looking to buy a new one and sell my Aussie. I like it but I want something lighter for endurance.

[KSquared]

If I understand the width is good, but maybe he would do well with a cutback saddle? Or wedging the sides up a bit?

I am looking to buy a new one and sell my Aussie. I like it but I want something lighter for endurance.

[Kitt]

Cutbacks really don’t do much, sadly, since wither clearance often is an issue all the way back to the stirrup bar area. I’d look into possibly having it flocked up, or having a good fitter take a look and offering input. As I said earlier, it may be that the tree’s the wrong shape, or the panel config. just isn’t right.

[csaper58]

If you place the saddle on his back, (without doing the girth), and walk him around does the saddle scoot forwards twords his neck, or slip back twords his hips?
I was told forward= the tree was too narrow. Back twords hip= tree was too wide.
Then of corse there is the issue of bar angle. Your saddle looks a little wide in the gullet, and the angle of the bars looks too flared for your horse. I have the same problem with one of my saddles. There is no way to correct this.
www.schleese.com/9PointCheckList Has a great video that explains gullet width and bar angles and much more. They use dressage saddles for the demo but all the info applies to aussie saddles and western saddles too.

[KSquared]

I took my aussie to a local saddle consignment shop. She has some great saddles on consignment, including a great looking adjustable gullet Wintec english type. I may consider it. I am also looking at some flextree or treeless saddles.

[KSquared]

I had my saddle up for consignment. Someone noticed that the tree is BROKEN…

The shop owner had someone take a look at it and it is indeed broken. I am not sure when that happened. I haven’t used it in may years. I feel so horrible that I was cranking a broken saddle down on him.

I bought a new lovely suede and synthetic aussie saddle for him though. I feel so bummed that I hurt him.