Like the title says, the cantle of the saddle seems laterally unstable. Girthed up riding tight I can easily drag the back half of the saddle back and forth across the horse’s back. The saddle in question has a hoop tree.
Does this sound normal?
I have the saddle on trial and am unwilling to post pictures on the off chance it gets back to the seller.
It’s a sign the saddle doesn’t fit your particular horse. What does it do if you longe? Does it pop up and down or wobble side to side?
This can be due to the wither gullet being too wide and the saddle tilting forward and popping up.
I don’t know why it should offend the seller. Nothing’s wrong with the saddle, it’s just the wrong size for your horse.
It doesn’t fit. It also could be that the tree points are too short for your horse’s shape.
It doesn’t appear to move at all when I lunge.
No but the seller might be offended that I’m questioning their proclamation that the saddle does fit my horse.
Thank you.
Ah a fitter that makes sense. Not just random seller.
It sounds like it doesn’t fit. While your horse might need a hoop tree this one sounds too wide
Interestingly, two sizes present the same way. I do not believe they are both too wide based on other markers.
Are you sure you need a hoop?
Picture? The other option is the tree is too curvy for the flatter back, or the panels are upswept and not sitting ON the back but rather hovering above the back
He’s on the “cusp” per a few fitters. Broad back but withers.
The hard part is proving to be finding something in the configuration of width and seat size we need without spending 5k
The panels are upswept. He’s flat backed but not too flat and not particularly long in the back.
Maybe he should be a driving horse 
IME upswept panels aren’t appropriate for a flatter back UNLESS their back is short enough that the panels need to sweep up to avoid ending up behind the last rib - my big WB was like that.
This is where a good side picture of the saddle on and girthed, but no pad, will help a lot.
Loxley has full custom saddles for under 4k with a variety of trees. I have one with a hoop tree and one with a adjustable classic tree.
Yes that’s exactly why we tried the upswept panels.
I will PM you some pics if you’re really interested. The seller believes the saddle fits and I would rather not offend the seller if this thread by chance came to their attention
Yes I chatted with you on another thread about them! There isn’t a rep local or even semi local to me but I might reach out about a virtual fitting
Yesterday i found out just how immobile the cantle was when girthed, i ride my mare in a cantle riser and i had to undo the girth to insert. At first i just dropped it a few holes, but i still couldn’t get it in there right, so i completely undid. Out of curiosity i checked the fit (a different horse and a different saddle) on my gelding that was standing nearby… nope. Snug as a bug in a rug.
Now, this guy sounds like a body shape like yours. a QH type horse, boad back, nice withers who is perfectly fitted in a 189.00 cheap synthetic saddle. You could order one from stateline tack and return if it doesn’t fit…what have you got to lose?
Lucky you that your horse goes in an inexpensive saddle.
not just one horse…all of them. they go well because the saddle fit them.
i have three of synthetics. two different widths of dressage saddles and one thorowgood ap.
I’m not sure how this advice at all helps this poster? She doesn’t seem to have three+ saddles available to her.
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