Saddle search nightmare for a morgan

[famjack02]

Hi guys,

I’m in saddle search hell since 3 month with no end in sight.

My Morgan is a difficult fit with a very sensitive back. He sustain an injury to his longisimus dorsi during his stint in saddle seat with his previous owner. So fit is a make it or break it deal for us.

The biggest issue is that his back changes dramatically when I ride. He is very downhill and curved but when I ride him he lifts his back a lot which changes his whole shape. It’s driving my fitter and me crazy.

Things we tried:
Black country quantum: to tight under stirrup bars
Black country ricochet: bridged not wide enough panels
Schleese jes elite cc: it worked overall ok however it put me into a chair seat and I wasn’t willing to pay 3x a year $400 in saddle fitting
Collegiate diploma: nothing works well,shoulder sore
Bates: tree length shape works but not pommel shape
Baines reflex: overall fit ok but bridges slightly and panels dig into his back
America vega jump: too much curve
Thornhill berlin: panels shape works,length works but I feel far away from my horse.
Kent and masters gp compact or jump: feel like I’m sinking right unto his shoulders. He goes ok till shoulders get sore.
Butterfly saddle: overall ok but pinched shoulders

My fitter and 2 others commented on that he needs a slight curved tree that is wider throughout the pommel without pressure on the trapezius. Short but wide panels that are slightly of full up swept. I don’t mind a medium to wide twist, I actually prefer them

Thank you for any info or advice !!!

I attached my saddle fitting album ( it came this far lol)

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-7QQKkVfdNVd3cteFBGMTB2S28

[soloudinhere]

I have a very similar horse and until he grew up and narrowed down, I used an Antares Evolution w/ gusseted integrated panels and the free shoulder tree.

That saddle’s actually for sale, don’t know what size you’re trying to find.

The same horse now wears a Prestige.

I didn’t have any luck with him with the saddles that were “supposed” to fit these types of horses. He hated how close the british saddles fitted.

[famjack02]

[QUOTE=soloudinhere;8938061]
I have a very similar horse and until he grew up and narrowed down, I used an Antares Evolution w/ gusseted integrated panels and the free shoulder tree.

That saddle’s actually for sale, don’t know what size you’re trying to find.

The same horse now wears a Prestige.

I didn’t have any luck with him with the saddles that were “supposed” to fit these types of horses. He hated how close the british saddles fitted.[/QUOTE]

I’m looking for 17 or 17.5 and a mw or w tree
I hope he will grow up mentally one day but at 10 he looks the way he does lol

[Spud_amp_Saf]

Have you tried a wider tree Stubben? Perhaps a Roxane S or Siegfried in a 31 or 32cm tree? They would have the slightly curvy tree your horse’s back likely requires and the Roxane S has a pretty upswept panel at the back. I found there to be pretty good shoulder room in the wider trees, and you could potentially get a custom within a reasonable budget.

I would also look into Albion for this type.

[famjack02]

[QUOTE=Spud&Saf;8938119]
Have you tried a wider tree Stubben? Perhaps a Roxane S or Siegfried in a 31 or 32cm tree? They would have the slightly curvy tree your horse’s back likely requires and the Roxane S has a pretty upswept panel at the back.

I would also look into Albion for this type.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, stubben is a brand we haven’t looked into yet. The fitter in our area is very controversial how he fits and left a path of Ill fitting saddles.
Which of the models have a slight curved and shoulder freedom? Do you know?

[no.stirrups]

Harry Dabbs IB tree with upswept performance panel.

Do you know whether the Black Country saddles you tried were on a freedom (hoop) tree?

[riverinthewoods]

Long shot and super expensive, but maybe look into the Prestige S1? If you have a Prestige dealer in the area they should have a model. I’d say you could try mine but not sure where you are.

I have a hard to fit gelding that I bought it for. It moves and adjusts with us and has two trees to help with fit. It can be adjusted to any width.

[Spud_amp_Saf]

For Stubben, I would try the Roxane S first, or a Siegfried, in a 31 or 32 cm tree. I would avoid the NT tree, which is supposed to be flatter.

If you have an independent fitter, you could always pick up a cheap Stubben somewhere (they are easy enough to fine), have the fit assessed and re-sell it if it didn’t work.

[fourfillies]

Tad Coffin A5

[famjack02]

Thank you. How can I tell it has the ib tree?

No they did not had the freedom tree. I was told by his tracings he is not a def. Hoop canidate.if you like I attached his tracings in the link above.

[famjack02]

Thank you. I’ll look into those.

[famjack02]

[QUOTE=riverinthewoods;8938356]
Long shot and super expensive, but maybe look into the Prestige S1? If you have a Prestige dealer in the area they should have a model. I’d say you could try mine but not sure where you are.
QUOTE]

Thanks for the offer. I’m in nc
never heard of this tree. It sounds super interesting but it sure carries a hefty price tag

[jaybird660]

In the Black County, did you try the standard tree or hoop tree?

[famjack02]

Jay, both were regular trees. I was told he is not a hoop tree candidate or borderline for a hoop tree.

[Subira]

Have you looked into the BALANCE saddles? They are also wonderful to talk to and will help you decide if their models will work for your guy. There is a rep in KY, that I could get you in touch with (probably the closest to NC) and you could just get an idea of the saddles and how they would or wouldn’t work for your boy.

[CELook]

Alls I can say is I feel your pain. I have a hard to fit Morgan as well – between dressage and jumping saddle I’ve trialed about 12 saddles. My Morgan also did not look like a hoop tree candidate but when we tried one, he just simply seems to prefer it.

[kashmere]

Another vote for trying a Stubben - a model with the NT tree (rear facing tree points) would be good to pop on him and see how it goes. My mare has large shoulders that are slightly asymmetrical - likely due to some kind of injury before I bought her - and the NT tree was a godsend for us.

[famjack02]

[QUOTE=Subira;8939762]
Have you looked into the BALANCE saddles? They are also wonderful to talk to and will help you decide if their models will work for your guy. There is a rep in KY, that I could get you in touch with (probably the closest to NC) and you could just get an idea of the saddles and how they would or wouldn’t work for your boy.[/QUOTE]

Please send me the info! I’ve been quite curious about them. Thank you

[famjack02]

[QUOTE=CELook;8939793]
Alls I can say is I feel your pain. I have a hard to fit Morgan as well – between dressage and jumping saddle I’ve trialed about 12 saddles. My Morgan also did not look like a hoop tree candidate but when we tried one, he just simply seems to prefer it.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! Those morgans. As he was in the schleese it was fitted as a slight hoop tree and a size wider. He seems to prefer his freedom however it made it all very unstable for me. What gives ??

[famjack02]

Ain’t the nt tree very flat? He has a little curve to his back