Hi- I wasn’t sure where to post this. It’s not super specific to a discipline maybe western or trail riding. But here goes. I bought a huge horse to ride trail and mess around in the arena on. I have never had a horse this wide. I couldn’t get a saddle to fit so I bought one which fits him fine. My problem is ME, I am finding no matter what I do he feels like he rolls, or the saddle rolls in the back. My poor hips are killing me. I do not have a rear cinch, not sure if that would help? I am at a loss. He’s just rolling side to side is what it feels like. And my back and hips constantly are compensating for the roll. At a brisk walk it is worse, and of course turns. Any suggestions? Is this normal for an extra wide horse and I just didn’t know? It’s almost better if I have him move out and trot, I can post and balance myself, less roll. Or gait but he is so out of shape gaiting is very hard for him to maintain.
As the owner/rider of the extra-wide bodies, I’m gonna tell ya straight: Get a professional saddle fitter out and buy custom. Truly… I went thru countless saddles for my Clydesdale/Standardbred mare. She’s short coupled, extra-wide and scoopy-backed. NOTHING fit properly. She was miserable. I was miserable.
I sucked it up and called my local County Saddle rep. Tried 3 different models of Dressage Saddle till my butt landed in the Perfection. The heavens opened, the sun shown down and I cried. I asked the mare to do a strong walk up hill and for the first time in 3 years, FELT her back lift under me. Asked for an extended trot and actually got one, because her shoulders were freed up.
I call that saddle Saddle Nirvana. So much so, that when I bought my Percheron/QH cross mare, I ordered another County Perfection.
Cheap? No way. Worth it? Every stinkin’ penny. They fit the horse, they fit me and we’re both comfortable for hours.
Well, I am the saddle fitter. And it’s a western saddle that fits like a glove. Super stable front to back, does not slide. But the whole back end rolls around at a brisk walk. He’s got the weirdest stride I have ever felt. This is the second saddle I have tried. Both fit. Both roll and waggle side to side. I am at a loss.
I have started down this road with my 3.5 year old Fjord. Right now I am just riding him bareback until I can get a saddle fitter out lol.
Background, I have a Wintec wide AP which I am hoping can be adjusted to fit him better with the CAIR pads and gullet system and can continue to be adjusted until he is done growing and filling out and I have a better idea of his adult form. I am not that knowledgeable about saddle fitting myself so I’m hoping to learn more. I have had him since the middle of July and we started off with girth issues pretty quick…switched from a neoprene after a girth gall healed to a total saddle fit fleece which started new issues shortly. He also has started showing some white hair on his left side under the saddle and one pad, in particular, causes uneven sweat patterns. Back to bareback for us for now at least, I have far more miles on him bareback at this point than I do with a saddle. Thankfully he’s quite comfy and very chill.
Good luck, I feel your struggle.
Oh boy… alrighty then! 
- Maybe tack him up and ground drive him to see his movement or get someone else to ride so you can watch?
Good idea! Let me see what I can do. That’s probably the ticket.
I have one… Rubenesque girl who is now slimmer than she has been in years but still very wide. Scoopy back so draft saddles didn’t fit. Mutton withers so needed U-hoop not V frame. I got her a very good quality treeless western saddle that you can’t really tell is treeless when looking at it so it solved her problems. She is 15.3 with flat shorter strides at all gaits so thank goodness I don’t experience the issue you describe. But as a 5’4" middle aged woman I am just always not quite comfortable on her… Just too wide for my hips and my lower back and ankles get aggravated.
Yours may just not “fit” you…
Is it possible the saddle is too long for his back? You might get some “wagging” if that’s the case. If not, perhaps try a non-slip pad to see if will help stabilize? I used to have a wide-backed, no withers Arab and the right pad made a huge difference in saddle stability.
Another who used a county on my wide warmblood mare.
She was too wide for my mom who 2 decades later needed a new hip.
If your saddles girth is tight, and it’s still rolling/sliding, it doesn’t fit.
On the wide barrel shaped ones if the saddle is still too narrow it will slide to the side. Sometimes to one side, sometimes both sides. You may need a hoop tree type saddle.
- owner of a round, wide horse
I think I know what you mean: not that the saddle moves on the horse, but rather that you, the saddle and the horse feel a lot of movement.
Have you tried a shorter skirt to reduce how much the hind end movement affects your seat?
it is probably a combination of the width of your horse and the way it moves.
I sold a horse last year because my old hips just couldn’t handle her width and the additional sashay of her big moving hind end. Some horses are just more exhausting and demanding.
I ended up going the custom route for my short backed, mutton withered, propane tank. What I found after trialing many saddles is that “close contact” saddles killed my hips. My knees felt like they were at my ears.
my bespoke saddle fitter actually built up my saddle so I’m sitting quite a bit above my horse allowing my legs to fall in a natural position in a more A shape instead of the U.
Possibly a seat saver that lifts you up might help.
I once pulled a horse out of the hat at a college show who came with the notes: “rides like a washing machine.” I think some horses are just uncomfortable to sit on, bless their hearts.
Omg! Too funny
Would you consider trail riding in an English saddle? I’ve always had hip and knee problems in Western saddles, so I use a dressage saddle for trail riding. I also find the deep seat and knees rolls add security going up and down hills.
Duett Saddles are made for wide horses. I’ve known one person who had a “Tango” on a very wide horse and it worked well.
I have an Irish Draught mare and she’s about as wide as can I imagine. Although she does have a bit of a wither as well.
In an English saddle, go for a hoop tree. Nothing else will fit. Really. Duett makes hoop trees, Frank Baines does, Balance International as well, Smith-Worthington makes a few of its saddles with hoop trees, and there may be others out there as well.
Then, use a contoured girth as well, like a County Logic.
Right now I ride my horse in a Smith-Worthington close contact with a hoop tree and a County Logic girth, and a Balance International dressage saddle with a hoop tree. No rolling.
We had a Highland Pony. They are a great breed but they are built like little tanks. We had the same problem with saddle fit for her so we contacted Duett and they sent out a saddle fitter who helped us fit the right all purpose saddle for her. The quality of the saddle was excellent and they were nice to deal with. They had a number of saddles for different disciplines, so it might be worth checking them out. Good luck!
