I’ve spent almost 30% of my budget working with different reps, shippings saddles in and out over the past several months. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a saddle that fits and now after spending so much I definitely don’t have the budget for a custom/new. At most I can do is 3k. I was hoping these Stubben’s I got in would work but both are sitting cantle low. would using a rear shim be an appropriate fix? I currently ride him in a CWD. I’m honestly burnt out by saddle shopping and at this point I do not think there is a saddle that will fit him unless it’s a custom. ![IMG_5355|375x500]
All I can say is I don’t love rear shims - they rarely fix the balance issue for the rider and often just drive the tree points down into the horse. Typically (obligatory not-a-fitter), sitting cantle low = too narrow for the horse’s conformation. Or too A frame. Going up a tree size sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.
I’m sorry to hear about the saddle struggle. I have 1000% been in your shoes before and it’s so frustrating.
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I know I shouldn’t but I’m throwing in the towel and just keeping my cwd. i can’t keep wasting money trying out saddles unfortunately. If I go wider, I lack wither clearance. Stubben has had the best wither clearance on him but still has the issue of being cantle low 🥲
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Not sure if you are interested in the brand, but Loxley runs about 3k fully custom. I’m not a fitter so won’t comment on fit… but will agree regarding rear shims not helping fit. They seemed to make the back more balanced for me in one saddle, but caused a lot of bridging.
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If you haven’t already, you might try doing a remote fitting with Pelham Saddlery. They maintain a stock of used saddles and some new, and they’re pretty good at working from tracings.
https://www.pelhamsaddlery.net/tack/saddlesforsale.html
That said, what don’t you like about how your current saddle fits? Or is the issue less about how it fits the horse and more about how it fits you or suits your riding?
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I honestly don’t wana do another online saddle fitting, I really think someone needs to be there physically. It’s too wide, has short tree points, and not enough wither clearance. All big issues for me
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It would be helpful if you posted full side photos without the pads. You’ve got quite a lot going on there with the half pad and the regular pad so it’s hard to see how the saddle actually fits. Yes, it looks a tad cantle low, but how about without the half pad? And have you had a fitter come in to look at the flocking? The wool in the Stubben panels can be adjusted; the CWD is foam.
There’s a big difference between how a Stubben fits and how a CWD fits. To begin with, CWDs have short tree points, whereas Stubbens have long points. If your horse has much of a withers, the long tree points are going to protect the trapezius muscles much better. The spring tree in the Stubben is also more accurately assessed with a rider in the saddle.
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Right. And neither CWD or Stubben usually have options for skid row/drop/K panels - hard to tell from these pics but it looks like this horse has some withers and may need something like those. Also something like County or Black Country or Loxley have drastically different shapes vs CWD or Stubben.
Is the CWD a poor fit for horse or rider? Is the horse showing signs of soreness? If the CWD fits and the rider is comfortable, don’t fix what ain’t broken. I’m just wondering what triggered the saddle shopping!
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My cwd is too wide, not enough wither clearance and has short tree points which aren’t a good fit for him
Hmm - if you sit that saddle on him without a girth and push down and back on the pommel, is that where it “locks in”? Or does it want to sit a little further back? You might be in good balance if you actually sit the saddle back a bit vs up on the withers. No guarantee, but worth trying, looks like he has a long enough back to support that.
He definitely has a classic K panel/drop panel shape, and I’m not surprised the CWD isn’t a good fit. I wouldn’t use it if at all possible.
ETA I’ve seen that professionals choice girth pull saddles forward IRL - that may be part of your issue. Again, not a fitter but something shaped like the TSF or equifit may help? Or even a straight girth. YMMV
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I can try to move the saddle a little further back. My CWD slips back, I have to usually get off and move back up. I can try another type of girth with the Stubben if that would help
I’d agree with @fivestrideline that you should move the Stubben back a bit and see if it looks to be a better fit then. You don’t want to force the saddle back, but if you put it on where you have it and then move it slowly backwards until it seems to hit a “natural” resting place, you can then evaluate the fit. You might try only using a baby pad underneath it if you want to ride in it and see how it feels.
I don’t like how the County fits at all. Seems too narrow in front.
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Here’s a MN county. Basically no clearance. feels like it would be easier to buy a new horse to find a saddle at this point but I can’t get rid of my baby 
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Hi Winry
A couple of things to try:
One, get an Equimeasure Kit.
These are very helpful in predetermining saddle fit. Yes, they are sorta expensive, but weigh that against your time and frustration with the random process. You can send one to a potential saddle maker as needed (most are more that happy to oblige), but better yet:
Two, You can tuck the Equimeasure under your arm and hit your local consignment tack stores. Armed with the mold, you can sort thru a whole pile of used saddles PDQ, with some reasonable expectation that anything you take home for a final evaluation will be pretty darn close. Or at least you can rest assured that if none of the stock matches the Equimeasure; none of it is gonna work for your horse.
Oh; and any you find that are close, do drop it on their Plastic Pony and try it against your butt before putting a deposit on it.
Finally, one tool I have used to improve an “Almost Fit” to a workable interim solution, is the Parelli Theraflex pad. These are expensive, may be difficult to find (try eBay), and, contrary to their hype, they don’t breathe worth a darn, but they do a great job of evening out saddle contact.
Hope this is helpful; having the right tools is vital to doing a good job. My $.02.
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Have you tried Amerigo? This horse looks like exactly what Amerigo tends to fit for. You may need the long head iron. I actually have an Equipe EKGO for sale that would be an interesting shape for your horse (bought as a good enough for now saddle last year and now too narrow for my horse), but I am sure that it is too wide for yours based on the ones you have posted here.
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That may mean you are setting your saddles too far forward! If the CWD is too wide that can happen too, but the typical H/J “look” you see has the saddles wayyyyy too far forward. I had the same habit for years and had to recalibrate my brain to set the saddles a bit farther back.
Agree that those specific Countys don’t look great. An Amerigo would be a good option, but maybe the Stubben set a bit farther back without a half pad will work. Fingers crossed!
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I’ve seen some Amerigo but idk if the rear gussets are large enough to acclimate for his curvy back. I know for Stubbens I need a +1 gusset but I haven’t been able to find much used unfortunately.
It’s definitely too wide, and I’ve had a few fitters come out to also look at it and each one has told me it doesn’t fit ( unless their lying to sell me a saddle but I doubt it.)
