Western saddle solution for gnarly withers/back?

[Amber_M]

My boyfriend’s horse is a giant retired SWB hunter.

At this point, his back slopes pretty harshly and he has a TB-esque shark fin. He is a definitely “lollipop pad” candidate but I’m thinking this sort of quick fix doesnt work on a western saddle.

He already needs a massive cinch b/c his girth/chest is huge so I don’t want to stack the pads up too much a la The Princess and the Pea, but any tricks for getting a good pad to go under boyfriend’s roping saddle? I’ve tried a super plush fleece pad, and one of those closed-cell foam pads, neither seem to put and keep the saddle where it needs to be. Even bareback you can’t sit at the right place on him because it’s such a sharp angle.

As it is right now, we’re using a bareback pad, but poor BF’s butt hurts! This guy is so bony I refuse to ride him from the crotch trauma

ETA- Heres the best pic I can find of what we’re working with

[cmdrcltr]

On my shark-finned saddlebred I used the biofit correction pad. http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=b9b0256f-ac3a-4b86-90e9-a7f888a0e4ea&gas=biofit

It worked great for him, making the saddle sit balanced. However, you do need to have the right size bars on the saddle to begin with.

It’s expensive, but worth it. Actually, I’ve sold that horse and the pad is sitting unused . . .

[MunchkinsMom]

On my narrow shark finned QH, I use the Professional Choice Ortho sport pad, that is cut back and built up for those hollows next to the withers.

http://store.profchoice.com/product-p/arsp.htm

I highly recommend it.

[HenryisBlaisin]

Cashel makes wedge pads that can build up either the front or rear of a Western saddle. My QH is downhill built, so my saddle fitter recommended one that lifts the front of the saddle a bit, and it has made a huge difference in fit for him. If his build is more of a swayback, there are Western pads for that specific issue as well.

But as was said before, you have to have the right tree size on the saddle to begin with, or no pad is going to make up for it.

[DeeThbd]

I have a Simco Rusty Taylor gaited horse saddle, and it seems to offer a good bit of wither clearance for my OTTBs
http://www.chicksaddlery.com/page/CDS/PROD/SIMCO/SC1003
Reinsman also makes a sway-back pad, though I find the grippy rubber tends to make them sweat up quite a bit
http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/reinsman-contour-swayback-pad.html
Good luck!
Dee

[JetsBuddy]

I had a Mexican Mustang with shark fin withers. He was only 14 hands but we had to use a saddle with a wide gullet (7 inches) and a high port (the height under the pommel) plus an impact gel pad with a wither cut out. The impact gel pad evened out the tough spots, and the gullet, port and cut out on the pad assured that the saddle would give him enough wither clearance without bridging across the withers. We also used a fleece girth since anything else would give him girth galls. He was a black bay and had white hairs from ill fitting that was used before we had him so it had been an ongoing problem. My daughter did barrel racing and gaming on him and he did great with this set up. When we did ride him bareback, we used a Christ Horsedream sheepskin bareback pad that has enough padding that you were comfortable riding.

[LovelyBay]

You should check out these guys:
http://www.tesaddlepads.com/

I’ve been saving up to buy a pad from them because there are several different styles and shapes and you can do custom shims!

[CR_Gorge_Girl]

English wedge pads or lifters work awesome! My 25 year old has always had huge withers, but now his back is low. I actually use two pads and a cashel wedge and my saddle fits great, perfect sweat marks every time. No back soreness, even after some long hard (horse is hard on himself, hates walking…lol) rides on the beach.