# Help with my Western Saddles...?



## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

I recently took a closer look at the fit of the saddles I'm using on Tanner and Magic and discovered that it's actually hitting them right on the spine in two places -- the withers and just before the point of the hips. :-o Both my saddles are wide tree -- they're Ruby and 2-Pak's saddles, really -- and I'm only using them on Tanner and Magic temporarily until I can buy them their own saddles. Other than where they're hitting the spine, the saddles fit fine. Is there anything I can do to help these saddles fit better until I can get new ones? Also, what should I look for in a new saddle, so that this doesn't happen again? (I'm looking to get barrel saddles for them, by the way.)
I'll try to get pictures of their backs and how the saddles are fitting when I can, if that'll help. :?

For now, this is the best picture I have of them:


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## Flyinghigh12 (Feb 17, 2009)

Is it really bothering them? maybe show us a picture of the saddle alone too. that'd help. Maybe the saddle is too wide and too big.


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

Well, it's bothering Magic more than Tanner... she pins her ears and acts like she'll bit when I cinch her up. I initially thought it was just her being bitchy, since the previous owners hadn't ridden them for five years and I obviously had no prior knowledge of how she acted while being saddled. At one point I felt down her back for sore spots, just to make sure, and didn't find anything. What made me check is the fact that she's still being 'bitchy' even after all the work I've put into her since, and the only time she acts out is when under saddle. 
I wouldn't say anything is physically wrong with the saddles -- I still use them on Ruby and 2-Pak without issue, and I've had them long enough to know how they act under an ill-fitting saddle.
But I'll try to get those pictures tommorow sometime.


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

If it helps, the saddles are both American Saddlery:
*The High Poin*t - 
http://store.americansaddlery.com/shopimages/products/normal/1534low.jpg
Tree: 15" Ralide®, Swell 12 1/2", Gullet width 6 1/2", Semi-quarter horse bars; Weight: Approximately 32 lbs.; Horn: Height 2 3/4", Diameter 2 3/4", Leather covered; Cantle Height: 3"; Skirt Length: 25"; Skirt Width: 12"; Stirrup Leathers: 2 1/2" with quick change buckles; Stirrups: Leather-covered Visalia®; Rigging: In-skirt stainless steel C rigging in 7/8 position.​
*Trails Together *- 
http://store.americansaddlery.com/shopimages/products/normal/1465low.jpg
Tree: Round Front Competitor, Gullet Width: 6 1/4", Quarter horse bars; Horn: Height: 3 1/2", Diameter: 2 1/4"; Cantle Height: 4" on 13", 5" on 14"-17"; Skirt Length: 25"; Skirt Width: 12"; Stirrups Leathers: 2" hand-laced leather-covered contest with double tongue roller buckles; Rigging: Stainless steel D rigging in 7/8 position.
​So I don't know if that helps at all, but I'll try to remember to take my camera out and get some shots of my saddles and the mares' backs.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

She could be just being girthy too. Does she continue the bad behavior after you start the ride?


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

They don't really pin their ears or try to bite during the ride, but they'll go so far and stop, and decide that they won't go any further. They'll get to a point where they'll just refuse everything I ask. 
Thing is, the underside of the swell is literally smashing down on their withers, so I don't think it's them being sensitive to the girth.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

If that's the case, then the bars are way too wide for them and I would suggest looking for a different saddle.


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

smrobs said:


> If that's the case, then the bars are way too wide for them and I would suggest looking for a different saddle.


Well, now that I've looked up the saddles themselves, I realized one was narrower (I thought they were both wide), and I've switched the saddles between the two mares before. The narrower one does seem to fit a tiny bit better, but the underside of the swell still rubs their withers. 
At any rate, I am looking for different saddles, but I've yet to find ones that work out yet. Until I find them, is there a quick, temporary fix I can make?


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## Flyinghigh12 (Feb 17, 2009)

use a bigger saddle pad for now, it should make it fit higher off their backs. That could be the quick fix for now. Or some padding over the withers to keep it from hitting them directly.
Maybe only put the saddles on when you need too. Would you be able to ride bareback to help them out for now? 

Looks like you're have to get farely skinny saddles to fit them.


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

Well, I'm sort of re-breaking them, at the moment -- they were never used as trail horses before, and that's where I primarily ride. So I'd be much happier in a saddle than bareback when they spook. ^_^; But thanks, I will try a thicker pad... I think I have one lying about I can try.
I'm heading off to an auction at the end of next week, and hopefully I'll find a couple barrel saddles that should work. I'm getting tired of readjusting everything on the saddles. haha


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## Countrygal892000 (Apr 17, 2009)

It looks like their withers and hips sit a lot higher than their backline.. that is most likely why it is doing that... try something like this... a better saddle pad will help tons.. if you can find an orthopedic one that has more cushion in middle it will help... If you dont' want to spend the money on a saddle pad just for these saddles since you are going to get new ones.. try to just put a blanket.. like a thin saddle pad on the middle of the one you have.. not too much but enough to raise the back of your horse a little...

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http://www.thebrowncow.com/west-legend-saddlepads.cfm?category=56
```


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## peace love and paints (Nov 10, 2008)

maybe you could put two saddle pads on as a temporarely do.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

You might also look for a saddle pad with a cutout where the withers go and use it along with another pad that is slightly built up along the bars. :/ Good luck finding something that works.


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

For the saddle pads... I couldn't find the old one I had that was really thick, but I did find some more wool ones that aren't... too badly beaten. :lol: I might try doubling those up with the usual pads. Also, I talked to my boss, and he's going to try to get in some pads that are really thick on the sides and thin along the spine; he thought those might help. They're $60-something bucks, and I'm not super-enthused about buying new pads I might only use temporarily, but... I'll try doubling the old pads, first.

At any rate, I got out and got pictures today before class. I'll just give you a link to the folder on my photobucket, since there are a lot of them. I tried to label them all, too, as to which horse and which saddle is shown, so I hope it doesn't get confusing. :?
Tanner and Magic - saddle fitting pictures by Endless-Kaoru - Photobucket
In case anyone forgot, 2-Pak's saddle (the brown one) had QH bars, and Ruby's (with buckstitching) had Semi-QH.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Saddle fit can be very frustrating. If your saddle is hitting your horse's withers, then a bigger pad will be a very temporary fix and if it is really coming down on them, I would avoid riding until you get a proper fitting saddle.

Not only are you hurting your horses, you are creating habits that could possibly translate into a dangerous situation for you. A saddle that is constantly in contact with a horse's withers, can often cause severe damage to that area or, and very often, causes an abscess that is very painful.

Your horse, by stopping, is telling you that he hurts.

Padding up your horse may take the saddle off his withers but the bars of the saddle are still too wide and the angle is all wrong. You need to change saddles, not just pads.

BTW, based on your pictures, especially #6, your saddle is way too far back.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Is the saddle PINCHING? I see hitting but hitting is much different than pinching. Sorry the photos are not the right angle to be able to tell.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

mls said:


> Is the saddle PINCHING? I see hitting but hitting is much different than pinching. Sorry the photos are not the right angle to be able to tell.


If the saddle is too wide, it will hit. Picutre #6 shows the saddle as being way too wide. Pinching occurs in a saddle that is too narrow and you wuld see the pommel being raised up. If you look at the bottom of the skirt, you can see that it is at a downward angle indicating the saddle is wide and coming down on his withers.


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

I've had my uncle look at the saddles (he just came back from overseas, so I couldn't ask him before) and he pretty much says they're too wide... just reinforcing what many of you have said. I couldn't find a thicker pad, so I haven't been riding them at all, but I'm going to my uncle's place sometime this week, I think, and he'll let me borrow a pair of his saddles if we can find some that fit them (he has, literally, dozens just lying around) until I can find/buy/get some new ones. So... hopefully I'll be able to ride them again by the time my arm heals. 
Thank you everyone for your help.

Also, in response to iridehorses... in the pictures I basically just threw the saddle on them and walked them around, and that's just where the saddle settled itself. Usually when I girth them up and everything, they're positioned better; I was just snapping some quick shots before my classes, so I got a bit sloppy. ^^;


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

peace love and paints said:


> maybe you could put two saddle pads on as a temporarely do.


 
I wouldnt put two on....that may put too much pressure along with the swell that is already smashing on her withers. I would just use a really nice wool pad or gel pad as a temporary fix.

Man, I hate it when saddles dont fit...one of my major pet peeves lol are you going to be looking for saddles with a narrow tree, like an arab?


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

iridehorses said:


> If the saddle is too wide, it will hit. Picutre #6 shows the saddle as being way too wide. Pinching occurs in a saddle that is too narrow and you wuld see the pommel being raised up. If you look at the bottom of the skirt, you can see that it is at a downward angle indicating the saddle is wide and coming down on his withers.


Uh - I am aware.

I was asking the OP if the saddle was just hitting or pinching. She says hitting every where.

A saddle can bridge and appear too wide also. Improper placement is one of the biggest reasons saddles do not hit.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

mls said:


> Uh - I am aware.
> 
> I was asking the OP if the saddle was just hitting or pinching. She says hitting every where.
> 
> A saddle can bridge and appear too wide also. Improper placement is one of the biggest reasons saddles do not hit.


Sorry if I misunderstood

Concerning bridging. Bridging really does not have a lot to do with width. Some horses, Bobo included, have pronounced withers and a good solid muscling in his shoulders. Every single saddle I've had on him bridges. It occurs because the front of the tree fits his shoulders and the back of the tree fits his back but because of the hollow created behind his withers, the bars "bridge" that area behind his shoulder. A built up pad will not work on a "bridge" so what I use is a felt filler pad (about 4" x 6") placed over his regular pad in the hollow area. That gives the bars some support and distributes the weight more evenly.


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## Marecare (Jan 1, 2009)

There are just so many saddle fit issue with horses and the behavior of the horse is directly effected by the fit.
I can not stress the importance enough that the saddle fit the horse.
The rigging must also be in the right place.
You can have a saddle that fits perfect and if the rigging is in the wrong place then the saddle is pulled back on the horse or forward.
A lot of saddle makers today mount the stirrup leathers too far forward creating a chair seat for the rider.
The foundation of the western saddle is the tree and without a proper tree you might as well ride bareback.


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