# Slipping western saddle? Does it fit?



## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

Well, I always cinch three times before mounting. Cinch, groom, pick feet, cinch, bush mane, put on headstall, cinch, go.

I get a couple more inches each time. My saddle used to slip like crazy until I started letting her breathe between cinching. Many horses will puff out and hold their breath while you tighten the girth.

Try that, if it still slips, it likely doesn't fit.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

That is what I usually do. >.< I saddle her up and do the cinch then walk her to the mounting block, check the cinch again, then get on and often times I'll check the cinch from her back and tighten it again from up there. >.<

Could it be the type/size of cinch? The cinch is way too big for her to begin with so it's up as high as it'll go on the right side and there's about 3 inches of latigo space on the left. Could that affect the slippy-ness of it?

I really need this saddle to fit because I totally cannot get my own for at least a year or so, unless I come into an exorbitant amount of money before then. >.<


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Breast collar possibly? Also you may want to look into the pad with withers relief (cut front or whatever it's called). I know it all cost.  But I can't think of anything else.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

Definitely get a cinch that fits and see if that helps. Try something neoprene (I use the Classic Equine Soft Touch girths... so do my horses...) They don't slip as easily.

Grab a wire coat hanger and bend it over her withers, then hold the shape that you just made to the inside of the saddle. Good way to see if there are any MAJOR fit issues - you'll obviously need a more fool proof system for smaller fit issues.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

Can you take some pics without the pad and take some shots from the front of the Horse to show how the gullet area of the saddle is fitting around the wither area of the Horse, that would help.

.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I'll get better pictures tomorrow. =)

And I'll look into a new girth for sure and possibly a cutback pad. How do I figure out what size of girth she needs? I'm sure she needs one that's pretty dang tiny. Should I be fitting it for the last hole on the right side attachment thingy or a hole somewhere farther up?


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## dacer44 (Sep 20, 2009)

Doesn't the saddle pad have a bit to do with the way the saddle fits and stays without slipping? I had the problem with my saddle a while back and a nicer saddle pad was definately key. At least that was what I was told. Just a thought.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

It just needs to fit comfortably. The last hole leaves a lot of nylon (or leather if your off billet is leather) on your horse, but the top hole cause lots of uncomfortable overlapping of pad/girth/what have you. I'd say choose a middle hole, and then you want there to be relatively the same amount of latigo on the other side. You also want the ring in the center of the girth to be centered under your horse... you don't want that all over on one side or anything, esp if you plan on using a breast collar.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

Wallaby said:


> I'll get better pictures tomorrow. =)
> 
> And I'll look into a new girth for sure and possibly a cutback pad. How do I figure out what size of girth she needs? I'm sure she needs one that's pretty dang tiny. Should I be fitting it for the last hole on the right side attachment thingy or a hole somewhere farther up?



Hard to tell from the pics, but I would guess you need a girth about 6" shorter than the one in the pic.

.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Here are more pictures:
















































I can fit 4 fingers between her withers and the gullet. Hopefully these are the kinda pictures you wanted. =)


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Wallaby, in the first picture, the cinch ilooks to be too large and the saddle is too far back (by ~2" or so). I can't tell by the second batch but the first looks like that.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I'll definitely move it forward a few inches because I've been wondering if it's too far back but I wasn't sure. Thanks for letting me know iridehorses!
The cinch is way too big, I need to find/buy a smaller one (I'm going to make sure there isn't one around the barn before I buy one). The saddle is my trainer's and all her horses are beefy QH or Mustangs, so the saddles are not really set up for little Arabs like Lacey. =P


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

That is a Bighorn 15" Saddle with Reg. QH Bars Steels Brand Tree, fit does not look that bad, but pics are a little too close.

Pics are a little close, but I agree slide it forward a little and a new much shorter cinch, maybe also a thicker pad with a felt bottom.

.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Wow SouthernTrails, that is very impressive.  
Should I take more pictures from farther away after I scooch it forward or were you able to tell enough from what you can see?

Thank you so much! I'll definitely find a new cinch. =)


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

The saddle is very downhill, you definitely need to shim it so it gets off her shoulders. Also, it needs to be moved back, where it is sitting now it's too far forward and will trap her shoulder movement, making her strides short and choppy.


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## cowgirl4jesus94 (Jun 14, 2008)

It looks a little wide. Not terrible....just a bit too wide.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Spirithorse said:


> The saddle is very downhill, you definitely need to shim it so it gets off her shoulders. Also, it needs to be moved back, where it is sitting now it's too far forward and will trap her shoulder movement, making her strides short and choppy.


Downhill? I am guessing the horse has her head down in the first photo.

Shimming is not a good idea for a long term solution.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Yes, the saddle is sitting downhill on the horse. You can see that from the first rivet, making a line to the concho on back. The line should be flat, not going down like it is.

Shimming is filling in the spots where the horse is lacking muscle and making the saddle level so that the horse can actually use his body. Shimming DOES help. Then, once the horse starts building muscle, you change the shim pattern accordingly. It's difficult to do that, however, unless you have an awesome saddle pad like this: www.ridinghighllc.com


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

In the first picture in the second set of pictures she is standing on a down hill slope. I realized after I took the picture but I moved her butt to more level ground for the second to last one. And if you look at the second to last picture the conchos are pretty even. Not perfect but not terrible. (and she did have her head down in the first picture)

Spirithorse- What makes you say I should scoot it back? 
Two people on this thread told me it was too far back already and I'm inclined to believe SouthernTrails because I'm pretty sure he's a saddle maker or some such thing. 
I'm interested to hear your thoughts. =)


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

In the second to last picture, I'm not looking at the first _concho_, I'm looking at the rivet that's on the leather part of the saddle. I line that up with the first concho you get to as you move toward the back of the saddle. That rivet on the leather part of the saddle marks where the bar starts, which is what needs to be behind the horse's scapula at MAXIMUM extension. If that rivit is in front of that spot where the horse's scapula is at max extension then you will block her shoulder movement, which will result in her rounding her shoulders forward (a lot of times causing a rotated shoulder) which dumps all the weight on her forehand, thus making her strides short and choppy. Her back will be hollow and she might carry her head up high and bracy.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

That's very interesting... Thanks for telling me the rest of that, it helps me understand better. =) 
So are you thinking the saddle is too wide? (as well as being too far forward)

This was the exact same problem I had with the english saddles I tried on her, they all sat up on her shoulders. >.< Does she need a narrower saddle? What's the "fix"?


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I was going to say scoot it back also. It's sitting on top of her scapula which was a big problem I had with my boy, it hurts him if it's too far forward. Riding schools ahve a lot to answer for in the way they teach kids to saddle up. It's taken me about a year to break the habit of sitting the saddle too far forward!

I won't comment on any others fit issues as I don't know western saddles. However, some horses are just rolly! My friends little appy pony is the rolliest thing I have ever sat on, I feel very insecure until I get used to it again.

Maybe try a crupper/breastplate to help it out?


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

I actually prefer a saddle that is a *tad* wide. It gives the horse more room for shoulder movement. However, I have the pad from www.ridinghighllc.com and that is the best way to solve the issue. 

Do you use a back cinch by chance?


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Huh. Well I'm gonna ride tomorrow and I'll scoot it back more and see how it goes. How far back? I'm concerned about putting it too far back because she is getting a swayback and I don't want to hurt her back by being in the middle of her back...

When I get some money I plan on getting a breast collar for her to see if that'll help. =)

I used to use a back cinch but then it got taken off the saddle and I never put it back on. Should I put it back on?


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Yes, please put the back cinch back on! It's actually not safe to ride without one.

As of right now, I would hesitate to move your saddle back. It's already downhill and you don't have the proper things to shim the saddle up with. That's why I suggested getting the pad.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

I ride without a back cinch all the time, my horse rather hates hers. Just bugs her.


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

The back cinch anchors the back of the saddle down and it's especially important if you trail ride. It's actually a good thing to get the horse used to.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

It's not that she isn't used to it. She just doesn't like it. We use a breast collar and I've never had my saddle slip or had any ill effects from not using a back cinch.


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