# Help fitting my western saddle



## elysenw (Dec 30, 2012)

http://www.horseforum.com/members/39891/album/barlee-saddle-fitting-13186/

This is a link to my album to view the pictures of Barlee and the saddle fit


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'd be curious to see the saddle on the horse without the pad and not cinched up.

Those sweat marks are not good. Those dry spots shouldn't be there. 

I'm inclined to think the saddle is too wide. 

What size tree does this saddle have?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I think the saddle may be too wide also and with the shape of his back a shorter skirt might help.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Ok, I can see the saddle only pics now. Yeah, that is too wide for him. If that if FQHB, I'd say he needs regular QH bars. 

And he is built ridiculously downhill, isn't he? :-/
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

My thoughts are a bit wide at the front -- it also looks like in a couple of the pictures anyway that the saddle is too far back but that may be a symptom of the width; and the saddle seems long in comparison to his back (perhaps a round skirt may be better).

I'm wondering if he has 'well developed' shoulders so a saddle designed for the gaited breeds might be worth looking at since those breeds have tendency for a lot of shoulder movement????

I like the horse, btw.


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## elysenw (Dec 30, 2012)

My predicament is I used to have a regular quarter horse bars saddle. I got rid of it because when I did ride him with it his back was sore like it was pushing on his muscle. I don't know I just can't seem to find anything to fit him but my bareback pad haha. I was watching a video by Sherry Cervi where she had a wider saddle on her mare cause she was bigger in the back then the front so she shimmer her slightly. Every saddle I put on him gets those dry spots. It's almost as if his high butt causes there to be so much pressure. Huh so confused


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## elysenw (Dec 30, 2012)

Thanks I have had him for 11 years. I usually only ride bareback but for trail rides I like a saddle lol. Thanks everyone for your inputs


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

that saddle is too wide in front, has almost no flare to the front of the bars, and does not have enough rocker in it for your horse's back, imo.

you mgiht be able to shiim it out in the middle to fill out the bridging that is taking place . you'd want some soft rubber or wool felt that is tapered on both edges , but a steeper taper in front. it would be about 5 inches wide and about 12 inches long, tapering down to a thin part toward the tail of it.

or, a new saddle.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Could you take some pictures from a front angle, sort of like this:










http://www.rodnikkel.com/content/index.php/download_file/view/673/123/

Troubleshooting Saddle Fit Problems

The Nikkel's have a lot of good reading on saddle issue on their web site.


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## elysenw (Dec 30, 2012)

I can tommorow


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Bars of that saddle are _definitely _too flat for him. As Drafty said, if they are FQHB, then he'll either need regular or perhaps semi....but if the gullet gets any narrower, it will be too narrow IMHO. You will be hard pressed to find a saddle with the correct angles and widths for him, I'm afraid. And, as Tiny said, with the build of his back, you'll need something with more flare and a lot more rocker in it. You might contact Steele and get some forms with their FTBS thing. That way, you can get a good idea of what will actually fit and where you need minor changes to make it fit better.
Steele Saddle Tree LLC - Fit To The Horse

As for the downhill thing....your only recourse may be to invest in a crupper or a britchin. That will keep the saddle from sliding forward onto his shoulders/neck.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

i would suggest you look at a saddle from Dave Genadak, "About the Horse". he makes his trees with a bit more rocker, and plenty of flare. they are not cheap, but are well made. his sizing system is unique, so you'd have to investigate that. it's a 1, 2, 3 and so on, not the standard type.

About The Horse Home Page

his saddles are really expensive, actually. so , maybe too much. once in a while you find one reasonably priced. just a thought . .


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## elysenw (Dec 30, 2012)

Can someone explain what a bear trap style swell is. And what is everyone's opinion on Buffalo saddles. I can not afford a really expensive saddle. My price range is 500 to 700


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

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Here is a pic of a beartrap, notice the wide swells and swept back design http://www.southerntrailssaddle.com/images/ES-T-9215.jpg

The Saddle in your pics is too wide, meaning the angle of the bars is too flat which is causing less contact at the bottom of the bars.

Stay away from a Buffalo Saddle.

If 500.00-700.00 is your price range, you will have to go with a good used Brand. New Saddles in that range are 95% of the time Imports......


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## AnrewPL (Jun 3, 2012)

I think Smrobs is probably right. I don't think its a width issue as much as bar angle and, like liny said, rock. it probably would have enough flair on a horse with a normal back but on his back I doubt it. What you might consider is a hairlined saddle like an Australian stock saddle.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> i would suggest you look at a saddle from Dave Genadak, "About the Horse". he makes his trees with a bit more rocker, and plenty of flare. they are not cheap . .


Aside from price, he makes 4 trees. Steele has 10 standard trees, and many more nonstandard trees. It would be a rare horse who could not be reasonably fitted by one of 10 standard trees, but there would be a lot more options with Steele - and Steele trees are used by Dakota, for example, in saddles running <$1000.

Flare is both good and bad. Too little, and it will pinch. Too much, and you reduce the weight distributing area. I'd prefer a saddle with too much rock to too little, but I'd actually prefer a saddle tree with the right amount.


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## elysenw (Dec 30, 2012)

I guess I am still confused if I went with a smaller gullet wouldn't that cause more pressure? Would I be able to keep the gullet with but find a tree with more flare? I put the saddle on him again tonight and when I run my fingers underneath the horse and saddle it still has more pressure on the top side of his withers.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

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Here is a rather crude drawing, my puppy dog drew it :lol::lol::lol::lol:

The Horse in both examples is the same size, shape, weight etc.

A full-qh is too wide, the semi-qh is too narrow, what this Horse Needs is the in-between size called reg-qh bars.

Everyone has always said too wide or too small, not the best term, so yes it can be confusing

Notice how the too wide puts more pressure on the top of the bars and the too narrow puts pressure on the bottom of the bars?


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## elysenw (Dec 30, 2012)

This makes sense. But what about balancing it? It's still going to go down hill with his high butt. I would really like to stay with western style saddle.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

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Being too wide like the Saddle you were trying on has 2 common denominators, the angle of the bars is wrong and the gullet (measure at the top of the bar) is too wide, this allows the front of the saddle not only to pinch (put too much pressure on your Horse) but also to sit down too far over the withers and make the back of the saddle higher, thus the out of balance I think you are describing.

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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

SouthernTrails said:


> .
> 
> Here is a rather crude drawing, my puppy dog drew it :lol::lol::lol::lol:
> 
> ...


Regardless of the width the angle is an issue in the drawings. If you took the wide one and changed the angle it might look pretty good.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

churumbeque said:


> Regardless of the width the angle is an issue in the drawings. If you took the wide one and changed the angle it might look pretty good.


Well that is true if..... Out of a half dozen Tree Makers including the one that make more tree that all other combined, they all have one thing in common.

Semi-QH averages 6.5" gullet with a 84 to 88 degree bar angle

Regular-QH averages 6.75" gullet with a 88 to 92 degree bar angle

Full-QH average 7" gullet with a 92 to 96 degree bar angle

The reason most Makers stay within those average is that reflect what fits more than 80% of Horses.



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