# My barrel saddle



## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

GET THAT SADDLE OFF HIM IF IT IS SITTING ON HIS WITHER.

Saddle pads will make it WORSE. They will simply make the saddle pinch his wither tighter, causing more pain and discomfort. You may be able to HELP the situation using a specially designed riser pad, but you cannot fix saddle fit with saddle pads. 

A saddle sittong ON a horses wither WILL hurt the horse, it WILL make them uncomfortable, it WILL cause long term nerve damage.

My horse's back is almost crippled due to an ill-fitting saddle in the past, and it was nowhere near the wither. PLEASE think fo yoru horse in this matter...

If you saddle is worth that much, why don't you sell it for that and buy another one, just as nice, that fits your horse?

You are never going to get your horse performing to his best in an ill fitting saddle. He will be in pain. You can get him chiro'd, vetted, whatever, but while you still use an ill-fitting saddle, the problems won't go away. 

I daresay this is a part of, if not the main reason, for Rowdy's head carriage.

Please,please,please, don't ride your horse in an ill-fitting saddle for vanity or money reasons. It is not fair on him to be in pain and possibly crippled like my horse was because you paid a lot for the saddle. You should have checked fit before buying any saddle, let alone an expensive one.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Tahnk you soooooo mych for telling that. The saddle was for my old horse that is now gone.


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

Oh wow. That saddle is NOT safe on your horse. It is WAAYYY too wide for you horse, and while pads may help a little, I am quite certain that you will regret putting that saddle on him in the future. It may cause MAJOR back problems, and could even make it to where you couldn't ride him anymore.


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## Deej (May 5, 2009)

Please do not use more pads. It will not work. You cannot make a saddle fit right by using more padding. I can't believe it sits on your horses back like that. He will become more and more intolerant the longer you use that saddle on him. And you can cause sever nerve damage..Let us know what you decide to do....


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Oh god thank you al sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for letting me know. I am soooooo happy that i putt this thread on here. I have another barrel saddle Which is my other horses, but i will see if it fits rowdy. Of i will just look for a cheap saddle,(even if its crappy, Just oe that will fit him)


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

morganshow11 said:


> Oh god thank you al sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for letting me know. I am soooooo happy that i putt this thread on here. I have another barrel saddle Which is my other horses, but i will see if it fits rowdy. Of i will just look for a cheap saddle,(even if its crappy, Just oe that will fit him)


That is not the smartest idea either. I learned this lesson the hard way. On cheap saddles, the tree can fall right apart. However, if you are keeping the budget low, try looking at a brand called Abetta or Wintec. OR, you could do what I did, and look on craigslist and buy an older used saddle that is a good name brand.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Glad to hear it. A crappy saddle that fits your horse is 100X better than an expensive saddle that doesn't.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Tennessee said:


> That is not the smartest idea either. I learned this lesson the hard way. On cheap saddles, the tree can fall right apart. However, if you are keeping the budget low, try looking at a brand called Abetta or Wintec. OR, you could do what I did, and look on craigslist and buy an older used saddle that is a good name brand.


Yeah i think i will do that, thank you. If you know of anyone selling one(not expensive) let me know please.


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## yankee doodle (May 25, 2009)

Hi Morgan, I have just got a new saddle as the saddle that came with my horse was also too big and sat in the same position as yours.
I ordered my new saddle from horsesaddleshop.com as per the photo you put on this thread. I got a great deal on their specials section. But what I wanted to say was I used the templates for measuring up my horse off their website. It was spot on and the saddle is a perfect fit. 
Tennesse sugested the Abetta saddles, they also do those really cheap with flexi- trees.


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## xicexveinsx (Jul 1, 2009)

If you can't afford a new saddle, look at buying a cut back pad. They 'fix' this exact problem.
The cut back removes the part of pad that the saddle would rest on therefore taking the pressure of the withers.
No this is not a proper fix, but if you can't afford a new saddle and still want to ride your horse, this will work so that your horse is not in any pain.
Hope that helps


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Thanks^^ do you have a picture of one and a discription that goes with it?


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## xicexveinsx (Jul 1, 2009)

Reinsman Cutback Built Up Square Saddle Pad

You can usually find them a lot cheaper at local tack shops.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Thank you for posting that, i saw some of those at my local tack shop. i will have to get one. i just wanna be sure that i dont spend my money on somthing that wont help the problem, ya know?

Has anyone had a saddle that rested on thw wither and helped it with a cutback pad?


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## horseoffire (Apr 7, 2009)

i used a cutback before and i didn`t help


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## Jillyann (Mar 31, 2009)

padding up will NOT help the problem, only make it worse. Youre going to completely mess up your horses back if you do not get a new PROPER fitting saddle.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

That is exactly what i am doing-looking for a new saddle


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## xicexveinsx (Jul 1, 2009)

A cut back pad is not padding up what so ever. All it does is remove the pressure on the withers. Just because a saddle is putting pressure on the withers does not mean that is does not fit properly elsewhere.
I have take SEVERAL saddle fitting clinics. And have done tons of saddle fittings. 
I agree if the saddle doesn't fit else tree wise then yes she will have to replace the saddle, BUT if the saddle does fit elsewhere and the horses withers are just too high then it will ill fit in the spot formentioned. This is what a cutback pad will fix.
If you want to see photos of how a cutback pad will help you can PM me and I will e-mail them to you. 
I had a $3500 custom made saddle for my mare fit very nicely but I have to use a cutback b/c of her withers (and I was told this when having my mare measured by the saddlemaker). We have used this for 6 years now and she has NEVER had any back or any other problems whatsoever.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

Morgan, how much would you be will to spend to get a saddle that fits Clippy/Rowdy? I can suggest a few super nice, affordable, all leather barrel saddles.

The one you are riding in will _hurt_ him to an irreversible degree.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

LeahKathleen said:


> Morgan, how much would you be will to spend to get a saddle that fits Clippy/Rowdy? I can suggest a few super nice, affordable, all leather barrel saddles.


I dont have alot of money, so a saddle that is under $150


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Why don't you sell the one that doesn't fit him? You shouldn't be using it, and then you will have more to spend on a new saddle.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

^^^because i am using the barrel saddle for Diamond, it fits him perfectly.


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## NewHeart (Dec 10, 2008)

I thought that you were selling that horse? I agree with Wildspot that perhaps selling your saddle and purchasing a new one won't be such a bad idea. If it cost $1500, then you should be able to find a new one that actually fits your horse, or perhaps even both horses.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

I was crying the other day cuz i missed diamond so much, and it was so cowinkadinckally that the lady didnt want him the same day that i was crying. And i go on raod ride with my friends so i need one for rowdy and one for diamond.


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## IdahoCowgirl (Jul 7, 2009)

Try Ebay, they have good saddles for cheap.
I've gotten my last three saddles off of their and they usually come with matching headstalls. 
Its probably a full QH Bar saddle which is why it wouldn't fit a narrower horse. Use the old crappy one for now til you can find something that works. Maybe just polish the old one up a little and add some bling


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