# Best Lightweight Trail Saddle For Sensitive-backed Horse?



## InexcessiveThings (Oct 22, 2016)

I have an OTTB that loves the trail. It's his favorite activity. We have done some NATRC sanctioned competitive trail rides over the last few years, and we have struggled with back soreness. I figured that it was my saddle that was the issue, so I did some research and went from an english saddle to an Australian with wide fleece panels to distribute my weight better. This helped, but we still had soreness, so I got a Toklat orthopedic fleece pad, which has turned out to be a good, comfortable choice for him, but he sometimes still ends up sore after a long ride. When I say long ride, I mean 18-25 miles or sometimes more in one day. We are currently riding in Novice, so distances typically do not exceed 25 miles and pace is not especially fast nor strenuous (lots of walking interspersed with trot). He's had chiropractic work done, has a well developed topline and uses his back properly to carry his rider (me), and does just fine with shorter rides in the range of 6-10 miles. My Australian saddle also has been assessed for fit by multiple professionals, and he gets even sweat marks from this saddle also, so I am pretty much certain it is not a problem with fit. At this point I am tending towards the thought that it could have something to do with the weight of the saddle over the long distance. Although the weight of me plus saddle, bridle and other gear (at about 182) I would assess as not too heavy for him since he appears to have no problem carrying it. He just seems to have a sensitive back. 

Hence, because of the recurring problem, I am considering purchasing a different, lighter saddle to try out. Of course I must consider that he just isn't suited for the long distance riding, as much as we both enjoy it, and also that it could be a conformational problem I am unable to change. However, as I have had some success in improving his comfort and he does well in CTR otherwise, I am willing to invest in something else that has a chance of fixing the problem once and for all. Saddle types I am avoiding are treeless, and western (excepting possibly a western style Abetta). I am considering a much lighter synthetic Australian with the same fleece panel type, as I like the style a lot, but I am interested to know what other people have had success with. I am looking for something with flat panels like the fleece, as the bars along the sides of the spine as in an english saddle place rider weight over too small an area to be comfortable for him over distance.

Has anyone had the same problem with repeated back soreness? If so, what did you do to solve it? What lightweight trail saddles would you recommend that would give me the best weight distribution? Any sorts of saddle pads I could try that may help?


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

i ride in an abetta and like it, although if I was going new abetta I would look at either their endurance or the memory foam seat ones

BUT if you want light: Pandora saddles out of australia are LIGHT you can usually find used ones on facebook maybe 1/month but they can get expensive when you figure $1000-1500 for the saddle and that doesn't come with stirrup leathers or stirrups. (if you do order in my experience either buy used on FB, or talk to the owner/maker direct through e-mail/FB, the US rep wasn't ever very responsive to me and a lot of others)

I haven't ridden in my wife's enough yet to decide to give up my abetta, but the 10 miles I have ridden in it weren't bad. my wife so far likes it, she feels it's secure (has kept her in the saddle so far through some interesting bucks & spooks) adjustable to fit her fat wide backed horse (probably a wide tree) or my mare (semi-qh tree)


i would agree that 182 doesn't sound bad at all, but at the same time on the track used to carrying 120? so maybe a lighter or just different saddle would fit the bill better for him, or maybe it's just something underlying from his youth that isn't "bad" but after a long day of work flares up just a hair.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

Where is the soreness across the horse's back? 


As a distance rider, I've found 100% wool fleece pads to be the best for absorbing heat and sweat to protect the horse's back. The wool fleece also conforms to the horse's back so that helps. IMO, 5 Star are the best, but are pricy. Diamond wool are ok and much less money.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Depends on what kind of money you want to spend. 

I recommend ReactorPanel. Not a cheap fix but will probably cure your horse's problems. They outfit a lot of top endurance riders, as well as dressage, trail riders, and jumpers. I hope to ride in mine until I have to hang it up for good. The company has a program to rehab horses with saddle-damaged backs. Look them up. They custom fit them to your horse and my experience with that has been superb.


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## InexcessiveThings (Oct 22, 2016)

Prairie said:


> Where is the soreness across the horse's back?
> 
> 
> As a distance rider, I've found 100% wool fleece pads to be the best for absorbing heat and sweat to protect the horse's back. The wool fleece also conforms to the horse's back so that helps. IMO, 5 Star are the best, but are pricy. Diamond wool are ok and much less money.


Sometimes his soreness is more severe in the loin area than elsewhere, and his loins have always been a bit sensitive since we bought him as a four year old. When I have seen more severe soreness, it is along his spine on both sides from behind the withers to loins. How much soreness he gets, if any, seems to depend on trail conditions, terrain, etc. The pad I already have wasn't cheap, so I'm not unwilling to pay a bit of money for another high quality pad.



Avna said:


> Depends on what kind of money you want to spend.
> 
> I recommend ReactorPanel. Not a cheap fix but will probably cure your horse's problems. They outfit a lot of top endurance riders, as well as dressage, trail riders, and jumpers. I hope to ride in mine until I have to hang it up for good. The company has a program to rehab horses with saddle-damaged backs. Look them up. They custom fit them to your horse and my experience with that has been superb.


I agree, not a cheap fix, but I really like the idea of the ReactorPanel saddles. It seems like one of those saddles would be really nice and easy on his back. I wasn't really expecting a cheap fix, but I am also pretty broke right now and can't afford much at the moment. As the 2016 ride season is about over though, I'm in no hurry to get something new, I just want to consider my options on the thought that I may get to do a ride or two come next spring/summer. I also am just looking for any way I can make my horse more comfortable, since it makes me feel awful (and guilty) every time I find a sore back after a long ride. He's really good at not letting on he's in pain when we're working.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Have you checked out RP's Rent For Rehab program? 

https://www.reactorpanel.com/index.php/rehab_rental_program/


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## InexcessiveThings (Oct 22, 2016)

I did have a look at their rent for rehab program. At this point, I'm not sure if my horse actually has an injury that needs attention, since he received treatment for a back/hip injury about 7-8 months ago and has been doing fine since. But renting a saddle for a month or more at relatively low cost to see how his back does is appealing.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I love, love, love my Big Horn. It's the most comfortable saddle I've sat in. I have the synthetic western but am hoping to purchase an endurance one next year. I like the suede seat, my butt ain't going no where. I find it fits A frame shaped horses better than round mutton withered ones.. and it has high wither clearance.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

A bit late chiming in here.. but hearing that the soreness is often in the loin, it makes me wonder if you have a friction problem versus a saddle problem. I know of many distance horses who will get sore loins from the pad moving around on their backs. Perhaps try some baby powder under the back of the saddle pad in the loin area the next time you are going to do a long ride and see if that makes a difference.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

My thought is to have an entire body scan done on the horse before doing anything with pads and saddles

https://www.vetmed.vt.edu/emc/clinicalservices/bonescan.asp

My vet has this equipment. There was a patient horse up on the huge flat screen and it was amazing to see the hot spots or places of contention. Technology at its best


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