I tried this saddle -- what a great-feeling saddle, with thinline padding on the seat and underside. I wanted it to work, but it didn't feel super stable on his back no matter where I adjusted the tree. Ri seemed to like it well enough, but it slid forward onto his withers within ten minutes. To be fair, the county does that too, but I have a mattes pad to keep it in place...
Monday, January 30, 2012
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Uhh, another one! I like this game! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are not ideal to judge a saddle.
If you're not tired yet, try taking them like conformation shots next time, straight from the side (or the back). Include the girth area in the picture.
To judge the gullet try to stand parallel to the horse and as close to the horses shoulder as possible (personally, I think these are the hardest to take). Try getting both, the angle of the iron and the horses shoulder angle in the picture.
At first glance I like the saddle. It looks like a much better fit than the last one. Better balanced, nicely behind his shoulder and I like that it's nice and short. Still not 100% sure about the shape of the rear panels though.
Of course this is just an exercise, a game. At least for me. Internet or not, of course it's impossible to judge a correct fit by just taking a couple of pictures. I thought that was pretty obvious (and I'm sure you see it just the same way).
However, I do think it's possible to judge an ill fitting saddle by just looking at pictures, but even then you never know how much a saddle can be changed and re-fitted by a professional saddlefitter.
I'd love to see more. :-)
Nice looking saddle and the fit does look Ok, but the proof is in the riding.
ReplyDeleteMy saddle fitter friend said that a too narrow tree will ride up and slide forward over the wither. Could be that a tree that looks OK really isn't.
Riley has a really good back. I am surprised that saddle fitting is such an issue. Hopefully your saddle fitter will figure something out to solve the problems.
Wait, I know what we should do. Any saddle you don't like, send to me. That last one looks like it would fit my mare spot on. LOL. ;)
ReplyDeleteSaddle fitting IS war. You should have seen me in my bit decision phase ... oy. Let's see ... Myler loose ring for the lift in schooling and a "massively expensive" German silver, three-piece, lozenge-mouth loose ring for showing? Or ... keep the big, 1130lb, ADHD, heavy-footed Friesian boy on his BUTT in schooling with a double bridle?? THEN switch to loose ring for lower level competitions? GAH. How many bridles do I need to own???
Enough to make you crazy, all of it. LOL.
We should play "horse switch" for a little. My pony mare is a NIGHTMARE to saddle fit (she has an ex-broodmare "nest"). Riley's got a rather decent topline. My mare just recovered from ulcer treatment too, so she was thinner in topline from the ulcers and now back to fat and sassy. Saddle used to fit ... then it didn't. Now it needs reflocking or replacing altogether because she is rounding up and using herself better than ever before. Dangit!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't like the fit of this one at all. It looks too low on his withers from the wither shot and the cantle looks too high. I was told that without a rider in the saddle the cantle should sit about 1" higher than the pommel. In these pictures it looks several inches higher and I'd be afraid that it would throw you off balance in the saddle.
ReplyDeleteWhat does your saddle fitter say about point billets for a more secure fit?
ReplyDeleteTry a DK saddlery saddle. They are amazing and are always fit to your horse. I can't imagine not having those saddles .
ReplyDeleteTo me it looks like that saddle will pivot on his withers (tree is slightly too wide). The cantle is already a bit high. It also looks tight through his shoulder.
ReplyDeleteWhen you rode in it, did it feel like it tipped you slightly forward?
I agree that it's easier to evaluate fit from a straight side on shot.