Saddle fit or size of rider

L

Lizzycob

New Member
Mar 4, 2018
9
5
3
] I have issues with saddle rub at one side under cantle. I am seeing fitter as horse has dropped summer weight BUT someone says maybe I'm just too big for horse- as I've had this problem a couple of times. did they mean height/weight I don't know!
Pony is 14 2, hw ( cannon bone 9 1/2 inches), fit and in regular work, 12 years old.
I am 5'7, 79kg, fitter than average person, been riding over 10 years. Saddle size is 171/2, but she is croup high. Smaller saddle doesn't suit my long legs. I love this pony but I want honest opinions please- I can loose weight but not height!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: CharliesAngel
Hi @Lizzycob and welcome :)

Your horse looks lovely and also built like a tank. I can't see any reason why they would have the slightest difficulty with carrying you weight wise and your height (same as me btw) certainly isn't an issue.

Have you had the saddle checked by a professional? Is it treed? To my very untrained eye it looks low on the wither if so. I could well be talking out of my backside though so hopefully you'll get some more useful answers soon!
 
Lord above, you aren't too big for her - what planet is the person on who's saying that?! I think you're doing the right thing getting a saddler in, and then once the saddle has been altered try to stop her putting on too much summer weight so she doesn't need the fit altering again too soon. Croup high can make fitting a bit trickier, but a good saddler should come up with something. From the photo the saddle doesn't look too long on her so that isn't a problem.

Don't worry about having to find her another rider, she looks just fine for you & I'm sure the saddle can be sorted. Maybe avoid idiots though!
 
  • Like
Reactions: HaloHoney, Kite_Rider, Jessey and 1 other person
Also does that saddle have moveable knee blocks? A tip I was given was to replace the big dressage blocks with smaller ones as it allowed me to position my leg better - a simple thing but it really made a difference.
 
Bodshi said:
Hi @Lizzycob and welcome :)

Your horse looks lovely and also built like a tank. I can't see any reason why they would have the slightest difficulty with carrying you weight wise and your height (same as me btw) certainly isn't an issue.

Have you had the saddle checked by a professional? Is it treed? To my very untrained eye it looks low on the wither if so. I could well be talking out of my backside though so hopefully you'll get some more useful answers soon!
Click to expand...
Thank you- you know how it is, these things niggle at you and you start to doubt yourself! Yes she is a leg in each corner 4wd model The fitter is coming next week as yes I think it's dropped at front as she has lost weight ( hooray!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bodshi
carthorse said:
Also does that saddle have moveable knee blocks? A tip I was given was to replace the big dressage blocks with smaller ones as it allowed me to position my leg better - a simple thing but it really made a difference.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I was starting to think I'm seeing my horse in completely the wrong way! She certainly doesn't seem to struggle when she marches out . Yes I think moveable/smaller blocks to provide more leg room would be a good way forward- saddle fitter coming next week so I'll make sure I ask the right questions, try to stop this cantle swing that's rubbing hair off. I'm going to bring her in during day in summer- yard has far too much grass and not allowed to section off areas!
 
  • Like
Reactions: carthorse
Good grief what planet are people on that say you are too big.
Fellow cob owner here. Glad yours is a mare as mine would just love to be friends if a gelding. ;)

The part that's rubbing could be because you look to have a square base at the back. What saddle is that? You don't seem to have a nail head.

You might find that a wh/ dressage model allows you to change to a 17" seat as it allows the longer leg. We are in a dressage currently and it's a 17" seat, only tweak with the drop in weight has been for me to pop up a hole.
 
newforest said:
Good grief what planet are people on that say you are too big.
Fellow cob owner here. Glad yours is a mare as mine would just love to be friends if a gelding. ;)

The part that's rubbing could be because you look to have a square base at the back. What saddle is that? You don't seem to have a nail head.

You might find that a wh/ dressage model allows you to change to a 17" seat as it allows the longer leg. We are in a dressage currently and it's a 17" seat, only tweak with the drop in weight has been for me to pop up a hole.
Click to expand...

Thank you, she's a terrible flirt so another mare will do . I will ask fitter when I see her about a different cut. It's the vsd Wintec wide in pic I've just realised - but I actually ride in a black county gpd more which is the one I think needs a tweak and I'll consign the Wintec to the shed where it belongs- it's like sitting on a tray
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
HaloHoney said:
Saddle fit. You are in no way too big for her!

She’s lovely!
Click to expand...
Thank you all, it's good to know I'm not completely deluded . Horse physio visited today- she's not sore through back which is good. She has got asymmetric shoulders so my next step is a) check saddle tree is straight and true, b) get saddle checked and re flocked to account for her shape. The saddle fitter I use is well regarded so no idea why she thought she could sell me a (second hand) saddle that was not flocked to her asymmetry but maybe it's a try it and see scenario. I'm fed up with saddle fitters, it can't be that hard!? I've not had problems with other horses but this little cob-well she's challenged me more than any 'finer' horse I've owned- she's a real character
 
Is the asymmetry muscular?

As you are fitting the saddle behind the scapula, it might just be a case of some temporary extra lift one side, you up a stirrup hole temporary to help her out with saddlers approval. Seen this done before.

For us we went treeless, just the single flap with more connection meant less splitting myself in half. :D
 
newforest said:
Is the asymmetry muscular?

As you are fitting the saddle behind the scapula, it might just be a case of some temporary extra lift one side, you up a stirrup hole temporary to help her out with saddlers approval. Seen this done before.

For us we went treeless, just the single flap with more connection meant less splitting myself in half. :D
Click to expand...

Interesting you should say that as physio recommended I go up a stirrup hole on the side it's rubbing but I will check with fitter. She has an overdeveloped trapezius on her right- the only area she was sore when physio treated- so seems to cause a corresponding 'sweep' of the cantle to the left ( which is the rubbed side). She was a trekking pony before I bought her and I would guess she just slopped along any old how and favoured her right side, hence the over development. The flocking looks to have really compressed ( she is a big girl with big movement and we do plenty of 2 hour plus hacks over moorland) so I'm hoping a re flock with some corrective flocking will help- if not.....treeless maybe? my bareback saddle pad gives me the willies when things get 'exciting'
 
Lizzycob said:
The saddle fitter I use is well regarded so no idea why she thought she could sell me a (second hand) saddle that was not flocked to her asymmetry but maybe it's a try it and see scenario.
Click to expand...
If you flock to an asymmetry the atrophied muscles don't have any space to come up into, unless you are going to get the flock adjusted every couple of weeks its better a saddle is flocked evenly and you use shims to balance it and gradually reduce them as the muscling comes up.
 
Ah ok. What happens when there is no atrophy to the smaller side just one side is developed out of proportion? I may be talking out of my behind, I'm no physio/saddle fitter! The smaller side looks smoothly merged into her top line and shoulder, the big side looks like a bulge. I'm ringing fitter today to chase up but her diary was obviously messed up due to snow :(
 
Lizzycob said:
Ah ok. What happens when there is no atrophy to the smaller side just one side is developed out of proportion? I may be talking out of my behind, I'm no physio/saddle fitter! The smaller side looks smoothly merged into her top line and shoulder, the big side looks like a bulge. I'm ringing fitter today to chase up but her diary was obviously messed up due to snow :(
Click to expand...
Atrophy is just where a muscle has decreased in size because it hasn't been used, its not a specific injury or anything, so the fact it is smaller suggests it is atrophied :)
ETA I just re read you earlier post to say the other side is over developed, I would still want the saddle flocked evenly and balanced with shims so that as you work her to correct the unevenness you can keep the saddle balanced as the muscles level up.
 
Jessey said:
Atrophy is just where a muscle has decreased in size because it hasn't been used, its not a specific injury or anything, so the fact it is smaller suggests it is atrophied :)
ETA I just re read you earlier post to say the other side is over developed, I would still want the saddle flocked evenly and balanced with shims so that as you work her to correct the unevenness you can keep the saddle balanced as the muscles level up.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll go to the saddle check with a lot more info now. Sometimes I think it would be easier to buy a horse to fit the saddle instead! :p Or go to a saddle fit training session....that's an idea actually, I'll look now! :) I need to do some more schooling with her really- just wish I didn't have to trailer to the school :rolleyes:
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back