Any tips to help stop my saddle from slipping please? Saddle has been recently fitted but saddler did say my mare has one shoulder slightly bigger and so that's pushing it over?! I've tried elastic girth, non elastic girth, flex girth. It's been better with the flex but still slightly off centre. It's a brand new saddle, will it get better as it beds in and softens a bit do you think?
How to stop saddle slipping
- Thread starter Sophieandbella
- Start date
Can your saddler show you how to shim it up to compensate for your mare? Or if it's a long term problem even alter the flocking to allow for it? Normally they prefer not to alter the flocking as the aim would be to get your mare level with careful work and physio, but sometimes old injuries mean this isn't possible.
A sheepskin may help, as may a gel pad.
It may improve slightly as it softens but realistically you should get the saddler out to try ad address this. Yes your mare has uneven shoulders but a good saddler should be able to fit to accommodate this, nit sell you a new saddle that's slipping!
A sheepskin may help, as may a gel pad.
It may improve slightly as it softens but realistically you should get the saddler out to try ad address this. Yes your mare has uneven shoulders but a good saddler should be able to fit to accommodate this, nit sell you a new saddle that's slipping!
I can relate if you have a round, short backed chubby cob! I hear lots of people have this problem with cobs. I have found a routine with mine that, if I do it properly, keeps everything in place. The times I screw up and have the problem, he doesn't seem uncomfortable, and there's not a hair out of place when I take his saddle off. Do you mount from the ground, using the stirrup? With mine, there's no way I could do that, I use a block and swing onto him with no stirrup, and take extra time before going out , so the girth is fully tightened before I get on. 9 times out of 10 I get no slippage if I do it properly.
My horse has always been uneven on the shoulders. Even in work hacking it never evened up.
I use a gel pad with thick poly pad on mine. He is a round cob.
I was advised never to use a one sided elastic girth as that would slip more.
Agree with comment above help your horse by mounting using a block. Most people mount from one side all the time and this can over time build muscle uneven. Using the mounting block would put less pressure through the shoulders.
I use a humane girth on mine. This way it can slide through the little rollers. Also because the buckles are moveable it seemed better fir stability. However i was advised by a saddler that humane girths can cause pressure points on the horse where the roller point is. Especially if your leg is in contact. Never had a problem with this on my lad though.
How many fixing straps have you got. Most have 3 but some saddles like mine have 4. I was advised to use the two outer ones to keep the saddle more stable.
I use a gel pad with thick poly pad on mine. He is a round cob.
I was advised never to use a one sided elastic girth as that would slip more.
Agree with comment above help your horse by mounting using a block. Most people mount from one side all the time and this can over time build muscle uneven. Using the mounting block would put less pressure through the shoulders.
I use a humane girth on mine. This way it can slide through the little rollers. Also because the buckles are moveable it seemed better fir stability. However i was advised by a saddler that humane girths can cause pressure points on the horse where the roller point is. Especially if your leg is in contact. Never had a problem with this on my lad though.
How many fixing straps have you got. Most have 3 but some saddles like mine have 4. I was advised to use the two outer ones to keep the saddle more stable.
Thanks for the replies. Yes she is a chubby cob!! I always mount from the block by swinging my leg over rather than use the stirrup.
Saddle fitter did change the flocking when he fitted it. It didn't move when I tried it but he had used a non elastic girth done up super tight during my fitting. So tight i couldn't get it undone from the ground and he had to do it.
I'll maybe try a gel pad, if that does t help I'll get them back out to check it
Saddle fitter did change the flocking when he fitted it. It didn't move when I tried it but he had used a non elastic girth done up super tight during my fitting. So tight i couldn't get it undone from the ground and he had to do it.
I'll maybe try a gel pad, if that does t help I'll get them back out to check it
Where are you @Sophieandbella? If you give us a rough idea it may be that someone can recommend a saddler because it doesn't sound like this one has done a good job. How long have you had the saddle, have they been back to see you ride in it and check the fit again since you aren't happy with it, did they take a proper template and see you ride her in it when they first fitted it? Have you at any point said to them that you want the saddle changing or a refund? It sounds to me like you need to get more insistent on this.
Thanks @carthorse I am in Northamptonshire. I've only had the saddle just over a week. Yes he did all the templates and watched me ride in it, that's what I meant about him doing the girth up mega tight. No I've not spoken to them about it yet, just been trying different girths etc. He advised to get them back out in 12 weeks to check but I'm thinking maybe I should phone them so theyre aware that I'm not 100% happy with it now.
Her old saddle also slipped, but worse than this one. If one shoulder is bigger will they be able to get a saddle to fit without slipping? Or do I need to start trying to build up her right hand side to balance her out do you think?
Her old saddle also slipped, but worse than this one. If one shoulder is bigger will they be able to get a saddle to fit without slipping? Or do I need to start trying to build up her right hand side to balance her out do you think?
I'd speak to the fitter straight away, 12 weeks is too long to leave it when there's a problem. I'm not sure what timescale you have to notify them in if you want to return it as not for for purpose, but to cover yourself do it straight away and send an email to confirm what was said in the phone call because that way you have a written record.
A good saddler can do an awful lot. Ideally you should try to build her up to get her as level as possible, but that will take time and, depending on the reason for the uneveness may not be possible. Have you had her assessed by a vet to see if there's an underlying reason for it? It may be that you'll need to work alongside a physio to make her more even.
A good saddler can do an awful lot. Ideally you should try to build her up to get her as level as possible, but that will take time and, depending on the reason for the uneveness may not be possible. Have you had her assessed by a vet to see if there's an underlying reason for it? It may be that you'll need to work alongside a physio to make her more even.
Ah, the super tight isn't a good idea - Hogan's isn't really tight, but still stays level if i do it a certain way.
I think you need a numnah that will allow you to shim up the side that is lacking, a non elastic girth and the saddle fitter back out to fit it all.
Pulling a girth up really tight isn't fitting a saddle that's like tying your show laces really really tight to stop them falling off.
So perhaps a new saddler!
Pulling a girth up really tight isn't fitting a saddle that's like tying your show laces really really tight to stop them falling off.
So perhaps a new saddler!
Honestly, if the horse is a-symmetrical (which he/she sounds like they are with a bigger shoulder) then saddle pads, shims and girths are only ever going to be a temporary solution at best.
Yes, you might need to play around with the saddle set up for a bit but long term I'd invest in some biomechanival lessons for the horse & rider to start your symmetry journey together.
Yes, you might need to play around with the saddle set up for a bit but long term I'd invest in some biomechanival lessons for the horse & rider to start your symmetry journey together.
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