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Slipping western saddle? Does it fit?

18K views 28 replies 10 participants last post by  LeahKathleen 
#1 ·
The saddle I've been using on Lacey keeps slipping around. I can have it cinched super tight and it still slips a bit.
I've heard that slippage happens when the saddle doesn't fit well but this saddle appears to fit her pretty well. She's also the type that acts out when the saddle isn't any good and she's doing mostly fine (she has gotten more antsy about being mounted as of late but she's not rearing or taking off as soon as I get on and she's never been good at standing still for mounting). She has been nickering significantly when I get off but she's always done that a bit now and then, now it's just every time. I think it might have something to do with the pad being smooshed into her withers (she has pretty high withers for an Arab) because it shifts down as the saddle slips around.

Here's a picture (it's just a random one my friend took so I'm pretty sure it wasn't cinched up yet and the back strap is under the saddle) from a few weeks ago, tomorrow I will update with better pictures if need be.

 
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#2 ·
Well, I always cinch three times before mounting. Cinch, groom, pick feet, cinch, bush mane, put on headstall, cinch, go.

I get a couple more inches each time. My saddle used to slip like crazy until I started letting her breathe between cinching. Many horses will puff out and hold their breath while you tighten the girth.

Try that, if it still slips, it likely doesn't fit.
 
#3 ·
That is what I usually do. >.< I saddle her up and do the cinch then walk her to the mounting block, check the cinch again, then get on and often times I'll check the cinch from her back and tighten it again from up there. >.<

Could it be the type/size of cinch? The cinch is way too big for her to begin with so it's up as high as it'll go on the right side and there's about 3 inches of latigo space on the left. Could that affect the slippy-ness of it?

I really need this saddle to fit because I totally cannot get my own for at least a year or so, unless I come into an exorbitant amount of money before then. >.<
 
#4 ·
Breast collar possibly? Also you may want to look into the pad with withers relief (cut front or whatever it's called). I know it all cost. :( But I can't think of anything else.
 
#5 ·
Definitely get a cinch that fits and see if that helps. Try something neoprene (I use the Classic Equine Soft Touch girths... so do my horses...) They don't slip as easily.

Grab a wire coat hanger and bend it over her withers, then hold the shape that you just made to the inside of the saddle. Good way to see if there are any MAJOR fit issues - you'll obviously need a more fool proof system for smaller fit issues.
 
#7 ·
I'll get better pictures tomorrow. =)

And I'll look into a new girth for sure and possibly a cutback pad. How do I figure out what size of girth she needs? I'm sure she needs one that's pretty dang tiny. Should I be fitting it for the last hole on the right side attachment thingy or a hole somewhere farther up?
 
#9 ·
It just needs to fit comfortably. The last hole leaves a lot of nylon (or leather if your off billet is leather) on your horse, but the top hole cause lots of uncomfortable overlapping of pad/girth/what have you. I'd say choose a middle hole, and then you want there to be relatively the same amount of latigo on the other side. You also want the ring in the center of the girth to be centered under your horse... you don't want that all over on one side or anything, esp if you plan on using a breast collar.
 
#12 ·
Wallaby, in the first picture, the cinch ilooks to be too large and the saddle is too far back (by ~2" or so). I can't tell by the second batch but the first looks like that.
 
#13 ·
I'll definitely move it forward a few inches because I've been wondering if it's too far back but I wasn't sure. Thanks for letting me know iridehorses!
The cinch is way too big, I need to find/buy a smaller one (I'm going to make sure there isn't one around the barn before I buy one). The saddle is my trainer's and all her horses are beefy QH or Mustangs, so the saddles are not really set up for little Arabs like Lacey. =P
 
#14 ·
That is a Bighorn 15" Saddle with Reg. QH Bars Steels Brand Tree, fit does not look that bad, but pics are a little too close.

Pics are a little close, but I agree slide it forward a little and a new much shorter cinch, maybe also a thicker pad with a felt bottom.

.
 
#15 ·
Wow SouthernTrails, that is very impressive. o_O
Should I take more pictures from farther away after I scooch it forward or were you able to tell enough from what you can see?

Thank you so much! I'll definitely find a new cinch. =)
 
#18 ·
The saddle is very downhill, you definitely need to shim it so it gets off her shoulders. Also, it needs to be moved back, where it is sitting now it's too far forward and will trap her shoulder movement, making her strides short and choppy.
Downhill? I am guessing the horse has her head down in the first photo.

Shimming is not a good idea for a long term solution.
 
#19 ·
Yes, the saddle is sitting downhill on the horse. You can see that from the first rivet, making a line to the concho on back. The line should be flat, not going down like it is.

Shimming is filling in the spots where the horse is lacking muscle and making the saddle level so that the horse can actually use his body. Shimming DOES help. Then, once the horse starts building muscle, you change the shim pattern accordingly. It's difficult to do that, however, unless you have an awesome saddle pad like this: www.ridinghighllc.com
 
#20 ·
In the first picture in the second set of pictures she is standing on a down hill slope. I realized after I took the picture but I moved her butt to more level ground for the second to last one. And if you look at the second to last picture the conchos are pretty even. Not perfect but not terrible. (and she did have her head down in the first picture)

Spirithorse- What makes you say I should scoot it back?
Two people on this thread told me it was too far back already and I'm inclined to believe SouthernTrails because I'm pretty sure he's a saddle maker or some such thing.
I'm interested to hear your thoughts. =)
 
#21 ·
In the second to last picture, I'm not looking at the first concho, I'm looking at the rivet that's on the leather part of the saddle. I line that up with the first concho you get to as you move toward the back of the saddle. That rivet on the leather part of the saddle marks where the bar starts, which is what needs to be behind the horse's scapula at MAXIMUM extension. If that rivit is in front of that spot where the horse's scapula is at max extension then you will block her shoulder movement, which will result in her rounding her shoulders forward (a lot of times causing a rotated shoulder) which dumps all the weight on her forehand, thus making her strides short and choppy. Her back will be hollow and she might carry her head up high and bracy.
 
#22 ·
That's very interesting... Thanks for telling me the rest of that, it helps me understand better. =)
So are you thinking the saddle is too wide? (as well as being too far forward)

This was the exact same problem I had with the english saddles I tried on her, they all sat up on her shoulders. >.< Does she need a narrower saddle? What's the "fix"?
 
#23 ·
I was going to say scoot it back also. It's sitting on top of her scapula which was a big problem I had with my boy, it hurts him if it's too far forward. Riding schools ahve a lot to answer for in the way they teach kids to saddle up. It's taken me about a year to break the habit of sitting the saddle too far forward!

I won't comment on any others fit issues as I don't know western saddles. However, some horses are just rolly! My friends little appy pony is the rolliest thing I have ever sat on, I feel very insecure until I get used to it again.

Maybe try a crupper/breastplate to help it out?
 
#25 ·
Huh. Well I'm gonna ride tomorrow and I'll scoot it back more and see how it goes. How far back? I'm concerned about putting it too far back because she is getting a swayback and I don't want to hurt her back by being in the middle of her back...

When I get some money I plan on getting a breast collar for her to see if that'll help. =)

I used to use a back cinch but then it got taken off the saddle and I never put it back on. Should I put it back on?
 
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