What a difference a properly fitting saddle makes

I just bought a new dressage saddle and it came with a medium/narrow gullet already installed. I'd previously been using a wintec all purpose saddle with a medium gullet and it looked like it fit very well. However, after putting the new saddle on Cookie I could see how much of a difference there really was.

Apparently she really needs a medium/narrow to clear those shark fin withers properly, and when she has one she rides like a dream.

She was so much better today than she has ever been. No head tossing, no running into the fence, no bolting. She even cantered some circles for me and that's not something we've been able to do without being in the round pen.

Simply put, she was an angel. Yes, I was one of those people that thought "my saddle is fine, that's not the problem, it's the horse being bratty." But no, it really was the saddle. I feel badly now thinking that my horse was probably in pain or uncomfortable this entire time. Live and learn. I will always pay proper attention to saddle fit from now on.

If you think your saddle fits but are having other issues, double check it!

WooHoo, glad that you found something to help. I am happy for you that it appears she isn't just a brat and had a real reason for acting silly.

Me too! I think she was trying to tell me in every way she knew how and I just wasn't understanding.

that's great news! ....now if everyone read this post....

YAY! I wish more folks understood an improperly fitted saddle can and does do lasting damage to their horses spine. We all have to learn the hard way sometimes, and yes I am one of those folks. I thought my mares saddle was a great fit right up till the day she blew out an abscess caused by my saddle. It was low and not much swelling, but turned out to be an 8 week injury. I have never felt so crappy as when my vet told me, "Umm YEAH it IS because of her saddle fit!"

Congratulations! Doesn't it just feel SO good when we make breakthroughs like that? You can forgive yourself for not realising. We all do things like that and as far as horses are concerned we will never know it all. Our lives with them are a constant learning curve. I love saddles with changeable gullets for exactly that reason and gullet measures are a great invention too.

:) At least you were smart enough to change it when you noticed something was wrong!

I had an issue the other day and I'm wondering if it's the saddle. I have a morgan that I've been riding for almost three years now with the same saddle. He seems to have been fine all this while but last week while just walking along the road, he erupted. After I flew off, my girlfriends said that he kept bucking and rearing for a while. He's a very calm and respectful horse otherwise. I use the same saddle on my quarterhorse mare. Have you heard of such a thing before because of poor saddle fit? I am having someone look at it this week but wanted to get an opinion on here too.

If nothing lead up to it - just boom, explosion with no warning - its more likely that he got stung or bitten by something you didn't feel or see. Horses don't typically go well in a saddle for years on end, get to the middle of the ride and then decide, boom, I've had it - you're done.

Well remember that a horse's back changes from gaining/losing muscle so it's always good to have your saddle evaluated on your horse every so often. It could be pinching, your pad could have shrunk or lost its shape.. it's always a good idea to rule it out.