A cold backed horse?

I buy good quality saddles and ride horses with the type of conformation that fit my saddle. they won't all fit perfectly but the difference is made up with high qualtiy pads.

Kevin I love a good leather saddle. I am annal about it's care BUT every pound counts. I weigh 193 pounds plus clothing plus saddle. I always ride little arabs that weigh in the 900 pound range. The weight ratio is all wrong for a distance horse so to me weight is everything. My endurance saddle started out at about 12 pounds, a good quality leather can easily run 40 pounds plus the leather fenders over time get to your knees.
If you spend alot of time in that saddle.

Had one cold back horse (better after back warmed up on lunge) that was better once she had her SI injected - old injury cause her to be VERY sensitive through the back.

Had a 3 yo that was cold backed - would buck REALLY hard with just the saddle on (no rider). Once you lunged her enough to get the bucks out she was OK.

Both horses had the same dam would was VERY sensitive through the back but never needed lunging before riding.

All 3 horses (dam included) MUST have the saddle fitted VERY well or they became lame (3 legged lame) until a chiropractor fixed them or they could buck out the kink in their backs - such was their sensitivity through the back.

Saddle fit is an issue close to my heart - My current horse was very nearly ruined by ignorance about saddle fit. He was beleived to be 'naughty' - Bucking on his inexperienced/nervous rider. He was constantly sent back to a trainer and ridden by various people who flogged him to make him behave. I am still told by someone who rode him that he is crazy.

He has palm sized white patches either side of his wither - If the saddle is half an inch to far forward it presses on these pressure points and he *used* to buck - He now knows that he can show his discomfort by humping his back and nto actually bucking. After a LONG time, a 4k custom made saddle, a thinline pad, and a diet re-haul, he is normal 98% of the time. I can put an absolute beginner on him and he will pack them around all day - He will then turn around and show with me at ASh shows and do lightning fast rollbacks/haunch turns/stops, etc. The old owner cannot beleive the changes in him - All because he is now comfortable in his work.

A saddle on a horse is like a shoe on a marathon runner. It is essential that it fits - How can we expect our horses to perform at their best, wether it be olympic disciplines, working disciplines, or just trail riding, when they are uncomfortable?

My little arab is very sensitive to the girth. He hates it. It has to be done up slowly throughout saddling, and he always takes very short steps when you first mount. If it was just cranked up, I have no doubt he would start behaviours such as lying down, biting, etc.