Is this a saddle fit problem? Or am I just doomed
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It arrived...and I didn't really notice any difference in saddle fit from my big fluffy wither pad. The inside is made of this really hard foam, and the actual part that is suppose to fill in his dip is a separate piece that is just kind of floating around inside the pocket so there is no way to know where it actually is when you put in on the horse. The only thing I like about it is that you can add or subtract how much stuffing you want in it, but I could have gotten something much nicer looking for much less I think.
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You could try one of those riser or ortho support pads.
They have shims that you can place under the saddle to give a more comfortable fit.
I was actually watching a Parelli episode on RFD about the same problem. That might just be where your saddle needs to fit(behind his shoulder blades) and you just need to use an ortho pad with shims to raise it up off of his spine and withers. Of course a picture of where the saddle is slipping to would help.Western :: Western Theraflex (TM) Self-Inflating Pad this is the pad they use, but I am sure you could find the same thing much cheaper somewhere else. It uses air pockets that self inflate to add support where it is needed without you having to guess where that is.
They have shims that you can place under the saddle to give a more comfortable fit.
I was actually watching a Parelli episode on RFD about the same problem. That might just be where your saddle needs to fit(behind his shoulder blades) and you just need to use an ortho pad with shims to raise it up off of his spine and withers. Of course a picture of where the saddle is slipping to would help.Western :: Western Theraflex (TM) Self-Inflating Pad this is the pad they use, but I am sure you could find the same thing much cheaper somewhere else. It uses air pockets that self inflate to add support where it is needed without you having to guess where that is.
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I will take a picture tomorrow after I am done riding. I put it up about two fingers behind his shoulder blade and it always seems to "settle" down into his dip during the course of our ride.
I don't have any more money to spend on pads right now so I am just going to have to figure out how to make what I have work.
I don't have any more money to spend on pads right now so I am just going to have to figure out how to make what I have work.
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8,220 Posts
Towels work, Dense Foam like those black inserts I have, or you can go to walmart and get the white stuff I have from the carpet section.
I like the black dense foam though.
It is the same material that Porter Protector Boots are made out of *The popular black dense foam used for Mid to Upper Level Eventing Horses*
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You can find the material at tack stores, or you can find it at places like Home Hardware, etc, etc -
I like the black dense foam though.
It is the same material that Porter Protector Boots are made out of *The popular black dense foam used for Mid to Upper Level Eventing Horses*
You can find the material at tack stores, or you can find it at places like Home Hardware, etc, etc -
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8,220 Posts
lol, bubble wrap.
You want a material that will give, but not so much that the pressure just smooths it out - know what I mean?
Like Gel Pads, they are useless. When you lay the Gel Pad down on the floor and you press your fist into it, the gel moves away from the pressure, making it uneffective - so take the same idea with the material you want to use.
Make sure, that even with pressure, the material is still effective enough to protect your fellows back.
Or try to find that white stuff that is in my pad. Go to a fabric store *not walmart, they have insufficiant stock* and see what you can find, or a hardware store.
When you come to Lou Don tomorrow, I'll show you what I have so you can get more of an idea. That white thick padding that is in my white pad that my Hubby bought...I showed you it when you came for the Wintec....
You want a material that will give, but not so much that the pressure just smooths it out - know what I mean?
Like Gel Pads, they are useless. When you lay the Gel Pad down on the floor and you press your fist into it, the gel moves away from the pressure, making it uneffective - so take the same idea with the material you want to use.
Make sure, that even with pressure, the material is still effective enough to protect your fellows back.
Or try to find that white stuff that is in my pad. Go to a fabric store *not walmart, they have insufficiant stock* and see what you can find, or a hardware store.
When you come to Lou Don tomorrow, I'll show you what I have so you can get more of an idea. That white thick padding that is in my white pad that my Hubby bought...I showed you it when you came for the Wintec....
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4,138 Posts
The foam is only hard when cold. It softens up nicely when your horse warms it up.
The shim will stay put nicely once you have it placed properly and don't "shake" the pad up and down :wink:. My shims almost never move around.
As for your issue, could it be than you are putting your saddles too far forward? The front of the saddle tree should be 1-3" behind the back edge of the shoulder blade. For western saddles, the front edge of the front concho should be about 2" behind the back edge of the shoulder blade. For English saddles, the front d-ring should be 2-3" behind the back edge of the shoulder blade.
Try your new Skito pad with your saddle placed correctly and see if that helps. The shim should go UNDER the long foam panels if you got the shoulder shim. If you got the lift front or full lift front, it should go on top of the main foam panels.
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Contact Skito or the store you bought it from. Skito has excellent customer service and will swap out shims until you get the desired results. You only have to pay for shipping your shims back to them.
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2,061 Posts
Presumably you ride English
Look up "Cair" on the internet. But you'll need a saddler to fit it properly.
Strikes me you need a visit from a saddler.
Pads won't necessarily work for you and may provoke rub marks on the horse's back. The saddle should fit the horse without an under cloth -which are to be used merely to stop the saddle from getting dirty.
There will be a saddle to fit, but you have to find it. I've got four saddles in my tack room but I had to buy a fifth to fit my present horse which itself needed adjustment before it could be used on my mare.
B G
Look up "Cair" on the internet. But you'll need a saddler to fit it properly.
Strikes me you need a visit from a saddler.
Pads won't necessarily work for you and may provoke rub marks on the horse's back. The saddle should fit the horse without an under cloth -which are to be used merely to stop the saddle from getting dirty.
There will be a saddle to fit, but you have to find it. I've got four saddles in my tack room but I had to buy a fifth to fit my present horse which itself needed adjustment before it could be used on my mare.
B G
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1,364 Posts
ugh, so frustrating! I have similar problems with my TB and it doesn't help that he was in sorry shape when I got him. So now, though I am thrilled to be building topline, it is like having a new horse to fit every couple months. I have lots of nice gals willing to let me use pads to adjust as needed, but nothing fixes all problems.
I just got an awesome fleece half pad online and tried it out yesterday, he was swinging through his back much better and seemed happier than he's been in a while, but still had some slipping back issues. ARGH! Good luck to you, I'm sorry I really don't have advice, just commiserating!
I just got an awesome fleece half pad online and tried it out yesterday, he was swinging through his back much better and seemed happier than he's been in a while, but still had some slipping back issues. ARGH! Good luck to you, I'm sorry I really don't have advice, just commiserating!
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3,199 Posts
Misery loves company!
I like this pad, however I think I could have found something much cheaper that did the same thing, I was just excited to find something in an english version at it seems like most sway back pads are western pads. Oh well.
I like this pad, however I think I could have found something much cheaper that did the same thing, I was just excited to find something in an english version at it seems like most sway back pads are western pads. Oh well.
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4,138 Posts
Let me know if you find anything cheaper that works as well as a Skito for saddle fitting, shock absorbtion, and breathability. So far, Skitos have been the cheapest I could find for all of that, plus they're custom made to order!
You might contact Skito or the store/shop you got the pad from and see if some other shims might work better. Maybe a a full rear lift? Or a combination of a thinner center shim and a rear lift shim? They are great to work with, even months after you buy the pad. Skito keeps the orders and pad serial numbers on file for 4 years, so you can easily order more shims or what-not.
You might contact Skito or the store/shop you got the pad from and see if some other shims might work better. Maybe a a full rear lift? Or a combination of a thinner center shim and a rear lift shim? They are great to work with, even months after you buy the pad. Skito keeps the orders and pad serial numbers on file for 4 years, so you can easily order more shims or what-not.
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