[QHDragon]

I am taking over this section of the forums, mwahahaha...

So this is entirely for fitting for my horse, this seat of this saddle turns out is too small (and its for sale -winkwink-) for my big ole butt.

with the new skito sway back pad.


I think the saddle is sitting pommel high, which would mean its too narrow right? However I could fit three fingers between his withers and the bottom. I really liked the cut back and the amount of wither clearance that it gave.

 

[MIEventer]

It seems that the Pommel is even with the Cantle? It appears that the deepest part of the saddle, is the center, which is where you want it to be.

I don't like the panels though - they are too gusseted for my liking. Your fellow needs non gussted panels, with more of an angle to them for his back. Right now, you have * U * that going, when you want * / * that...well, more of an angle than that.

 

[QHDragon]

I am having a hard time visualizing that...do you have any examples?

 

[maura]

I don't think this is a good choice for him. It is very pommel hight, and if you put a riser pad under it, it would raise the whole saddle up too far off his back. I think it is too narrow for him.

 

[QHDragon]

Just to clarify the pad under it is not a riser pad, its a pad that is suppose to fill in the dip in his back caused by him being sway backed.

 

[MIEventer]

Ah, so it is pommel high. Ok. I wasn't sure, to me it looked even with the cantel, but I'm not good at this stuff.

~~~

Here is a better visual idea of what I mean.

Look at the back of your particular saddle. See the panels - see how they are quite round *gusseted* what you want are panels that are like this :

Does that make sense?

What you want to do, when you look at saddles in person - stick your fingers into the gap between the panels, and see how many fingers you can fit in there. You WANT 4, that means the gullet is wide enough. 3 is ok. Anything less, not good.

 

[luvs2ride1979]

It looks to narrow or steep in the front for him, though your front pictures are too close to really tell anything. You need to step back and show the whole shoulder and front of the saddle. If your horse is really wooly, put a thin towel on him, then the saddle over it, so the towel will lay the hair down.

With your Skito pad, you need to lunge him with it to warm it up, then girth it up and sit in it for the picture. The Skito foam will compress and your saddle will "settle" in to it once you're up there, changing the fit entirely.

 

[luvs2ride1979]

I don't like the panels though - they are too gusseted for my liking. Your fellow needs non gussted panels, with more of an angle to them for his back.

I don't see any gussets in those panels at all. It's an old saddle and gussetted panels didn't become wide spread until the late 80s or early 90s. The back pannels look to be an okay fit to me, though it's hard to tell with the fur and with his head turned (changing his back angle).

 

[MIEventer]

Ah, I think I have the terminology incorrect.

The panels look too "stuffed" and rounded instead of being flatter and laying nicely on his back.

Like this:

I don't like how the rounded panels put pressure on the back - where instead, panels that are flatter and lay correctly on the horses back, maxamizes the weight bearing surface and minimizes the pressure. If that makes sense.



QHDragon, maybe this site will help you out:

Saddle Fitting