[zfrederick]

Just purchased a new saddle. Western Saddle, wade tree.
The saddle is a 7" gullet, FQHB, and fits my wither tracing excellent.

Saddle came with a "free" thin rug type saddle blanket, and a cheaper, roper style girth (slick leather only girth, not the rope kind)

I took the saddle out yesterday for the first time. Within 5 minutes of riding the saddle had slid back a good 6 inches.

Horse became unpleasant with the saddles position, so we headed back to the barn.

I'm wondering what my first solution to fix problem should be:

1. Is it just because its a new saddle? maybe because the girth strap was new and stiff, it loosened up right away - even though it had seemed tight initially?

2. Would the cheap blanket cause the saddle to slide back?

3. Would that style of girth cause it to slide back?

4. Just use breast collar? (but I never needed a breast collar with an english saddle I had been borrowing)?

Any recommendations?
I greatly appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.

 

[kitten_Val]

I use western saddles all the time. I'v never seen new saddle slide back just because it's new one (however I used only good brands such as Wintec and Abetta). Can you borrow and try a different blanket and girth by any chance? I always use thick pad for my horses. I remember only 1 horse I used to ride ANY saddle would move back in 10 mins or so. But it mainly was because of the horse funny back. So I ended up using the breast collar. However that may not be a case. What brand saddle did you get?

 

[DesertGal]

Hummm, what comes to mind first, is the saddle does not fit the horse. Too wide maybe? If you want to see how the saddle fits, get a white sheet, put it on the horse, and then put the saddle on without the saddle pad. Cinch up, and get up in the saddle. Then get off, and see the dirt pattern. Turn sheet inside out, and repeat with the saddle pad.

Also can take a coat hanger and bend it to fit the horse then see how it fits into the saddle. Some horses need thick pads, and some need thin pads, but either way the saddle needs to fit.

I ride western and I have a tex tan flex tree, FQHB. It fits my mare well, it never falls or slips unless we are going up a steep incline, then it will slip just a tinsy bit back, but no more than 1/4 inch without the brest strap. I use the brest strap to take the strain off the girth, not because the saddle slips.

I use different girths, I have a fleece one and a neoprene one. I hope to get a rope one. I use lether cinch straps. If the holes in the cinch don't match up properly, I use a cinch knot. (Actually I use the knot anyway, as I don't totally trust the holes...)

This site has instructions on how to check for saddle fit. http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/allabsadands.html

 

[Flying B]

Your saddle dose not fit it sounds like it is to big, you should be able to put the saddle on and fit kind of good with out the blanket. Try useing a bigger blanket.

 

[Charlie Horse]

It could be a number of things. Many of which have already been suggested, but I thought I would throw this in.

Is your horse an arabian? Because my friend had a lot of trouble with saddle slippage with her arabian. But I'm not sure if it was due to fit, or just a weird arabian thing.

But its probably either fit, or cinch. I always use a thick saddle pad with a western saddle because they aren't as light or as padded as english saddles.

 

[hanse004]

I had a nice english saddle that I really wanted to fit my horse....however...since I bought it at a sale and on impulse, I didn't have a chance to measure. The gullet was too wide and it slide back on the first hill we went up...even with a breastplate. Next ride, I put on a saddle that fit him and it never slid. IMO, the saddle doesn't fit. I would think it is too wide for your horse.

 

[Flying B]

Charlie you should use a thicker pad with your english saddles than you western saddle, a wight of a saddle is all put on it's tree a western saddle has a big tree( Like 4 or 5") when a english saddle has a small one (I think it is like 1.5") a heavy western saddle weighing 40 pounds is not that much when it is put over a bigger space.
Arabians are skinner than QH so that would mean it is to big.

 

[futolympeventer327]

if none of the above helps some horses are just not built to carry a saddle well. For example my horse, both his saddles (dressage and jumping) are custom and they both slide back. This is NOT a fitting problem as both saddles are regularly checked and restuffed according to my saddle fitter it is because my horse has large well muscled shoulders and narrows back towards his hip which encourages the saddle to slip back.

Check the fit with the white pad trick or even better a pressure pad.

If nothing shows up try a breastplate.

 

[SuperFly]

1) consider using a neoprene pad....they add additional comfort for the horse as well as helping to limit slippage...just be sure to clean your pad regularly as the neoprene has a tendency to hold dirt and will rub if not cleaned regularly (a hose after a ride is perfectly suitable)

2) forgive me, Im not trying to insult your knowledge.....but if the girth you recieved was only leather I suspect it was a flank girth not your primary heart girth...a lot of western saddles are shipped with a flank girth and on occassion a breast collar....would recommend you switch to either a neoprene (same with your girth, be sure to clean it or you'll gore up your horse) or fleece lined girth..