We ride the same horse in the same saddle every day, and it's hard to see subtle changes in that time. Changes in behavior, changes in attitude, changes in movement, changes in the way a saddle physically fits.
I'm trying to figure out subtle (or even not so subtle) signs that a saddle doesn't fit. I've been blindsided three times by saddles that didn't fit, and I don't want it to happen again. Part of my problem was that I never saw any really obvious signs of poor saddle fit until the horse had actually started to show physical signs. So I thought I'd put down some signs that I had gathered, and maybe others can add to it. I'm particularly hoping to find subtle cues that I personally missed, so I can keep an eye out for them and hopefully never go through this again.
From my saddle fitter:
- the horse expresses displeasure when saddled or girthed (me: none of my horses ever did this and yet I had three poor-fitting saddles between two of them)
- if put on the horse's back without a pad, the saddle wobbles and rocks
From me:
- the saddle slides forward when being ridden, maybe at the canter more than other gaits
- the horse is more forward when ridden bareback or in another saddle, than when being ridden in the saddle in question
- lameness (of course lameness has many causes) or development of problems with movement
Can anyone else add some more indications of poor saddle fit? Thanks so much...
I'm trying to figure out subtle (or even not so subtle) signs that a saddle doesn't fit. I've been blindsided three times by saddles that didn't fit, and I don't want it to happen again. Part of my problem was that I never saw any really obvious signs of poor saddle fit until the horse had actually started to show physical signs. So I thought I'd put down some signs that I had gathered, and maybe others can add to it. I'm particularly hoping to find subtle cues that I personally missed, so I can keep an eye out for them and hopefully never go through this again.
From my saddle fitter:
- the horse expresses displeasure when saddled or girthed (me: none of my horses ever did this and yet I had three poor-fitting saddles between two of them)
- if put on the horse's back without a pad, the saddle wobbles and rocks
From me:
- the saddle slides forward when being ridden, maybe at the canter more than other gaits
- the horse is more forward when ridden bareback or in another saddle, than when being ridden in the saddle in question
- lameness (of course lameness has many causes) or development of problems with movement
Can anyone else add some more indications of poor saddle fit? Thanks so much...