I bought a new horse. Yay! 

Ugggg now I have to fit a saddle to her .... boo.

I have tried 3 so far. One is an old Longhorn that I have. Didn't fit at all, seemed to be too wide in the gullet and bar angle and left bad dry spots. Slid back while we rode too. Not putting that one on again.

Second is my Circle Y Lisa Lockhart (regular Flex 2). It's not too bad. I think it might be a tad wide in the gullet (a little better with a shim) but I wouldn't mind having a little more flare for the shoulders. However, sweat pattern is perfect. No dry spots. But saddle slides way back as we ride. [picture of that]

Then I got my hands on a used Double J Pozzi Pro (previous horse owner told me she was using a Double J Pro wide on her). Company tells me it's a #9 tree with a special twist to make it 7 gullet 43 bars, with the spine relief and foam bottom.  I really like the flare on it but I feel like maybe the gullet is a little wide? Maybe it's okay. I feel like it's a little downhill on her but that could also be that I am soooooo used to my Lisa Lockhart. Saddle also slides back while we ride. I tried it on the middle rigging so I may try it on the rear rigging next time to see if that helps keep it in a better location. It did leave a dry spot on the left side, but barely a dry spot on the right side (her shoulders seem to be better on the right side; horses are never perfectly symmetrical). There was also a weird dry spot down her sides (vertical) but I wonder if it's because it slid back? Never seen that before.

[picture of Double J with no pad one]

[picture of Double J with no pad two]

[picture of Double J sweat marks one]

[picture of Double J sweat marks two]

[picture of Double J sweat marks three]

[picture of Double J after ride, slid back]   I rode in a 3/4" thickness 5 star pad.

But what strikes me is all three saddles slide back as we ride. Maybe that will just happen with her conformation?? She is more race-build than I am used to. I also thought that maybe she sucks air when we tack up (I can kinda see it), although I always double check tightness before I get on. Maybe I need to recheck  tighness after we ride for a few minutes. I don't like to cut her in half for conditioning, but I also don't like the saddle sliding back.

I'm set up to try some Burns saddle and some trees next week at a shop.

I could also haul to a shop that has a few Double J's in stock.

Ugg, I hate saddle fitting! Any other suggestions out there that might work? 

She's like a graceful ballerina in my pasture of weight lifting meathead geldings, LOL. I have asked Double J too, and they suggested the #10 tree with more rock to see if that helps with the sliding.

Way back when I tried a Meleta Brown for one of my horses that fit beautifully but I could not get used to the flatter seat for myself.

I also won a Corriente at one point and while I liked their flare too, but I felt too "perched" in the saddle so I didn't like that seat for myself either.

I think you will like the Burns saddle.  Please let us know how you come out on the fitting!

To me, the "after ride" picture has perfect saddle positioning, but you say it slid back into that position the picture was taken in? If so, I think because that's where it should be sitting. If it slid back to here, I think you had it too far forward to start and it moved to its happy spot.

IDK about those weird vertical sweat marks. That is odd. Never seen those before. 

Likewise, the LL appears to be sitting in the perfect position in your after ride photo you reference as well. If that one has perfect sweat patterns, I'd stick with it! That isn't too far back.

And perhaps part of it is that she is a different build than my other horses, so maybe it looks "wrong" to me when it's actually just fine for her?

For the Lisa Lockhart, what bothers me is how much the cinch is angled back, because the cinch stays put and the saddle slides back. That's what gives me the biggest impression that it is too far back after our ride. I did use my 1/2" thickness 5 star that day with that one. I may have to try the 3/4" thickness. I did one ride with the shim and one without and had even sweat marks for both - no dry spots. So maybe it is fine?

The Double J picture I posted is decieving. I should have had her standing more square, since her front legs are under her a little bit. It makes the saddle not look as far back as it was. But again. Maybe that is just where the saddle needs to sit?

A person just always second guesses themselves, when you want your horse as comfortable as possible!!

I'd totally stick with the Lisa saddle. Perfect sweat marks, and it is not too far back at all. I see what you mean about the cinch, but I think that's just how this horse is built with a deep chest. The saddle moves to its happy place. I'd do the 3/4" pad probably. Hard to tell from pics. 

This saddle looks like its in the right spot, your horse looks to have a short back and this saddle looks like its sitting right.

Those vertical sweat marks are really strange, I would check that saddle to make sure the tree is not broken. 

Thanks for the reassurance. Maybe it is just fine after all and I am crazy.

I actually feel like her back is on the long side. (At least compared to my other boys!!!)  But she has a long neck to go with it.

These are actually the sweat marks from the Lisa Lockhart (with the 1/2" thickness pad and no shim) but kind of shows her conformation. I didn't brush her and I should have b/c that always make the sweat marks easier to see but there were no dry spots.

[LL sweat marks one]

[LL sweat marks two]

[LL sweat marks three]

Her back is not short but not long either, LOL. I like her she looks balanced. But I do think the Double J looks decent.  Ride some more in the Double J, sometimes its harder to get use to a different saddle when you are so use to a different brand. 

Whats her breeding? 

Just wanted to say the Lisa saddle didnt look bad either. I just think that you are so use to your boys and this mare is a different built thats its just hard for you to decide what will work for her. Just going to take awhile to get use to the different between her and the boys.

Those vertical sweat marks on the JJ are weird as heck. I've never seen something like that. Nonetheless I do think that where the saddle is sitting is her sweet spot. I always throw my saddle a little further forward and then pull it back into position. 

However, I think the sweatmarks with the LL are really nice. They look evenly sweated based on your photos.

I'm going to have to try my LL again, and just compare back and forth!

I wouldn't quite say she was "mis-behaved" last night, but it was definately the most trouble I had riding her last night. And not that she was naughty but she would NOT settle down and kept breaking trot, and got a little upset with asking for leads. Maybe she didn't like the Double J?? Maybe she was just energetic with the cool air? Maybe she just had an "off" night? She's been an absolute doll so far, but she is only 5 and we are still getting to know each other.

She bred pretty fantastic (IMO!)  Frechman's Guy granddaughter and a Mr Illuminator mare  [see here]

She is 5 this year.  She also was a sudden purchase as I just found out my main gelding has some pretty serious neck issues so he is suddently a trail horse.

But I am pretty excited about her.

Yes, it's always hard to get used to a new feel and a new horse. That will take some time. She's already got a great handle on her; now we just have to get used to each other.

Here's my fatties I am used to riding.

[Shotgun]  My beautiful boy that is now a trail riding horse.

[Shotgun and Dexter]  Talk about a short back on the dark one! (And a big ribcage.... always looks pregnant ....)

My old trusty steed!  [Red horse]

I like the after picture as well.   I would try a total saddle fit or other contoured cinch with her.  

I wonder if that is the stirrup strap bump pressure?  I have read about it and seen some white spots from it on other horses, but never elongated, like this. 

Does this Double J have a cutout under the tree to allow for the stirrup strap to run flush with the back, I wonder?

Maybe. It's got a little bit of a cutout but I don't think it's any more than any other saddle?

Yes, I agree with others that the after rides look good on both saddles.  One of the things to consider is the rigging.  This mare seems to need a rigging set more forward --  I'm not sure how the Lisa Lockhart saddle is rigged, but  the latigo would be more vertical and not slanted back if it were a full....or 7/8 rigging maybe?  I think Her body pulls the saddle in the position where the tree sits best, but the rigging position is fighting it.  

But, again, I really think the vertical dry spots are from the stirrup leathers.  It is in the exact place the leathers would be.  And not all saddles have a cutout in the tree to allow for them - and some stirrup leathers are thicker than others, which can add to that pressure. One of my saddles has the stirrup leathers hung on TOP of the saddle tree and not looped through the tree for the sole purpose of avoiding the stirrip leather pressure points.  Sometimes I ended up having to pick the lesser of evils in saddle fit, woes, though :) 

I am pretty sure it is 7/8 rigging on the Lisa.

If everything is fitting correctly but the saddle is still sliding back, maybe you should try a chamois?  i had a gelding that i had a heck of a time with my saddle sliding back and the chamois fixed it.