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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
   
Location: 31 lengths farms | My do everything gelding is 18 this year, I noticed last year that he got tight over his back a few times after a sorting and then again after a race. I ride a Carl Ammerman and use an Ed Wright wool pad, it does need a good cleaning though I take my curry comb and break up any hard spots from sweat or dirt every ride. I put the saddle on without any pad and think, I'm no saddle fitter, that there maybe a slight bridging issue. I really cannot afford a new saddle so was looking or pad options or shimming information. Looked at video's yesterday, thinkin gI knew what I was kind of after but then came upon one video about pads, I think it was the corrector pad where he shimmed the front and back and I could see the bridging happening as he shimmed. His theory was that that left "room for the horse to lift its back"...now I'm more confused than ever. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | My mare is a little down hill and I use the Reinsman sway back pad on her. I picked on up used for about $50. |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | fulltiltfilly - 2019-01-30 12:19 PM
My mare is a little down hill and I use the Reinsman sway back pad on her. I picked on up used for about $50.
These work, and also, Diamond Wool pads makes a shim pad. It's much less expensive than a Corrector. |
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Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | Thank you both, I had seen both of those as I was searching?? |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| run n rate - 2019-01-30 11:57 AM
Thank you both, I had seen both of those as I was searching??
Saddleright pads are an option since they disperse all pressure across the horses back. Kind of eliminates the need to shim in my opinion. |
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Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | Okay, checked out the saddleright pad. Now like I said, I'm no saddle fit guru at all, in fact quite ignorant sadly, but if the saddle is bridging in the middle wouldn't I need a pad that filled just the middle in to take the pressure off the front and back which are the contact points, not the entire length of the pad? |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Since the saddle is bridging I dont think any pad will be much help, I think a CSI pad would work the best if you cant afford a different saddle, but a saddle with more rock would be the best.. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Go to the CSI saddle pads website has a lot of info on there about different types of backs on horses that is really helpful.. They talk about the older horses that need a little help on saddle fitting. |
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Unable to Live Without Chocolate or Coffee
Posts: 1841
| CSI, if your on fb they just posted a video on fitting a horse that has an extreme case of sway back. so go check that out if you can. CSI can be shimmed if necessary. also they have a 30 day ride it trial so if you don't like it you can return it. or find a used one and try for your self without shims... new ones do take a little to "break in" so keep that in mind if you get a new one. you could buy a used one first if you wanted or maybe borrow one |
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 Did I miss the party?
Posts: 3864
| run n rate - 2019-01-30 1:21 PM Okay, checked out the saddleright pad. Now like I said, I'm no saddle fit guru at all, in fact quite ignorant sadly, but if the saddle is bridging in the middle wouldn't I need a pad that filled just the middle in to take the pressure off the front and back which are the contact points, not the entire length of the pad?
You're correct. A saddleright isn't going to correct a bridging issue. There's skito shims for this purpose, they make bridge pads. Also a swayback pad or the diamong wool pad with removeable/sectioned shims.
But, if at all possible a new saddle with more rock in the bars to fit the shape of the horses back is your best bet.
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Another approach would be to really make sure you’re working him and asking him to lift his back and use those top line muscles. I had a gelding who lost a lot of topline when he had EPM and spent a whole winter just lunging him in a Pessoa style lunging rig really building up his back muscles.
I do think a CSI would be helpful (I have both a CSI and a Saddleright, I like both but I think I would lean CSI here) but approaching it from both angles might be best. |
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Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | Thank you OhMax...That is something to consider though he was in amazing shape and I really try to work on correct collection for a short period every ride but you are right, still something to think about as well as taking another look at his shoeing. Thanks for the reminder! |
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