irideonfastqh - 2020-10-05 10:01 PM Thanks so much for the feedback. I've tried a few different pads , 1 inch 5 star pad and also a CSI pad with both a 1/2 liner and 3/4 liner. For roping I hate to use anything much thinner. I have a 32 inch 5 star mohair roper cinch that I use. I can get better pics tomorrow of him cinched up, as I only have this one from the side on my phone. With only the front cinch tight the saddle does rise up some in back not sure if it's enough to be concerned about. The rigging on the saddle is adjustable too. So that means you are using 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 inch total padding? If the cinch change, placement might help from some suggestions, that is great :) I would suggest less padding. I know you said you rope, but everything I have studied, felt is not "padding" or "cushion" - there isn't enough compression for it to be? I always wonder about the pads when i go to ropings...the pads are so thick - not just one but 2-3 pads. I do not rope, so I'm not claiming to know better, but I have seen many rope horses' backs that look like they need more concerned riders about saddle fit. :) And it is just a suggestion. Your saddle looks really close to a great fit without a pad, and then you are adding at least 1 1/2 inches in between the gullet - depending on the twist, that can be a big interference, as well as the gullet. What I do with a new saddle is take my "arsenal" of pads with different thicknesses - and even shims - and go out to the arena or whereever and try MANY different combinations and judge how my horse moves and the saddle stability in each. So many times, thicker padding makes the rolling worse - sometimes I can't even mount with too thick of a pad or the saddle will slide, no matter how tight the cinch. You can get to where you can feel the difference between 1/4" and 3/8" thickness of a pad. And just a separate suggestion, I use a latigo on both sides of the saddle (no off-billet). That way I can tighten from both sides and not always pulling just from one side - some saddles with adjustable rigging (that I think yours looks like it is) becomes an even greater benefit - you could run the latigo through the front and also the front ring. I have a saddle that has 3 way adjustable rigging and I change it depending on the horse it is on.
Edited by txbredbr 2020-10-12 1:26 PM
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