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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
  
| okay - I am in the ever so fun saddle fitting. The mare is 3 so she has growing to do. I don't want to spend a fortune on a saddle that she will likely grow out of in a year or two but also don't want to make her sore.
I am going to try and attach pics but she has dry spots almost from every saddle I have tried. I have tried new and old version of Corriente, Debra Sibley, RS, Meleta Brown Crates. I want to try a cactus and hopefully can on Friday but I am wondering if these dry spots could be shimmed or if it is what it is and flat out wont work. So I think I need to understand these dry spots...
 (dry spot.jpg)
 (dry spots.jpg)
 (correntie 3.jpg)
 (corriente 1.jpg)
 (corriente.jpg)
 (dry spot 1.jpg)
 (dry spot 2.jpg)
Attachments
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 dry spot.jpg (56KB - 300 downloads)
dry spots.jpg (50KB - 202 downloads)
correntie 3.jpg (62KB - 226 downloads)
corriente 1.jpg (46KB - 221 downloads)
corriente.jpg (44KB - 256 downloads)
dry spot 1.jpg (45KB - 205 downloads)
dry spot 2.jpg (47KB - 219 downloads)
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| First pictures of dry spots are from Corriente and second set are from the Meleta Brown Crates.
ETA - mare is slightly downhill from growing. Also I have tried a 5 star and CSI.
Edited by stayceem 2017-09-13 2:27 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| I am no expert, but I don't get too concerned with large dry spots. I get more concerned with small ones wear the hair is ruffled up, which shows me pressure points.
The best thing I did was have my chiropractor evaluate saddle fit, not saying she's a genius, but gave me some piece of mind. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| RedHead84 - 2017-09-13 2:33 PM
I am no expert, but I don't get too concerned with large dry spots. I get more concerned with small ones wear the hair is ruffled up, which shows me pressure points.
The best thing I did was have my chiropractor evaluate saddle fit, not saying she's a genius, but gave me some piece of mind.
Kind of what I have read - larger ones are better but not sure what is considered "large." Ive been borrowing saddles and need to buy something but not sure what  I have come down to what saddle fits the least worst  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1552
Location: Texas | Your horse has a nice back with good withers. DON"T start the shimming thing for any reason. It causes damage to the muscles and keeps them from working properly. Large dry spots are usually from lack of contact. Whatever you decide pair it with a Saddleright pad and give your horse the best back protection you can get.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 883
Location: Southern Indiana | Those are normal dry spots. As long as there isn't any soreness, they aren't hurting anything!
It wouldn't hurt to move your saddle back off the shoulder further, though. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | How thick is the pad that you were useing? |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Do you have a picture of the Meleta Brown saddle sitting on your horse? |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Southtxponygirl - 2017-09-13 9:17 PM
Do you have a picture of the Meleta Brown saddle sitting on your horse?
I don't have any. I only had it for a limited time and now that I found out they don't make them anymore I kind of stopped pursuing them. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Southtxponygirl - 2017-09-13 9:12 PM
How thick is the pad that you were useing?
I have a 3/4" 5 star and 1" csi. I've tried a few of my cheap thinner ones just to see but didn't seem to make w difference but again they're not super good quality. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| TheDutchMan01 - 2017-09-13 8:51 PM
Those are normal dry spots. As long as there isn't any soreness, they aren't hurting anything!
It wouldn't hurt to move your saddle back off the shoulder further, though.
I've tried a few different positions but this seems to be where it sits. Or more recently anyway. Some of these pics I may have placed it too far forward but she has a super short back and it's a little downhill yet. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| More pictures from last night...
 (dryspot.jpg)
 (dryspot1.jpg)
 (dryspot3.jpg)
 (dryspot4.jpg)
Attachments
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dryspot.jpg (76KB - 218 downloads)
dryspot1.jpg (30KB - 235 downloads)
dryspot3.jpg (76KB - 226 downloads)
dryspot4.jpg (26KB - 205 downloads)
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| The last set looks a little ruffled to me in the center - that would worry me. Fiction is what causes ruffles meaning the saddle is moving around on her back - think walking in a pair of shoes that your heel moves up and down on.
Dry spots bigger than my hand where the hair is smooth don't worry me unless they are sore to the touch or push.
My method has always been to sit the saddle on without a pad. Hold front and back and try to rock it back and forth, it shouldn't come up in the front or the back. Now try to twist it side to side, again, shouldn't get much.
Run you hand up and down under the saddle in front - is it looser or tighter at the top than the bottom? Now run your hand front to back up under the bars, pressure should be even. The only spot I'm okay with a bit less pressure, is directly under the seat, but not much, there shouldn't be a gaping hole.
IMO if everything checks out you should be fine with a 1/2-7/8 5 star type pad, or a saddleright (I personally wasn't a fan, but the point is thinner is better with a well fitting saddle). We have a CSI, but reserve it for saddles that have minor fit issues until we can resolve them. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| OhMax - 2017-09-14 10:34 AM
The last set looks a little ruffled to me in the center - that would worry me. Fiction is what causes ruffles meaning the saddle is moving around on her back - think walking in a pair of shoes that your heel moves up and down on.
Dry spots bigger than my hand where the hair is smooth don't worry me unless they are sore to the touch or push.
My method has always been to sit the saddle on without a pad. Hold front and back and try to rock it back and forth, it shouldn't come up in the front or the back. Now try to twist it side to side, again, shouldn't get much.
Run you hand up and down under the saddle in front - is it looser or tighter at the top than the bottom? Now run your hand front to back up under the bars, pressure should be even. The only spot I'm okay with a bit less pressure, is directly under the seat, but not much, there shouldn't be a gaping hole.
IMO if everything checks out you should be fine with a 1/2-7/8 5 star type pad, or a saddleright (I personally wasn't a fan, but the point is thinner is better with a well fitting saddle). We have a CSI, but reserve it for saddles that have minor fit issues until we can resolve them.
Thank you for the response. I did sit it down and rock back and forth and side to side without much movement in most of the saddles. However, for the life of me cannot tell if the pressure is even across the bars. I have had a few people show me and I have zero confidence in what I am feeling. I don't feel anything alarming but again, it isn't something I have much confidence in.
I would say less dry spots when I use my csi but didn't eliminate it. These are all smaller than my hand, not much.
Any suggestions of saddles to try that are reasonably priced? |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Anyone else have any suggestions? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 883
Location: Southern Indiana | stayceem - 2017-09-13 11:33 PM
TheDutchMan01 - 2017-09-13 8:51 PM
Those are normal dry spots. As long as there isn't any soreness, they aren't hurting anything!
It wouldn't hurt to move your saddle back off the shoulder further, though.
I've tried a few different positions but this seems to be where it sits. Or more recently anyway. Some of these pics I may have placed it too far forward but she has a super short back and it's a little downhill yet.
Totally understand when they are that young and are filling out most saddles are going to fit great. Lots of times they will slide forward. Use a good pad and give them time to fill out before you worry too much. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| TheDutchMan01 - 2017-09-15 11:37 AM
stayceem - 2017-09-13 11:33 PM
TheDutchMan01 - 2017-09-13 8:51 PM
Those are normal dry spots. As long as there isn't any soreness, they aren't hurting anything!
It wouldn't hurt to move your saddle back off the shoulder further, though.
I've tried a few different positions but this seems to be where it sits. Or more recently anyway. Some of these pics I may have placed it too far forward but she has a super short back and it's a little downhill yet.
Totally understand when they are that young and are filling out most saddles are going to fit great. Lots of times they will slide forward. Use a good pad and give them time to fill out before you worry too much.
That's what everyone keeps sayin lol. So I am like do I buy a cheaper Corriente until she is done growing or some other basic used saddle. I have always liked Billy Cooks. I sold her RS because I rode like crap in it. between her being downhill and it pulling my legs behind me, I felt like I was going to fall on my face everytime I rode |
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