Saddles from hell

[ros]

A few days ago Heather came out to our yard to check a couple of saddles. What she found was horrific.

The first case was a nice little Anglo-Arab gelding, about 16 years old, whose owners had bought a saddle several years ago which was "fitted" by a "qualified" saddler. His rider had mentioned a couple of times that he seemed uncomfortable in his back, and once or twice recently he felt as though his back legs had given out from under him. The only other sign that anything was wrong was that he had begun to give a little buck when striking off in canter. When he first arrived on the yard at the start of winter I did think he was going hollow and poking his nose, but you can't exactly vet every new livery and its tack on arrival!

As soon as Heather look at the saddle she knew it didn't fit him and probably never had. He dipped his back badly on one side when she ran her fingers over him, and it was obvious that he was extremely sore. The saddle was far too narrow, and had been bridging his back so that the rider's whole weight was tipped back onto the cantle. 3-4 weeks off and a different saddle.

The second case was a dear little Dales X pony (23 years old!)who had been "fitted" with a synthetic saddle by a local mobile saddler (not qualified, I think, but there doesn't seem to be much difference!). The saddle was so narrow that I could tell from 100 yards away that it was rising up badly at the front. The owner put it to one side straight away, bless her, and hasn't used it since. When Heather checked it, she could virtually get her hand underneath the centre of the saddle where it SHOULD have been sitting on the pony's back. In that case the pony hadn't shown ANY signs at all of objection. Fortunately the owner also had a leather saddle which fitted him quite nicely and just needs a good re-flocking to take out the lumps and make it a bit softer for him.

What beggars belief is that neither of these animals had made the slightest attempt to rid themselves of their riders, even in what must have been enormous discomfort. How incredibly long-suffering and unselfish horses must be, and how tragic it is that so many of them are labelled lazy, obstinate, ungenerous and even dangerous when this is what we expect them - wittingly or unwittingly - to put up with. My admiration for the equine species grows daily.

[Dizzy]

I think that because they are so willing to please, and they have never had a comfortable saddle, they resign themselves to the fact that riding should feel this way and they muddle along as best they can. Those that object strongly are labelled as highly strung, objectional and down right stubborn.

Tonight I went to see a horse, that has been bought by the parents of my daughters friend (my daughter and her friend are 3 yr old). Her Mum asked me earlier in the week if I could pop up and check thier bridle was put to gether properly.

When I arrived, I was introduced to a gorgeous brown and white youngster - apparently just turned two. She has been bought as a riding pony for a two young girls - one 3 and one about 8. Thier Mum is a lovely lass, has absolutely no experience with horses, but since buying 'Hiedi' has realised she is very young. This youngster has been 'broken' and was sold with a saddle:eek:

I could go on forever about my feelings of the situation, these children have been sitting on this youngster, which I don't think will cause a problem as they've only gone in straight lines at walk. It's the kids safety issue that makes me the crossest.

I had a look at the bridle, which is lovely - to make sense of it I had to remove the noseband, the snaffle bit was back to front, and the riens were inside out. The saddle had been sold with the horse - I could fold it in half, the tree was completely knackered. These kids have ridden her in it!! I am quietly trying to find out who (as he is local) has sold them this youngster, and I will have words with him.

Luckily she is a lovely sort, but has already began dictating to them. They have asked me to help them, which I will. But I'm so cross, this man has jeapordised 2 lovely kids and one gorgeous young horses future. The eldest little girl is so keen to ride, tonight she said 'will you help me with Hiedi' I replied of course I will - how do I explain that she should wait at least another year?

These people are lovely folk, they only want the best for the horse (thank God) but there should be laws, horses are lovely creatures, but in inexpereinced hands they can become dangerous - I don't know how this man can sleep at night - he has handled the horse well, when reminded of its manners they are spot on, but she was quite resentful tonight about being asked to walk in a head collar, I didn't push the issue to far as the head collar was such a poor fit - to teach manners you are only too aware of how easily they can lose respect, he will be well aware of what a youngster can become in inexperienced hands - to pass it on into the the hands of a 3 and 8 yr old with totally inexperienced parents is totally unforgivable.

One thing I will say say on the plus side is, they have a lovely, confident young horse, she's quite unusual and has a lovely nature, at the moment falling on the stroppy side, but with a bit of the right encouragement will soon right itself.

Sorry Ros for veering slightly off subject.

Lesley

[Mehitabel]

i once broke a pony in for someone, and when she went back to her owners from the yard they'd gotten her a new saddle and bridle - she was going to be a leadrein show pony fo their 4 year old child. a month later i get a phone call saying that the pony was unrideable, she'd bucked the kid and the mother off, and so on. so they sent her back, (i'd had no trouble with her whatsoever) and i looked at the saddle. i'm not a saddler, and have no training in saddle fitting, but when the pommel is touching the withers, you know there's a problem. they'd taken this just broken 9 year old pony, left her in a field for 3 weeks and then put the kid on her with a new saddle. this saddle had (allegedly) been made specifically fo the pony. unfortunately, they didn't want to hear that their expensive new saddle didn't fit, even when i got on her with the saddle i'd been using and she went like a dream. the took her away again in a huff, tried to ride her a few more times, and she put the mother in hospital. so now the poor pony is back to being a broodmare with her reputation ruined.

[Wally]

The problem is 99% of saddlers are not horsey at all, some have never ridden some have never actually touched a real horse! I know it sounds strange but it's true. They are trained to be craftsmen, Most can make a beautiful job of executing the manufacture of a saddle and there will not be a stitch out of place.....the fact it will only fit a camel is by the by!

When I started making saddles never once was the final purpose of the saddle discussed, never. Never was any consideration given to the horse or rider. This is how it's been done for years...." don't ask us to change" attitude.

Most saddlers wouldn't know how to fit a saddle, they have no idea what the reasons are for making them like they are. If the panel is laced in squint they really don't know it makes a difference.

Education in the saddlery world is needed badly.

Not all saddlers are like this, but the vast majority working at their board in Walsall and all over the counrty are.

I could tell a few stories that'd make your hair curl!

[Kerry's Partner!!]

As I've experienced recently (and despite loads of consideration from my expert tutor) I just wanted to add that there are occasions when you also find that a saddle that fits the horse reasonably well can actually "wound" the rider - whatever the padding and dare I say position too!!!

[Mossy]

As I have said before but imho it can stand repitition. If you ever get a chiropractor out for your horse get their advice on the saddle as well. They are not saddle fitters or saddle makers but they are trained and paid to know about skeletal and muscular structure and stresses and strains pertaining thereto - [Sorry] There is no point getting a back problem corrected only to put the original saddle back if it was part of the problem in the first place. I have know of two separate instances when a "saddler" has rubbished a back problem as being saddle related, and been listened to, only for the back man to take one look at the saddle and be very rude indeed.

[Lgd]

In defence of saddlers - not all are bad. If our saddler is checking fit or fitting a new saddle she checks the horse's back first and if it is wrong she tells people to sort it out before she fits the saddle. She once offended someone on our yard by telling them that their horse was too fat (it was GROSSLY obese) and suggested getting the weight down before buying a new saddle otherwise it would not fit for long. (They already had a saddle that did fit, just wanted a leather one). They got someone else out who fitted a saddle that did not fit horse or rider (15" pony saddle on a 15hh Welsh cob cross!) and still doesn't and then they wonder why the horse won't go forward in a correct outline! Oh, and if you suggest it might be the saddle the reaction you get is 'well it was fitted to her'. Arrgh! I despair.
Our saddler also says she has great difficulty in getting people to understand that horses may change shape rapidly with correct work, with the result that the saddle doesn't fit after a relatively short time. She says she even has trouble getting people to have new saddles checked after 6 months in case they need a reflock and this is despite the fact that she does not charge for it!

[Bebe]

I'm getting the impression that my horses back problems stem from a poorly fitting saddle. She came with a saddle when I got her, which had been fitted by the dealer she was bought from (also runs a livery yard which is where she was kept). I got her after a year of field rest so she'd obviously lost a lot of muscle and had dropped a lot of weight. I knew before trying that the saddle wouldn't fit, and it didnt. Gave it back to her old owner (had horse on loan then) and bought a new one.

7 months later horse had muscled up an awful lot, had to have a new saddle (which unfortunately didn't fit properly but that's another story). So, 3 months after that I'm getting my treeless.

Her old owner is going around bad mouthing me, saying that there was nothing wrong with the saddle she gave me and I'm stupid for buying 3 more!

I'm betting my poor horse was ridden in the same saddle from the word go and never had it checked even when she went lame. Re-flocking never seems to be done to the horses on the yard where she was kept (it's very cliquey and ruled over on high by the owner who is an expert in everything!) and routine fitting checks aren't carried out. Who knows how long my poor horse would have had to put up with a poorly fitting saddle if she'd gone back to her old owner after the year off!

Amanda

[Wally]

I know of a dealer who sells saddles with horses. If only the saddles fitted the horses!

A lady bought a horse and saddle off him, saddle didn't fit, not in any shape or form, she returned it to him telling him she didn't want it and wanted a refund.....he told her that "you women are too fussy about your saddles" what chance do some poor animals stand?

[Heather]

HI All,

I would cheerfully like to shoot the saddler who 'fitted' the saddles at Ros's yard. The dear old 23 year old's owner had been sold a Thorowgood Griffin, being told that it was a bargain at something like £375, when in fact the Griffin GP is about £250 from just about any saddler.


Heather