saddle for in hand work... does it need to fit??

[posie]

As you all prob know by now i am working on a young friesian. Last week i put a saddle on her back to just get her used to the feel of it. We have not yet had a saddle fitted to her so my YM (who also gives me groundwork lessons with her as i am rusty!) gave me a really old saddle to just use until then saying it's perfect as it doesn't matter what happens to it :rolleyes:

Happily it went really well and she soon accepted the feel of it before forgetting it was there and lunging/leading happy as larry! :D

Now - my question - this saddle does not fit her well - even by my untrained eye. Let me just point out here - i have NO intention of placing any weight on her back in this saddle - i will wait until her fitted one arrives... it's just to get her used to the feel of it.

SO - is it fine to continue to use the old saddle? i know that backs are v precious and i don't want to cause her any discomfort or harm... i plan to do at least 4 more weeks ground work to build her up more before i put any weight on her back....

I didn't really question it at the time but now that seed of doubt has been planted.....:confused:

[jaydevon]

to be honest personally i dont worry about the fit, im currentley using an old synthetic on my arab... he needs rebreaking, i dint want to be faffing about with a numnha and a cold leather saddle is more likley to get a reaction, it was on for 15 minutes with a loose girth.

i wouldnt want to be lunging /longreing in it etc. but for a bit of leading and ground work i dont think it does any harm.

[molly34]

I'm no expert, but I'd hesitate to use it unless its a very close fit - if its too wide, too narrow or pinching/rubbing anywhere when she moves then she'll start getting used to the feel of a saddle being a bad thing.

Personally I'd wait until I could make sure her first experience was a good, comfortable one.

[*Sez*]

I think I would hesitate to use it. I know I'm no expert, but if the saddle pinches a little, or is a bit loose and rubs, it will still irritate as she moves. I think I would prefer to wait until her fitted saddle arrived.

[Joyscarer]

How about using a roller to get her used to having go round her belly.

[Ms Kitty]

To me it would depend on how bad the fit is. If it is really bad, i.e. really pinches or rubs, then no, I would not be using it. If it causes any kind of pain then it will leave a memory to the horses mind at least, if not to the back as well.

But, if it is just slightly off, then I don't see any harm in getting the horse used to it and doing a bit of work from the ground till the fitter comes.

Nina x

[Skippys Mum]

Ditto Miss Kitty and like Joyscarers suggestion of a roller.

[Bay Mare]

As others have said, if you're girthing up and it's likely to rub, pinch or cause any discomfort whatsoever then, no, I wouldn't use it. Even without the weight of a rider you could get atrophy if it's too narrow, for example, and especially if the horse is going to be building her musculature.

If you're wanting to get her used to something on her back why not consider either a decent (but cheapish) treeless or even a bareback pad?

[Mehitabel]

echo misskitty - 'doesn't fit' covers a multitude of sins and not all of them will hurt wihout a rider on. for instance if the seat isn't level that only matters with weight on, if it;s too wide and owuld hit the withers with a rider but doesn't without then that woudl be fine, but if it restricts the shoulder or is just too narrow, or bumps up and down at the back, then it will be uncomfy.

[posie]

thanks for reply's guys...
i have already had her in a roller so wanted to advance a bit for the feel of the saddle.
saddle is clear of the withers and not too narrow/exsessivly wide for her - it's actually the back fo the saddle that is not great - it is difficult to explain but it curves up so that it's not all on her back (maybe it's just the old style - it must be 40+ yrs old!!!) the saddle does not bounce about though.... to be honest she has accepted it really well and does not mind having it on/off etc - she is not showing any signs of disliking it - her ears don't do back when i put it on etc and there's been no protests other than the v first day...
there is however a spare treeless knocking about - i may ask if i can borrow that till we have the saddle fitter out....
xx

[madlady]

Hi Posie - nice to see another friesian owner I've got 3 of the gorgeous beasties.

I haven't seen your previous posts - can I ask how old she is? I only say this because I backed big girl at age 4 - she is now coming up to 7 and has changed shape so much in those last 3 years it's unbelievable. As I'm sure you know they are slow to mature and she has put down so much muscle on her shoulder and neck that the saddle I originally got for her doesn't come anywhere near her anymore - in fact I had to stop using it after the first 9 months. I went to a treeless and have only now just bought a wintec dressage saddle, I've gone for dressage cut because I've also found that because they have so much shoulder that a more forward cut of saddle interferes with the shoulder movement and can cause stiffness and restriction.

On the good side I've found friesians to be so trainable - we bred from our older mare and now have a colt (well a monster currently standing at 14.2 at 10 months old) but he walks out beautifully and doesn't put a foot wrong.

I haven't had any issues with big girl either, I did lots of groundwork with her (and still do) and she is fairly bombproof and is very good with 'new' things - very rarely spooky and she was a dream to back. The only real problem I have had was bits rather than saddles - she hates any jointed bit due to having a very low roof of mouth and will go so far as to mini rear in a jointed bit.

To your original question though, if the saddle isn't going to cause discomfort then for in hand purposes I would carry on with it, with lots of padding underneath just in case.

[posie]

Hi Madlady
thanks for advice re saddles. i think i shall continue to use the old one until we have the fitter out as it does none of the erally bad things ie pinch/bounce about etc. i can imagine we'll go through a good few saddles with her though - she was v poor when she came over from holland and has no muscle tone at all (3m ago). i've noticed a difference in her shape in just 3 weeks of v gentle work!
and any excuse for a piccie - here she is - she is just about to be 4..... this was taken the day i got her to play with (she's not mine - i'm backing her for a friend) she's filled out a bit more now - i'll try and get more piccies soon
she is standing at 16.1 at the mo.
Her major issues have been a total lack of respect for human space! to the point that myself and the YM have come to the conlusion she may have been an orphan foal. she is not nasty (unless she's irritated when she kicks out!) - she just uses her weight to get her way but also if she panics she trys to practically climb into your lap!! not nice for a large horse... but she is getting better - i can lead her out safely now - 3 weeks ago she was verging on being dangerous around people.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj313/rosie4732/IMG_1920.jpg

[madlady]

Ooh she's lovely! I did just have a chuckle at your post though - I don't think she was an orphan foal - just a friesian. It's a thing with them, our colt has absolutely no spacial awareness whatsoever and even the older ones will walk over us sometimes. Our older mare especially thinks nothing about stepping into your space whenever she feels like it but that's her way of saying that she wants a cuddle and my big girl does like to hide behind me (or climb on me) when a bit panicky. The colt has no clue yet where he is putting his feet and is constantly tripping over fresh air and trying to walk over me - it does get better though the more they do. They really are people friendly - I know when I go into the field with mine that I am going to get mugged - not for treats or anything because I don't do treats but they just want a scratch and a cuddle.

Here is what your girlie could be looking like in a couple of years - this is big girl at her grading in 2006 - she's filled out more since then and is now 16.2 (growing to about 18h when she does friesian big trot!)

[posie]

she is stunning!!!
interesting how you say they are all like that - to be honest the only other two i have handled are stallions and were fine...
the YM also owns a (different to above!) friesian stallion and there's another mare from holland there too who she backed... she was the one who said her behaviour was particually bad....
i'll keep you posted as to how i get along....

[madlady]

Oh I'll definately watch out for your updates, I think to be honest ours wouldn't invade space so much if I was firmer with them but the older mare just puts her head down and literally flutters her eyelashes and I give in and give her some attention. Big girl as well gets away with murder really - she's getting rid of the last of her winter coat at the mo so is very itchy - as soon as I go into the stable now she either rubs her head on me - signal to have her ears scratched, or turns her bum on me so that I will scratch the loose coat off her bum!

The stallion I know isn't as bad and is a dream to ride but a nightmare to lead.

Good luck with her and regular updates with pics please. I'm sitting at home waiting for the gullet for my new saddle to be delivered so that I can then go and ride!