Canter problem sorted.

OwnedbyChanter

OwnedbyChanter

With out my boys life would be bland
Apr 16, 2009
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Raininghamshire
So for those of you that Gingers diary you will know that I have been have problems schooling it actually felt like we where going backwards.

Anyway EML suggested a change of saddle away from the dressage to a GP. Well I don't have a GP that fits him but a friend let me try her dressage it is the same as mine but a MW 17 not a W 17.5 When she checked mine (she is qualified) she said it was too wide.

Two sessions in the new saddle and old Ginger is back and ready to go. I am very pleased but also feel awful as his saddle has been checked twice in the 5 months I have had him. I do know he has changed shape completely his muscle as developing in all the right places and he looks great but I did not expect to change the saddle already.

Anyway another friend has offered me the use of her Bates 17 MW so will see how he goes in that one.
 
eml said:
I am a bit concerned he has gone down a size in saddle , mainly they need wider as they muscle up. Perhaps query the origional fitter?

Glad to know it has worked anyway!
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yes i know it worried me to but he has no muscle wastage so I to am now doubting the saddle fitter, really are not many round here that I trust
 
I've been told that sometimes the saddle fitter doesn't take into account the muscle build up around the wither as the horse gets fitter, hence the appearance of muscle wastage at a later stage.. have to say in the case of my lad, that is very true..
 
For what it is worth our two boys started in M ,went to MW and only K who has more warmblood build than TB has progressed to a W (all the same make)......connie has gone in a year from m to xxw!! Never met one who needed to go down in width.
 
See where my thumb is? it's not there now, he's improved tonnes since this was taken (back in mar/april)

I can show you an example of muscle wastage caused by poor diet (not getting enough nutrition from haylage/lack of grass.
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A saddle, that doesn't allow for the muscles on either side of the wither, and top of shoulder to build up correctly, can make this problem far worse that it already is. As I said, some saddle fitters don't take into account the fact that these muscles need space to grow. Deny them that, and you achieve muscle wastage that causes the front of the saddle to appear to 'drop'.
I've spent 5 months of this year undoing all this damage, and now I have a new saddle, that fits correctly, the wastage has gone, and the saddle fits a lot better.
I also have a new nuumed pad, that comes with inserts that help the saddle to fit better, when it arrives, I shall post a few pictures to show you what it's like.
I'll also post a few of how his back is now (tomo) so you can compare the improvements.
 
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NF, wow I can really see the wastage.

EML and NF I believe my current saddle fitter said the wide was OK and flocked to fit but leaving room to build muscle in to which might have been fine but the saddle has dropped forward blocking the movement and therefore the muscle development.

I would be interested to see the saddle cloth you have brought as the lady that checked Gingers saddle yesterday recommended a company but I can't remember the name.

I actually believe that if she came back now and saw it she would deffo say it use it as it does not fit. He has changed shape so much I wish I had taken some more pictures.

He is now in a 17 MW which fits lovely but the saddle is not mine and I have to return it:frown: so really not sure what to do. As I am still paying off my vet bill I can't afford to buy another saddle just yet but might have too so the credit card will have to be dug out.
 
http://www.nuumed.com/products/108-general-purpose-hiwither-half-wool-shimmy-numnah-nm08ass-gp
Mine is similar to this one. My instructor went on a saddle fitting course recently ( she fits Saddle Company saddles) and has tried and tested one of these. I've also tried a similar one, at the time my lad had shape issues, and it really does make a difference. It will allow you more time to get a new saddle, you should see a big difference in his way of going more or less straight away, as it frees up the shoulders, and you can chop and change where each shim is place, effectively making the saddle fit your horse a lot better.
 
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Ouch just ordered one. Had to order a white dressage one which is so impractical but if it works I will have to use it for comps as well and I could not buy a black for everyday and a white for comps.

Should arrive next week, I am away from tomorrow until Friday so both boys have a couple of days off, hopefully it will be here so I can start again next week.
 
Personally I think you are right to question the original fitting - I haven't met many pure TB's just out of racing who would be anywhere near a wide.

Really pleased new saddle is doing the trick.
 
OwnedbyChanter said:
Ouch just ordered one. Had to order a white dressage one which is so impractical but if it works I will have to use it for comps as well and I could not buy a black for everyday and a white for comps.

Should arrive next week, I am away from tomorrow until Friday so both boys have a couple of days off, hopefully it will be here so I can start again next week.
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I know what you mean about the 'ouch' and the fact it's white.. they're not that cheap, but then I didn't go in with my eye's shut about the price. Mine is black with a fake wool collar and rim, bit like the one i'm using atm, but with shims :smile:
 
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