Frustrated (marks fading slowly)

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
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Suffolk, UK
It seems to be when ever I have my saddle checked/adjusted because its due (as opposed to when I notice a problem) it causes a problem :(

Saddle was tweeked at the end of March, 2 weeks later I noticed jess was sore at the back so had osteo out, OK for another couple of weeks, had a massage, OK again, thought maybe it was me as I had a particularly sore back so been focused on riding correctly and she's not been sore the last few weeks and today I notice these bald patches :(
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One on each side. I'm 100% positive they weren't there on Thursday when I last rode, and I didn't notice them yesterday when I swapped her fly rugs out. Thankfully there's no pain reaction or lumps, so hopefully it will recover quickly.

If I were riding treeless I'd guess stirrup pressure but this is from her normal treed saddle. I've looked and nothing unusual to report on the panels or pad. Hopefully the saddler can come out soon.
 
I hope you can get the saddler soon. I wonder if when you had a sore back you were sitting differently despite your best efforts? Or if she was moving differently under the saddle & that gave you a sore back?

I must admit that nowadays I get my saddle checked when I think there's a problem rather than on a set time period.
 
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I must admit that nowadays I get my saddle checked when I think there's a problem rather than on a set time period.
This.
I think we are sensitive enough to notice an issue before the issue becomes an issue.
I am treeless but we still have two and do the usual change over around Mar/Apr and back again around Oct.
But I don't have a set day, it's a gradual what was comfy, isn't. Weird but true.
 
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Chicken and egg situation I guess. I've not ridden today but will get my back checked ASAP (hopefully tomorrow) and pop on bareback and see what she tells me, I've got one of my group rides Sunday so I might be on my bike instead
 
Is she due a trim and is ever so slightly unlevel?
I do her feet every 3-4 weeks and she still looks balanced and even.

I put the saddle on and girthed up tonight, the patches are at the bottom/just below the panel, just behind the girth straps...... Only thing the saddler (from pictures) and I can think is the saddle slipped back slightly and either ruffled the saddle cloth or the girth straps weren't laying flat because of the angle.

I did girth her slightly tighter than normal (1 hole) on Thursday, as the normal hole didn't feel snug enough, maybe that was the mistake.
 
Your comment got my cogs turning @newforest , at some in earthly hour this morning I realized I just started using hind hoof boots on Jess, Thursdays ride was the first faster ride in them. She doesn't feel like she's moving badly in them, just more confidently, but I wonder if she's powering up more from behind that's altered the way she's using her back muscles.......
 
Could be something as simple as that. We don't boot at all now thinking of selling. Not used for three years.
 
This has been bothering me so much, but this morning I had a revelation, speaking to the saddler we have concluded it was probably a 3 part problem;
1. I girthed a little tighter than normal, she's 'in between holes' at the moment and I went for slightly tight is better than too loose
2. Using the rear hoof boots allowed her to engage her back more
3. When my billets were replaced (a few years ago but I haven't done this much work with her since due to the lameness) they were not un-stictched from the webbing and re-stictched to the webbing but cut off and new webbing was stapled to the underside of the tree (I wasn't happy with this at the time as felt it was relying on staples to keep the saddle attached to the horse) so the girth straps are directly on top of the panel (which is a bit flattened, but the saddler didn't think it a problem as she didn't check where the billets were mounted as you have to pull the saddle apart to do that).

I doubt point 3 can be fixed now (as in the billets put back over the tree) as it has a memory foam seat which is bonded to the tree, so I could be on the saddle hunt soon :( The saddler does think it will be ok to use with a slightly thicker pad in the mean time to alleviate the direct pressure from the billets.
 
I took my saddle to a saddler friend last night (only reason I don't use him routinely is he refuses to be paid which makes me feel cheeky to keep asking) after I put a short ride on her to see what was going on, it looks like the combo above has made the bloody stirrup bar cause the damage, I have no idea how that can happen but its the only thing there that's hard and a bit of a lump :(
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I'm gutted, got a group ride Sunday, then 3 days away at the end of next week, a part planned 5 day trek the first week of July, a 2 day trek in august that I am leading about half a dozen people on.... :( I have actually found another of the same saddle but I'm not sure that's the way to go. Possibly with reflocking and a tree adjustment mine could work again, but possibly not. Or do I just start a fresh. Decisions, Decisions.
 
Would it take a Prolite pad underneath it to see if that gave enough cushioning for you to ride? Not an ideal long term solution, but it might see you over until you decide what to do.
 
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Would it take a Prolite pad underneath it to see if that gave enough cushioning for you to ride? Not an ideal long term solution, but it might see you over until you decide what to do.
I used a gel pad last night, I sold my prolite as the edges rubbed her :rolleyes:

She is so slim! You should be proud
It's been a learning curve lately as she actually gets enough to warrant putting it in a bucket for the first time in forever. I didn't think I was doing that much with her but I guess between the track and me we've finally battled off the buldge. Now to get the porky boys there!

I've managed to find a saddler on recommendation who can come out on Wednesday, fingers crossed we can find a solution (and that I can afford it)
 
To my untrained eyeball.
It's looking as if you have more pressure from the girth on the near side and some fuzzy felt hair around the wither on the of side.
This is making me think the saddle is moving side to side and the points of the tree are causing the marks.
 
It's def not the points, they are in the very front of the panel, the rubs are half way back. The saddle impression was pretty even on both sides, apart from the round flat patch around the rub on the right side, I think it's just the light and Angle making it look different. There wasn't any areas of rubbed/ruffled fur to suggest it's wiggling.
 
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