Please Help - What Saddle Shall I Buy to help Tia's Back?

Nicnac

Nicnac

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Jan 2, 2008
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Devon
Hello Everyone

Basically I would really value some advice. I am selling my saddle and I want to buy a new/second hand saddle - a leather one. My question is this - are there any good makes or types of saddle that would be good for horses with a. a problem back and b. horses who change shape a lot (she seems to do this)?

As some of you are no doubt aware, my horse, Tia, has had a back issue - it wasn't diagnosed as anything too scary like kissing spines, but she does have a problem - she has had anaesthetic injected into the gap between the vertebrae, cortizone injections and nerve blocks. This may need to be done again, and the long-term prognosis is yet unknown (although she doesnt need any nast ops at this stage).

I have been riding her in an Albion Kontrol saddle, using it as a GP saddle. It was very comfy, but it rubbed her back (at the back of the saddle if that makes sense), so that her fur on both sides started looking not thin, but a bit short. Surely this shouldn't happen? I am not convinced she has ever been 100% happy in it, although it did fit her OK last year (she has changed shape yet again!)


Please help!
 
Hi Stormin

Thanks for posting that link.
Do you know anything about these saddles? They look like they would be enormously expensive???
 
Nicnac said:
Hi Stormin

Thanks for posting that link.
Do you know anything about these saddles? They look like they would be enormously expensive???
Click to expand...

Well I bought one for my youngster.
I ride western (as you probably know) and saddle fitters are non-existant here so I bought one of these.
With the exchange rate, the saddle was cheaper than I'd budgeted for (and compared to alot of western saddles) and it didn't get seen/intercepted by customs either ;) :D

Youngster (arab) doesn't seem to mind the saddle at all.
I also tried it on Stormin but it did slip a bit. I think it's because his pad is too thick for the saddle but he needs shims for now (he's not symmetrical over his back L/R) and I didn't take the saddle shims set at the time.
The most important factor for me was to have a saddle that my horse would be happy in and that I fit in. Both have been met so I'm happy :)
I also won't have to change saddles every few months as my youngster changes shape - a big hassle that's avoided.

I know they also do english style saddles and there's also a couple pages which offer end of line or second hand saddles which might be worth a look.

These saddles might not be your solution but I believe they're an alternative to classical saddles and now the widespread tree-less ones :)
 
Thanks for your tips Stormin', I'd never heard of this type of saddle before, I will do some more research on them definitely! I'm guessing this type of saddle doesn't need a saddle fitter to come out every few months (thank goodness!). I'm considering a CAIR system saddle, but as I don't know if they do them in Western saddles, I don't know it would be anything you would have considered? Can I ask, how long from ordering did it take for your saddle to arrive, and would you feel comfortable telling me how much you roughly paid including delivery costs? If not, I totally understand!
 
I ordered the saddle on the 11th January 2009, saddle was shipped the 27th February (identical to invoice estimated time) and I went to fetch it at the post office the 7th March. Delivery time could be alot shorter now as they have a much larger range of saddles in stock, ready to ship (as they say).

Price of the saddle depends on options taken but the order form is very detailed for that. Shipping was 200 USD to mainland Europe ;)
I will say that I sent a fair few e-mails before ordering :eek: and always had an answer so they were very helpful on that score.

I gave up oh-so-flattering-jodhpurs years ago so a traditional english saddle was just not an option. Problem with saddle fitting is that it's not just the width of the gullet that counts and that's often the part that can't easily be adapted by the owner (ie, need reflocking or change saddles altogether).
You're lucky in that there are saddle fitters in the UK so whichever style you choose, there's usually someone who can give advice. At least saddle fitting exists in the UK, they're not in the one-saddle-fits-all trip :eek:

Another possibility could be http://www.specializedsaddles.com/ , I know the UK agent used to be a user here but not sure if she renewed or not.
I didn't opt for this type of saddle as I didn't feel confident enough to shim the saddle by myself.
 
Thank you :) Saddle buying is so confusing, and everyone has their own opinions! At the mo, I urgently need a saddle for Tia as she is using a RS one, and her own doesnt fit as I had it reflocked and they essentially ruined it - and they won't be out till end March - and they will then need to take it away again! There might have lots of saddle fitters here, but IMO, it is a total nightmare to find a good one! Anyway, you are probably going to think I'm mad, but after talking to my RI today - and much to my chagrin - I have bought a Wintec Cair 500, purely to see if she gets on with the CAIR system, if so I may invest in a Bates - or look at other options like the saddles you've shown me, or maybe even a Treeless. I have to say this is a short-term option which may or may not work, and the last thing I want to do is to make her sore, but she is in a Wintec Flock at the moment, which fits her fine except it rubs her back, in exactly the same place as the Albion I'm selling.

Anyway, excuse the waffling! Thanks for all your help!
 
Not waffling at all, it's also a complicated situation that you have.
And I guess everyone can give their own preferences but at the end of the day, the saddle that you choose will be the one that fits your horse, yourself and your piggy bank :D

I do wish you good luck and hope you find that right saddle soon :)
 
Silver doesnt have a bad back per se, but is EXTREMLEY fussy on saddles.

It took me May-Novemeber, numerous saddles and saddlers, different numnahs etc until we got it all settled. We have landed with a Libra Trec and haf pad with sympanova underside.

I have gone from a kicking, biting spinning pony when taking up (took three to tack up with her tied up!), and three people to hold her while I mounted to tacking her up and riding her alone for the first time on Sunday.

I have to confess it took me so long as I was scared and convinced myself that although I can tack her up no problems there was no way I could get on her without help and what if she moved and I fell etc etc. She stood like a rock, totally unbothered - just wish I'd got on her sooner!!!!!!!!

With the haf pad it is shimmable so I have an extra shim on the right as she is more muscled on the left hand side.

Sunday:
07032010329.jpg


Christmas (Its a horrible stance, but compare her neck and back to the picture below, she is now stretching out more and is less tense when ridden):
edit.jpg


Treed last summer:
e12062009130.jpg
 
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