Weight loss and treeless saddle...

popularfurball

popularfurball

Learning all the time
Jul 18, 2005
12,688
666
113
North west
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions...

Madam has a libra trec and haf with sympanova (sticky) underside.

Technically the saddle doesnt require a pad underneath it, but Im not convinced of the ability to distribute pressure alone - especially with a super sensitive pone.

She has lost A LOT of weight and condition because she has been so poorly, and suddenly has withers (never previously found!). She has no muscle and now very little fat.

Haf pad is pulling over her withers when I ride (mainly walk with a little trot and one or two very short canters). I dont want to take the pad out because her skin is so sensitive, she is happy to be be tacked up at the moment and so Im frightened of "It aint broke, dont fix it" but I cant get the pad to stay up in the gullet.

This isnt helped as up until yesterday have been riding with a fist gap between her and girth as she was finding it distressing to be girthed. Yesterday I girthed up properly and she was fine but still had this problem.

Any suggestions? I am toying with looking at treed again, but no pennies due to her ridiculous vet bills and moving house!
 
SNAP!

i'm in a similar boat with angel! she lost A LOT of weight over the past few years. we have a barefoot cheyenne saddle (eg similar to yours!) and have been using a hafpad with sympanova for about a year now. it can get 'stuck' over the withers but i always make sure i pull/yank it upwards at the front so i still get a bit of clearance between the pad and her withers. ive also added the shims from my old grandeur pad in to 'lift' the haf pad a little bit and provide more cushioning (the shims that were in the haf pad originally looked a bit too soft and easily squished for my liking!). seems to work so far!


julia

x
 
Add some extra shims, or change the foam.

I use 1 inch soft blue foam from Dunelmin my HAF sympanova for my 12hh Section A.

You can also use a carabiner or rope/twine/material/velcro to attach it to the pommel/velcro under the seat so it stays up in the gullet.
 
No_Angel said:
Add some extra shims, or change the foam.

I use 1 inch soft blue foam from Dunelmin my HAF sympanova for my 12hh Section A.

You can also use a carabiner or rope/twine/material/velcro to attach it to the pommel/velcro under the seat so it stays up in the gullet.
Click to expand...

I hadn't thought of tying it up!! Under the central part there is spine clearance, it's jus the seam it seems to curl down and pull. Was tempted to cut seam but don't want to ruin it! There is spinal clearance between saddle and pad too so silly amount of clearance but it's stirrup bar pressure that worries me!
 
I didn't get on with the Suber as it's too thick and found it hard to level out before putting saddle on.

The equitex is more "high wither" than the haf I think but again I found it too bulky and madesaddle unstable. Though all my research on us is now void as she is such a skinny minnie!!
 
popularfurball said:
I didn't get on with the Suber as it's too thick and found it hard to level out before putting saddle on.

The equitex is more "high wither" than the haf I think but again I found it too bulky and madesaddle unstable. Though all my research on us is now void as she is such a skinny minnie!!
Click to expand...


I had one with the HM saddle I had a loan of but it sat better than this pne.
Think its because its the full sided one I have now.
It will suffice till I get something else.
Quite keen on some of the Nuumed ones
 
I just remembered I had some 2 inch Velcro so I have sewn a piece front and back of my HAF pad and stuck it to the saddle, works a treat :biggrin: Keeps the pad in place and pulls the pad right up into the front of the saddle.
 
clashnoir said:
I am in the same boat.
Got a Libra and bought a suber but feel its pulling over the withers too.
She relly needs somehting as she also has withers which have magically appeared.
Click to expand...

I have a suber under a HM Vogue. It does sometimes sit on his withers, but doesn't pull down so tight that it rubs. And he is happy (which he isn't with a lot of things!)
 
What about a high wither pad?

These fill in muscle wasteage and sit a lot higher at the front, i used this on Jack when he was at his fittest. He still has a low wither but for jumping it stoppped the saddle sinking onto his front.
 
Its odd it is high enough but the panels seem to twist backwards so it comes down at front and back seam hoes up more.

Do you mean like an equitex nf? :)

She is now hollow behind her withers so perhaps front riser is solution... Oh I don't know!
 
If she has hollows behind her withers, try 2 half pieces of foam at the front, either side of the withers.

Shimmable treeless pads are like interchangeable riser pads, you add extra padding where you need it in them.
 
You can always cut the top shim slightly smaller, or bevel the edges, but I haven't had any issues with pressures using soft foam shims.
 
Also does it matter that the shim is not for the saddle? The saddle doesnt pull on the withers, I suppose really I should take the pad out im just concious of pressure under stirrup bars.

The downside to becoming a skinny minnie!
 
It doesn't matter what the shims are made of or what they came from as long as they fit in the pad.

If you trim the edges of the foam/shims you have in your pad now where the wither goes it will give more room for the withers, If she has hollows and needs more wither clearance then you can add a half shim to either side at the front to lift it slightly.
If you don't have enough spine clearance you can add another full length shim to the pad.

You can sew some velcro to the front of the pad and stick it to the saddle base between pommel and the base and it will hold the pad up so It can;t pull down on the withers.

If you need pics let me know and I can take some of my saddle.
 
Sorry I didnt phrase that well - I meant that the saddle doesnt require lifting - without the pad (I will get some pics tonight) there is ample wither clearance, and spinal clearance in general, with me on board too - without using the pad. Its the pad that is pulling down so I meant should I shim to lift the saddle when its not the saddle that needs lifting?

Maybe I should just sack using a pad for a bit and see how we go - it has built in gullets and she has sufficient spinal clearance - what worries me is stirrup bars and thats why we use a pad.
 
Out of interest is the problems with the saddle been also since you got the newer model?

Did you previously have the older non panels model, i have had a few emails from people mentioning slipping issues with the panelled one as the panels will not suit all horse types.

You can still get the old type of Libra it is just not being sold as such now.
 
No - I had no problems with the newer model - When she was bigger (read fatter!) it fitted well and had no problems - although it does slip when mounting sometimes.

Its since she has lost the weight - she has lost 10stone plus in total, and has also lost all her muscle tone (if she had any under thefat :giggle:)... Which means her withers are very protruding now (they aren't high, but they are not rounded due to no muscle - they are hollow - as is all along her spine.

Its all going backwards towards her bum and pulling down on withers.. including me :giggle: and thats just in the school!
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back