Saddle Going Forwards!

[harleydales]

A bit of help please - I'm having problems with a saddle that just won't stay put - in fact we tried about 12 saddles and they all went up the neck!!

The pony has no withers so to speak, nd is very 'smopoth' for want of a better word from the neck through the shoulders and onto the back, so there's no natural place for the saddle to sit.

The only saddle that did stay in place is a Western but it's a bit too long and interferes with the hind end.

A grippy numnah sort of helped, as did a gel-ease pad, but the saddles still travelled northwards towards the ears.

Any ideas? I don't want to go treeless and I think a crupper would be a bit of a

[DalesLady]

The only saddle we ever found that fitted Diana without doing this is one which doesn't give much rider security so wouldn't be the answer for some people including me. It was a Fylde Hayden which has little knee roll, but fits beautifully across a very flat almost non-existent wither....sounds as if she is similar in shape to yours as I know exactly what you mean when you describe the shape from shoulders to back wihout natural saddle holding position.

Good luck!

[heathera]

I think I may have the same problem with her son next year

All three Dales have this problem too for various reasons. The only solution I've found is the WOW shaped girth coupled with either a dressage or very straight cut showing/VSD saddle. The girth is shaped both behind the elbows and across the sternum, all the other shaped girths I've seen don't have the elbow shaping, just the sternum thing.

Given how much elbow movement your horse has I think this might work for you. Problem is that they only come in dressage although they'd make you one in normal style and, secondly, the price is definitely

I definitely would not put a crupper on her unless you want warp speed departs with ears up your nose and a 32mph, unstoppable trot!

[harleydales]

I've picked up a lovely Symonds Saddlery working hunter saddle today to try with a grippy pad - the actual saddle fits well, doesn't bridge and has lovely broad panels and is straight cut - we tried it on her last week when the saddler was here and it was the best ie it didn't go quite as far as the others! Hopefully the grippy pad might keep it more in place. It's a super saddle, very close contact and looks good on her but there's not a lot of security for the rider! My seat saver and a neck strap will imprive that though

I've got shaped Wintec girths but haven't got the wow ones - will have to google.

[Debbie]

I don't know about availability, but you can also consider a barrel racing type of western saddle. This style has rounded skirts in the rear which will give you no interference with the hips. I think some of the pleasure models will have the rounded skirts as well.

Also consider looking at saddles made for Arabian horses and mules as both have the same type of body shape and saddle fitting issues.

Will echo the crupper...just don't, it would cause more problems than it solves.

[cutemangurdi1]

I had a native pony saddle made for Sigs from the Comfort range. I had to get a WH cut to allow the shoulder to move, but it worked beautifully. No more rolling saddles or saddles moving up his neck. We did flatwork and have done small jumps in it.