New saddle is going back

[SuzieP]

The new GFS Elite I got two months ago is no good for me. It fits Bea perfectly and he goes beautifully in it, but it doesn't fit me. I'm so unbalanced on it, especially jumping and out hacking I feel really insecure, especially when taking a forward seat on long canters.

This evening I begged my old GFS Pro Event saddle back from YO (who bought it from me) and put it back on Bea with plenty of padding underneath and went for a ride. It was like putting on an old pair of slippers! We had a couple of canters, and I felt stuck like glue! I'm going to try it out jumping in my lesson tomorrow and if I can jump again and feel safe, the Elite is going back to the saddlers and being traded in for a new Pro Event, which will hopefully suit both of us.

I think the problem is the shallower seat and the stirrup bars on the Elite being further back than on the Pro Event. I'd probably get used to it in time, but it's affecting my confidence badly to feel so unbalanced.

A costly exercise - but it's worth a lot to me to feel secure in the saddle.......

[JoM]

What width is Bea Sue?

My saddle is a GFS Pro Event - a wide fit. Probably too big for Bea? If its a wide you are wanting to try I will nip it over for you to see how you feel in it before you exchange again! Its only a couple of years old, so is quite new I suppose. And just re-flocked as you know! LOL

Let me know if its any good to you!

[SuzieP]

Thanks for the offer Jo - but Bea is a medium (GFS size 3). My old Pro Event is a 4 (medium wide) and he definitely needs the narrower saddle.

Rideaway have got a couple of saddles put aside for me to pick up tomorrow afternoon.....

[akehurstannabel]

That must be really disappointing for you. I bought Sandy a Bates Caprilli to replace her wintec and now I feel really secure in canter. It's amazing what a difference it makes when it suits both of you! Jo x

[SuzieP]

You're so right, Jo. I have a friend whose riding seemed to be stuck in a rut and she was getting so discouraged that she gave up riding for a while. Then she got a new saddle which helped her to sit in a better position for her and she's gaining confidence all the time now.

I've always underestimated the importance of the saddle fitting the rider, but now first hand experience has changed my view. Being a more mature rider (shall we say LOL) with a dikki hip it is difficult to adapt to new riding positions - and the Elite clearly puts me in a position I'm not balanced in. I daresay I could get used to it and learn to balance again on it - but in the meantime my confidence has been knocked.

Ah well - just off for my riding lesson using the Pro Event so we'll see how it goes......

[akehurstannabel]

How did you get on with the Pro Event? Any good? The Bates Caprilli I have is actually quite forward cut and a few people at my yard said they didn't like the cut. However it puts me in a really comfortable position which my instructor says is fine and as Sandy is very onward bound and strong in canter i just keeps me really secure when I get out of the saddle (she's 30 so I like to make life as easy as poss! for her) For the first time in years I feel central, comfortable and most importantly safe. It really is amazing the difference it makes. Jo x

[akehurstannabel]

Ooooh just thought! If your bad hip hurts when you get off. My friend Sue that I ride with has a degenerating hip and sometimes she could barely move when she got off after a hack. I had a think about it and suggested that we lose our stirrups for the last five minutes as the horses were stretching out on the way home. It has really worked for her and she actually said that her hip feels much better in general for the bit of stretching and relaxing. I appreciate that it's not always easy to find a reasonably safe environment to do this in, and i don't know how safe you would feel with Bea (I don't know if he's naughty or not!) but we have stumbled across something that works for Sue! Jo x

[SuzieP]

Hi Jo - thanks for the hip tips. I do kick off my stirrups to do the last bit of the road into the yard, or walking in from the jumping field and it really does help to loosen things up before I have to get off and land on my hip LOL Bea is an absolute star and goes like a pusscat if I need him to, so it's easy to just amble the last bit of a ride. My prob is that I broke my hip just over 4 years ago and it's held together with screws. There's a lot of old scar tissue in there too, and the heads of the screws rub the long muscle that goes down the outside of my thigh - so it can get a bit achey when I ride. Hence the reason why it's extra important for me to be secure in the saddle - I couldn't afford to break it again!!!

Thanks for asking how the Pro Event was. It was an excellent lesson and although I wasn't as confident jumping as I used to be, that'll come back once I trust myself in the saddle again. I took the Elite back to Rideaway and had a chat with Steven the saddler there and he offered me the best part-ex price he possible could, but suggested that I sell the Elite privately to try and get a bit more for it. He said if I couldn't sell it that way he'd snap my hand off for it because it's a lovely saddle and has been properly looked after (nice of him to say so). So I'll try Ebay I think, someone will be getting an absolute bargain!!

I took a new Pro Event on trial and used it this morning in the school, did a bit of jumping and went for a hack - and it's great. It fits Bea really well. The only difference between this one and my old saddle is that it's a 17" M and the old one is 18" MW. Steve (lovely man LOL) said that I didn't have an 18" bum!! LOL It felt good and I didn't wobble a bit when Bea did a small spook. Jumping, it was fine and I didn't end up with my legs flying around, managed to keep them well stuck.

So, it looks like the bank balance is going to get a hit this week!! LOL But it's really worth it to feel secure again.

[leannwithconnie]

It was good to see you jump with confidence in the school again today Sue! Pleased you and Bea have got your saddle problems sorted at last.

[akehurstannabel]

Gosh your hip must get really sore. That sounds really nasty. I'm glad you are happier in the new saddle I guess you were probably floating about a bit in the 18" so thats bound to make you feel insecure! It's a shame it's going to cost you a bit, but I'm sure it will be worth it to be comfortable and feel more confident with Bea! Jo x

[merlinalison]

So glad you're feeling happier in the new saddle. I know exactly how you feel - the first saddle I bought for Merlin was a GFS Pro VSD which he loved and which the girl who rides M loved. I spent years struggling with myposition and failing to understand why my riding had got so much worse before I clicked (I can be a bit slow on the uptake LOL). It was such a revelation when I got my new Wow - Merlin is still really comfy and for the first time in years I can sit in a good position relatively easily (can't always stay there LOL but I can get in to it in the first place which is a huge improvement). The girl who rides Merlin hates it because its not so good for her, but I'm afraid thats just tough! I can't afford to keep two saddles adjusted so I want hte one that fits me best!

[zeldalithgow]

Steve (lovely man LOL) said that I didn't have an 18" bum!! LOL It felt good and I didn't wobble a bit when Bea did a small spook. Jumping, it was fine and I didn't end up with my legs flying around, managed to keep them well stuck.

Glad your bum didn't wobble Sue ;D ;D I hope this saddle is ok - this saddle fitting malarky is such a pain

[Deleted]

I know how you feel Sue, as I,m struggling with my Free n easy Merls goes beautifully in it but I just can,t get used to it, my friend has just sold hers so I may advertise mine now.

[The Moo]

Oh Vanda, I loved my F&E but horse at the time didn't, she didn't really like anything though so couldn't fault the saddle.
It could have been touch and go as to which went first, horse or saddle LOL