Atrophy/muscle wastage due to ill fitting saddles

[chickflick1066]

What do you guys know about muscle atrophy/wastage due to ill fitting saddles. Now, Stumpy has some atrophy due to an ill fitting saddle and I feel so guilty, but how do I allieviate it. I've got someone to look at the saddle etc but I want to know what you think I should do.

How awful do I feel, it's taken me this long to realise I've been harming my little beast!

[greydales]

If you carry on using a saddle that fits the shape of the horse with atrophy, then it is never going to revert to its normal shape. Treeless saddles are excellent for allowing the muscle to regain its bulk, some of the models are fairly cheap.

Very often horses with atrophy are fitted to their shape by the saddle fitter who does not recognise it.

Dan has a treed saddle fit to him when I bought him 12 years ago and was pretty clueless about saddle fit. He already had atrophy when I got him but I thought this was just his shape! So the poor boy spent years in this saddle without complaining, and it was only when I got Pip and Anna used to ride Dan a lot bareback that his withers filled out - and I realised just how badly fitting his saddle had been

After spending further years with saddle fitting problems on Pip I am paranoid about saddles. I have two treeless saddles for mine and am very happy with them - although I am looking into buying a treed for showing. However I will have to 100% sure that it is not going to cause a problem!

[SuzieP]

Bea had some muscle wastage due to ill-fitting saddle and loss of condition over winter. He now has a new saddle with a prolite pad and half-wool numnah and the muscle has built up again and he's a happy boy.......

[merlinalison]

A good saddle fitter should be able to advise you, but it may be worth considering seeing a physio who can give you specific exercises (my physio often prescribes a series of different pole exercises to be done on the lunge without a saddle) to help Stumpy build up those muscles again.

Flair flocking in a treed saddle can also help since the air allows the muscles to move under the saddle in a way that wool flocking can't (and Flair has had really good results in computerised pressure tests) and the Flair can be adjusted very quickly and easily as the horse's shape changes. (NB I've never found that Cair has the same effect - its MUCH harder than Flair, and isn't adjustable).

An adjustable saddlecloth may help too - I can't remember the make, but my physio uses one where you can add and remove extra pads in pockets wherever required while the horse is adjusting and Flair also make a Korrector numnah with air pockets which you adjust yourself as needed.

Hope you find something that works for you anyway, and don't beat yourself up about it; the important thing is that you've realised it and you're prepared to do something about it - you'd be amazed hom many people know there's a problem but don't do anything about it.

PS I have no connection with Flair!!!

[harleydales]

I built Harley up with lungeing when I got his new saddle - he was wasted behind his shoulders.
Because the new saddle fitted properly, there was room for the muscles to grow.

[ang]

:)Now you have noticed is the main thing. After you have a properly fitting saddle and there is room for muscle development you just have to be careful with your schooling. I had the same problem and there was quite a bit of muscle wastage - I went treeless and took it steady for a few weeks whilst he got used to the new movement then pushed for a bit more self carriage etc and it really surprised me how quickly his muscles developed - in 3 months he was a different shape. I know how you feel though - I felt so mean at not noticing and doing anything about it sooner - you live and learn!