Saddle Fit

I recently had saddle fitter out to look at my saddle. I have to admit that I have never done this. I have been described as a minimalist when it comes to care of my own horse. I do what I need to but generally not more than that, and I certainly don’t go looking for problems.

I have watched others use saddle fitters and watched them seem to never get it right. “So-and-so didn’t do this.” “So-and-so didn’t do that.” “I can’t believe how much I payed and my saddle still doesn’t fit.” I have stayed away.

Whenever I have been in the market for a new saddle, I try riding in it. I make sure it sits evenly on her back and that it doesn’t rock or pinch anywhere, and that she doesn't get sore after being ridden. Then I ride in it for a lesson and have my trainer look at it. Most of the time I have had to get new saddles it was because they didn’t fit me properly, or they put me in the wrong position.

After the hock injection debacle (see previous blog post), she has been going a little better, but the difference hasn’t been that dramatic. I have also been riding bareback more and have noticed that I can get clean changes that way. I also tried taking the fleece half pad out from under the saddle to see how she goes without it. Let’s just say she didn’t really want to go forward as happily and it was taking me my entire warm up to get her in front of my leg, when usually she has quite the go button. All this told me there was something going on with the saddle.

So I bit the bullet and a few of us had the fitter come out. I have to say that she was very informative and knowledgeable. She confirmed that the saddle is pinching Hwin right in the point of the shoulder and so not giving her a lot of freedom to move it or room to lift her back up.

I was not sure that I was in the market for a new saddle because of the cost and I am not entirely sure how much longer I want to compete her. We came to the conclusion that a pad with shims should do the trick. It should bring the saddle off the shoulder enough to stop the pinching and allow her shoulder more freedom.

Upon riding with shims under the saddle, however, I am not as sure that it will work. I had a long talk with Katie who convinced me that a new saddle would ultimately be the way to go. She assured me that Hwin is capable and not ready to retire. She also asked me this question; When do you think you will have the opportunity to have another FEI level horse? That rather struck me. Why give up now? It will either cost a lot of money and/or another ten years to get to this point with another horse. So the saddle search is on and hopefully will conclude before the next show!