tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post3039313865781438575..comments2012-01-24T19:25:51.922-05:00Comments on Behind the Bit: Saddle fit: Pointless exercise (but fun, maybe)Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-32188743768884649392012-01-24T19:25:51.922-05:002012-01-24T19:25:51.922-05:00Friesian-welsh, I chuckled at your post -- overthi...Friesian-welsh, I chuckled at your post -- overthinking is my MO :-). I think you're right, I'm trying not to act rashly. Today I rode in my current saddle and changed up our routine -- up-ended it really -- had an awesome ride. Yes, he is still unhappy at saddling, but we can't get inside their heads. Thanks for all of your thoughts...Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-28135038621425433372012-01-23T20:01:58.982-05:002012-01-23T20:01:58.982-05:00To me the saddle looks like it is sitting pommel h...To me the saddle looks like it is sitting pommel high and also looks like it is too far forward (on his shoulder). I'd say too narrow, but also probably not the right shape for his back.<br /><br />I would guess that if you rode in it, you'd feel like you needed to constantly lean forward to keep up with the saddle and that too much of the rider's weight would hit the cantle.<br /><brLiz Goldsmithhttp://www.equineink.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-23562720993998660942012-01-23T15:44:28.631-05:002012-01-23T15:44:28.631-05:00Wow. I wonder how any lesson string horses stay so...Wow. I wonder how any lesson string horses stay sound for years and years, sometimes into their mid thirties, in under-thought, cheaper saddle fits with multiple riders atop!!!<br /><br />But it happens. A lot.<br /><br />There's a lot more to soundness than saddle fit, and though grossly improper saddle fit can lead to serious soundness issues ... I still aver you are really overthinking Friesianwelshxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11559821379568055421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-1848122714618525142012-01-23T12:33:37.077-05:002012-01-23T12:33:37.077-05:00Please be careful tossing the word "gullet&qu...Please be careful tossing the word "gullet" around, y'all...it's a bit of insanity the saddle industry has come up with.<br /><br />The only part of the english saddle tree which is suppose to interface with the horse is the lower part of the front arch (basically, the tree points). The purpose of this, seriously, was to dig into the horse to stabilize the saddle.<br /><br />Abbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12575657393601843747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-88318912636821983912012-01-23T10:33:12.098-05:002012-01-23T10:33:12.098-05:00A couple of comments: Maybe you should try saddle ...A couple of comments: Maybe you should try saddle pressure mapping. Hillary Clayton gave a tlak here regarding saddle fit and showed some interesting pressure points(btw..she rides in a saddle that I think is no longer made, pretty old but she loves,and uses it on (all) her horses..if she hasn't already been there you should talk to her) and second Schlesse has a video regarding billet Annenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-18147644851770137402012-01-23T06:49:44.689-05:002012-01-23T06:49:44.689-05:00Hi Guys, I don't have any "right answers&...Hi Guys, I don't have any "right answers" except the saddle fitter I'm working with wasn't crazy about the fit, more the shape than anything. <br /><br />To me, the saddle might be placed too far forward but it did not look right placed further back either, maybe it was too wide? I wanted to see more clearance in the gullet too. It felt okay to sit and ride in but ri seemed Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-5847971013499384062012-01-23T00:08:25.795-05:002012-01-23T00:08:25.795-05:00Well, I'm going to go out on a limb here. Cave...Well, I'm going to go out on a limb here. Caveat: not an expert by any stretch, just find this interesting. I do not think the saddle is too high in the pommel. <br /><br />We have a fantastic saddler in my area who I have spent a lot of time learning from. One of my realizations was that, generally, the pommel needs to be higher than I would have thought for the saddle itself (centre of massRuckusButthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14760056031442317243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-14601903955369237822012-01-22T18:44:04.855-05:002012-01-22T18:44:04.855-05:00Agree it's an interesting exercise.
From the...Agree it's an interesting exercise.<br /><br /><br />From the pics, the saddle appears to fit him fairly well apart from being unbalanced with the front too high and the centre therefore too far back. <br /><br />Is it simply placed too far forward? <br /><br />In this photo, has the saddle been ridden in on the horse, or just sat on the horse?Adelatusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-20750771285365066612012-01-22T16:42:46.997-05:002012-01-22T16:42:46.997-05:00Try a countyTry a countyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-78117381524196652892012-01-22T16:24:48.044-05:002012-01-22T16:24:48.044-05:00The saddle sits too high in the front, so it's...The saddle sits too high in the front, so it's not balanced, front to back from the looks of it. Yet, at the same time, if the tree were wider, it might end up resting on Riley's withers. <br /><br />So, I suspect it needs a wider tree, but more padding in the front and perhaps more padding in the back to level it--although a better fitted tree might fix it. <br /><br />The back looks as Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029423500476995817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-10798353506908667052012-01-22T14:11:40.158-05:002012-01-22T14:11:40.158-05:00Impossible for me to critique the fit from photos....Impossible for me to critique the fit from photos. I have a Black Country but it's not a monoflap. Going to look at a horse to lease today; hope my saddle fits well enough for a good test ride!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01550786937196525098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-38461360261654285652012-01-22T13:56:11.479-05:002012-01-22T13:56:11.479-05:00Thank's for humoring me! ;-D
This is fun, esp...Thank's for humoring me! ;-D<br /><br />This is fun, especially since there's nothing at stake. No danger of getting in too much trouble. <br /><br />After trying tons of on Crispin saddles over the last year I at least *think* that I can tell now if a saddle does not fit. The most difficult thing though, figuring out what exactely is wrong, is still quite a mystery to me.<br /><br />One AmityBeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00537632561573900898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-33452020564277379712012-01-22T13:44:55.579-05:002012-01-22T13:44:55.579-05:00This does look like an interesting exercise. Even...This does look like an interesting exercise. Even though photos on a stationary horse do not tell the whole story, here are my thoughts:<br /><br />-at first glance the saddle looks okay and I have read good things about the make and model<br />-looks pommel high and against the shoulders<br />-length of saddle okay for Riley, but high pommel may drop pressure onto back of saddle<br />-seat Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335385366138424092noreply@blogger.com