Comments on Behind the Bit: Riley: Whither the wither?

I have had many hard to fit horses for saddles. We...

2012-01-24T12:26:10.882-05:00

I have had many hard to fit horses for saddles. We ended up with a wintec isabel, wool flocked. Especially for young developing horses the wintec allows greater adaptability. Our friend bought a custom saddle for her 6 yr old and by time it came in it did not fit. We now have 3 wintec isabels and they all have gone from the white wide tree to the extra wide and extra extra wide trees. If you can

If you really want the best that money can buy the...

2012-01-24T11:48:19.866-05:00

If you really want the best that money can buy then you really should take Jean up on that offer to test ride an Ansur Excel...

I have an Ansur Crossover that I paid $$$$$$ for and it's been worth every penny.

I ride in Wintecs as well, but not all Wintecs are...

2012-01-23T14:48:33.221-05:00

I ride in Wintecs as well, but not all Wintecs are equal. I have a Wintec I bought when they first came out. It's old, ragged, and fits a good majority of horses. It is the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden in. But it didn't fit my competition horse. I went through 7 different saddles before coming back to a Wintec 2000 AP (with the suede seat and changeable gullet) Her back is

I'm going to add some specifics to my first po...

2012-01-22T10:58:13.259-05:00

I'm going to add some specifics to my first posts. :)

1) I had my Wintec wool-flocked.
2) I added a Mattes pad with shims (that more than makes up for any insufficiencies in the Wintec, adjustable gullet) and you can transfer it to your next saddle.
3) I never mentioned it had to be your last and only saddle. Wintecs sell like Hondas used ... very quickly!!!
4)

Stacey, I agree with your mom. For certain items,...

2012-01-22T03:00:56.909-05:00

Stacey, I agree with your mom. For certain items, eyeglasses, cookwear, saddles, etc., go with the best quality that you can afford. But if you think you have saddle fit problems, Icelandics tend to be boulder shouldered, mutton withered, short backed little beasties. I have had to buy 3 saddles for Blessi in almost 8 years because he keeps muscling up in the withers area and the saddle is too

I'll post pix tomorrow, but they won't be ...

2012-01-21T16:09:14.790-05:00

I'll post pix tomorrow, but they won't be my saddle but a saddle I test drove last week. If I get time to take pix I'll share photos of my saddle...

...oh, has the fitter asked you for pictures with...

2012-01-21T15:16:54.739-05:00

...oh, has the fitter asked you for pictures with the saddle (girthed but no pad) too? I think those would be much more interesting... *hint* ;-)

If I remember right, there's not much you can ...

2012-01-21T15:14:25.978-05:00

If I remember right, there's not much you can do to the gullet of a county saddle. Maybe add or (in you case more likely) take out some of the flocking to make it wider.

Without seeing the saddle or seing you ride (so it is a far fetched assumption!!!) my guess is that he just muscled up and the saddle is now a tad too narrow in the gullet. That would make the rear panels pinch

It's a used County Perfection, which I love, a...

2012-01-21T14:25:42.204-05:00

It's a used County Perfection, which I love, and it is nearly identical to the saddle my trainer used and that Riley loved -- hers was Med 17", mine is Med 17.5, same model. However, after we started using my saddle he started to get nasty when being saddled.

btw, what kind of saddle do you have for him? I su...

2012-01-21T14:21:49.263-05:00

btw, what kind of saddle do you have for him? I sure you did post about it at some point, but since you're a very busy blogger (and I really enjoy that!) I think my chances of finding that specific entry are slim.

On my journey to the (hopefully) perfect saddle I'm finding this blog very interesting and helpfull:

http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/

(

Maybe it's just an optical illusion or his win...

2012-01-21T14:04:20.163-05:00

Maybe it's just an optical illusion or his winter coat is just very sensitiv, but to me it looks like there has been something rubbing and breaking some hairs at the back of his saddle area. But I didn't mean to imply anything. Maybe he just already started shedding.

Dumb question -- are there broken hairs in the pho...

2012-01-21T12:04:52.168-05:00

Dumb question -- are there broken hairs in the photo, or do you mean in general? Thanks!

I have to say that I agree with you on wintecs. I...

2012-01-21T12:02:28.879-05:00

I have to say that I agree with you on wintecs. I've ridden in probably a dozen different ones at this point and have just never liked them. They aren't distinctly uncomfortable but I do feel like it takes distinct effort to stay in a good position. I don't think it's spoiled of anyone to want a saddle that fits them and puts them in a great position.

I just

You have my sympathies! Finding a saddle that'...

2012-01-21T12:00:20.179-05:00

You have my sympathies! Finding a saddle that's a good fit for horse and rider can be a real pain.

I started looking for a saddle for Crispin when I started him under saddle. That was a year ago and I haven't found a saddle yet!

To me, Riley doesn't look like a horse that's too difficult to fit. But slipping (and the broken hairs on his back) is never a good

SCHLEESE=ADJUSTABLE!!

2012-01-21T08:20:31.555-05:00

SCHLEESE=ADJUSTABLE!!

I've been riding and using Ansur's flex tr...

2012-01-21T07:08:01.138-05:00

I've been riding and using Ansur's flex treed saddles for 12 years now. I own about a dozen of the saddles. I've taken a mare that was stuck at Level 3 and I am now at PSG and I'm working on piaffe. ALL of my boarders at my barn now also ride in Ansurs because they've tried mine, and proved to themselves that the horses go better. Ansur's dressage saddle, the Excel,

I have to disagree with some people about the Wint...

2012-01-20T22:45:11.526-05:00

I have to disagree with some people about the Wintecs. There is a lot more to saddle fit than just the gullet and the adjustable gullet it only the front of the saddle. Wintecs are notorious for 'bridging' - they sit on the horse at the withers and back but across the middle don't make any contact with the horse. Wintecs are very comfortable, afordable and nice looking saddles but

I am doing the saddle search, too, because the cus...

2012-01-20T22:21:12.703-05:00

I am doing the saddle search, too, because the custom POS I bought (custom in price only) was never meant to fit me. Seat too small, pitches me forward. I want to go cheap, USED, and see if THAT works because the custom and NEW did NOT work. At least the custom did not harm my horse, because if THAT had been the case, I would have hunted down the saddle guy and done him seriously bodily harm.

Wow this post got some conversation going! I found...

2012-01-20T21:30:42.915-05:00

Wow this post got some conversation going! I found the Wintec, was not an easy ride, found myself bracing and perching to find balance. When my old trainer was fitting a saddle for her new young horse (5 yr old Swedish WB), it seemed the mare's back would change between fittings! But I must say, when the final saddle came, WOW what a feeling, I was on that horse like glue, and could feel

I was going to suggest Trumbull Mt. They are very...

2012-01-20T21:23:42.703-05:00

I was going to suggest Trumbull Mt. They are very helpful and not biased toward any one brand. Please keep us updated on all this.

Wow, Stacey. That sounds like the dream team of s...

2012-01-20T19:50:39.319-05:00

Wow, Stacey. That sounds like the dream team of saddle fitting. I look forward to saddle-search updates. :)

I bought one of the first Wintecs back 20+ years a...

2012-01-20T18:54:20.132-05:00

I bought one of the first Wintecs back 20+ years ago. I couldn't afford anything else, but I loved it. It was just an all purpose, but it lasted over twenty years! I just threw it out last year, because the stitching had finally given way. The only thing I didn't like was the fake leathers and billets. I had the billets changed to real leather and used real leathers for the stirrups. I

OK, I am going to be radical here, but I have been...

2012-01-20T17:10:09.748-05:00

OK, I am going to be radical here, but I have been riding in Ansur treeless saddles since 2000 and have not had any back soreness issues with any of four horses I trained in the saddles.

The Excel dressage saddle puts you in super position and is worth the investment because you will never have to worry about its not fitting Riley as he changes and grows. The saddle will change with

Count your blessings--you have a local saddle fitt...

2012-01-20T16:59:50.863-05:00

Count your blessings--you have a local saddle fitter. ;-) It's double the fun when you have to freehand everything.

Can you get dressage saddles with integrated panel...

2012-01-20T16:51:43.697-05:00

Can you get dressage saddles with integrated panels? My hunter mare had practically no withers and super wide shoulders and I ended up getting a Antares with integrated panels, and although it was pricey, Im able to use it on other higher-withered horses with a Bevel half pad. Perhaps getting a quality saddle that fits Riley well now can eliminate (potential) future back soreness/problems. And