Re: saddle fit HELP

["DeSoto Saddle" <desotosaddle@voyager.net>]

Dear Shelly,

The problem with the shim saddles is; you can't change the pitch of the
bars. You can change the width of them only. That is why you experienced
pressure spots on each side of the withers. More than likely the pitch of
the bars was too lay down or too great when you widened it out, making the
top edge of the bar in the gullet of the saddle the only part of the tree
coming in contact with the horse. A rule of thumb is, if a tree is too
narrow it will crawl up on the horses shoulders. If a tree is too wide it
will slide back and fall down in front pitching your weight foreward and
causing pressure points in back of the horses withers as the tree is no
longer resting in the proper place on the horses back.


Marilyn Horstmyer
DeSoto Custom Saddlery
(231) 775-5612
desotosaddle@voyager.net
----- Original Message -----
From: <TddWil@aol.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 8:29 AM
Subject: RC: saddle fit HELP


> OK, I've been thru this before with another horse so I didn't think I was
a
> total idiot when it came to saddle fit, but...   I got a wintec all
purpose
> with the changeable gullet, and ALL the gullet plates. The horse appeared
to
> be narrower than my other one that took a medium, so I went narrower.
White
> hairs and the saddle kept sliding forward. So we went wider. No luck. So
then
> I bent a piece of wire over his back and made a cardboard template to test
> the saddle with. it fit with the widest gullet plate. So I used it on a 30
> mile CTR (last 10 on foot, lame) and he had no dry spots or pressure
lumps,
> and I checked him repeatedly that day and the next day. So after a few
weeks
> off we did 20 mi yesterday. He had dry spots and a lump on either side of
the
> withers. He lost hair on the white spot on the left side of his withers.
> OUCH. The saddle sits a bit low in front but has adequate wither
clearance. I
> pulled it back away from his shoulders. I'm using a wool felt pad. The
girth
> is not over tight. He is an egyptian bred arab, pretty average
conformation,
> he is not rump high. I am about ready to buy a bareback pad and throw a
bunch
> of saddles in my front yard and have a bonfire!
>
>                                                        Shelly
>
>
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