Ridecamp: Re: [RC] [RC] Narrow-backed Mustang saddle problems

Thanks for that input! Sharon and Abe Kirkpatrick met me for a ride today
and brought every saddle they had (such nice people!) and none of them fit!
They were as surprised as I since they have a ton of saddles. Sharon also
suggested the Stonewall so I'll have to look into that. I put my new Skito
pad on under my existing saddle as well as an additional wool pad underneath
that at Abe's suggestions and we had an absolutely smashing 13-ride today.
Abe seemed to think my saddle fit my horse fine and that maybe my issue is a
heat issue, not a fitting issue. Since he and Sharon are in the Top 10 in
the Western region in their weight divisions, I've decided they should know
a thing or two about saddle fit, so I will keep riding in my current saddle
but still look for a new one. The American-Flex people are sending me a
saddle to ride for 10 days to see if that does that trick. That's a very
nice plus ... a saddle company that will actually let you RIDE the saddle
you think you want to buy!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peg Hogan" <needstoride@xxxxxxx>
To: <typef@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2002 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: [RC] Narrow-backed Mustang saddle problems


> hi Jackie,  I had a very narrow arab and the saddle that fit him best was
a
> stonewall.  And it puts your legs right under you, no see sawing.  It has
a
> hard seat but was fine with a seat cover.  I really liked it.  Peggy
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: "Typef" <typef@xxxxxxxxx>
> >To: "ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Subject: [RC]   Narrow-backed Mustang saddle problems
> >Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 06:55:37 -0800
> >
> >Over this last year's conditioning, my narrow-backed Mustang mare has
> >become cranky, slow, dropping her head to the ground halfway through a
> >ride, looking over her shoulder at me, and as her winter coat grew in,
> >white patches appeared on her back. Never having had a saddle fit problem
> >before with my other horses, it took me until the white patches to figure
> >out what my problem was. I was riding a medium flexible tree dressage
> >saddle. I also use this saddle on wider horses so it's possible it
> >stretched some. After deciding to search for a new saddle, I settled on a
> >Wintec Endurance Pro with Cair panels and an adjustble gullet and a Skito
> >pad, thinking that would do the trick. In the meantime I dug out my old
> >western saddle and did a few rides. I immediately had a different horse!
> >She was so eager to go that we did our entire one-hour ride at an
extended
> >trot and a hand gallop, ears up and bright eyed and just seemed so happy.
> >What a great feeling! My Wintec came and I went for a ride. My old horse
> >was back with all the old problems. How sad I was to discover that it is
> >obvious that she prefers the tree of the western saddle over the smaller
> >area of the english saddle. But at the same time, I also discovered I
like
> >the seating position better. I'm a little (a lot) top heavy and I find
> >myself getting thrown forward in the dressage and Wintec with any type of
> >sudden slow-down. I hate that. I also won many ribbons in western
> >equitation and never in english. Go figure. Which means I am again, on a
> >saddle hunt and my brand new beautiful Wintec is for sale. Obviously, I
> >can't return it as I couldn't figure out a way to test it without
actually
> >putting stirrups on it and RIDING it. So I've listed it in the classified
> >section and am throwing in leathers, girth and a Skito pad. Any thoughts
> >from anyone on narrow-backed Mustangs and distance saddles would be
greatly
> >welcomed. In the meantime, I guess I'm riding the old western saddle. My
> >thoughts are that both of us might be happier with a western-type
endurance
> >trail saddle, if I can find one with a narrow tree.
> >
> >Jackie and MC, the temporarily-excited-to-go-for-a-ride-Mustang
>
>
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