Hi Everyone...

as you all know, i disgusted you all by buying a circle y saddle for schooling and light trail riding (light being defined as less than 2-3 hours). In NJ, I just don't work my horse the way most of you guys do...

the saddle seems comfortable to the horse-i use a wool saddle pad (diamond wool, not 5'ts...yet).

What i have noticed in recent weeks is this...the horse is still comfortable with the saddle--no tail swishing, no signs of discomfort. he works soft and round. The sweat marks are even on both sides, with this exception...over the shoulders, near the top, on either side tends to stay dry. there are NO white hairs, no swelling, no bruising, no tenderness. Nothing to make me think anything is wrong...except these two evenly matched dry spots.

the saddle pad is about 18 months old, and is kept clean. ( i vacuum is, i sweat scrape it, i power wash it!)

Given that the horse is in NO apparrent discomfort...including still tracking up correctly, etc...

what do you all think?

Betsey

If you're talking about on each side below the horn, it's a sign of a tight spot. I'd either add just a little more padding, maybe a light blanket, or at least watch for developing problems. I used to have a Bona Allen that made those same places on my QH and it never turned into a problem.

Try this Betsey,

The next time you saddle him, after you set the saddle on the pad, take your hand and push the pad up toward the top of the gullet of the saddle giving it lots of clearance off of the horses withers/back. After cinching up, make sure that you can still get your hand between the withers and the pad in the gullet area. This will loosen up an area that could be potentially pinching him on his withers or shoulders and may stop the dry spots. I have a mare that will buck for sure, guaranteed, if you do not do this. I am now in the habit of always doing it with all of my saddles.

Betsy if you have dryspots but the hair is still lying smooth in its natural direction with no swelling or obvious signs of pain don't worry about it, just keep an eye on it. If the hair is all ruffled and swirled around you then have a deffinent problem. Be very careful taking advice to use more pads, sometimes if the tree is a hair too wide for the horse in his currnt shape a little extra padding is the ansewer but 9 times out of 10 extra padding just compounds the fit problem. Greg

quote:

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Originally posted by Mike Franklin:
If you're talking about on each side below the horn, it's a sign of a tight spot. I'd either add just a little more padding, maybe a light blanket, or at least watch for developing problems. I used to have a Bona Allen that made those same places on my QH and it never turned into a problem.

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hmmm, ironic, I would've recomended just the oppisite...less padding and peaking the pad under the gullet. I have always been taught that just as when you're shoes are too tight, you don't wear thicker socks to cure the problem. Not trying to argue, just more curious now.

you can set the saddle on the horse with no pad and running one hand, palm down up under the bar, then with your other hand, push down on the saddle to create pressure....is it even pressure you feel on the back of your first hand.....or can you detect any pressure points?
Check out this excellent website on saddle fitting by Kellie Sharpe.........
http://awarenesshorsemanship.com/sadlfit.htm

Be sure to ask your saddle! Here's how....
http://awarenesshorsemanship.com/asksadl.htm

[ June 17, 2007, 12:51 AM: Message edited by: Mustang Blue ]