Saddle fitting.

Question
Hi,

So i have grown up around horses and have fitted saddles numerous times, but my new TB mare has stumped me and about everyone else. She is 18.1 hh. And he has high withers(which is to be expected) but i can't seam to find an English saddle that offers the right place. Even with a bumper pad.. Anything. Can you help?

Answer
Chelsea,

First off I would suggest getting on a stool or something and look at her from behind on top.  She's a TB and I suspect has 1 shoulder higher than the other.  It's a common problem in TB's and any other horses that are assisted at birth.  Generally it's the L shoulder because most people are right-handed and no matter how hard they try they pull harder on that leg.  It's also the leg that presents first at birth.  So that may well be one issue you are dealing with.  Also, look at the rest of her back carefully.  Is the spine straight?  Equally developed on both sides from withers to hips?  Any differences from side-to-side need to be addressed with stuffing in the saddle.  

Now you have to find a tree that fits her.  You are going to need one narrow enough in the front to fit her withers correctly.  Make sure you are placing the saddle correctly, the front of the tree should fit in the pocket behind the horse's shoulder blade.  Way too many people place it right on top of the withers, right on top of the horse's shoulder blades, then wonder why the horse can't move out.  Ideally I would take the horse to someone who sells good saddles and has a saddle maker on staff if not running the store.  There are a couple around here that bring a truck with various trees and saddles to you and fits the horse and/or makes adjustments to the saddle there.  This is not an easy task you face, but a most important one.  Saddles are like shoes, they have to fit comfortably.  So you can try a number of saddles until you find the one that fits.  

If you have to go look at saddles, mold some moderatly pliable wire over her withers, behind the shoulder blades, where the front of the tree will sit.   Mold another piece of wire over her back where the cantle of the saddle will be.  Measure the distance apart on the horse's back so you know where to place that 2nd wire when checking a saddle.  Take the wires with you and fit them under the proposed saddle.  Place them against the panels and see how they fit.  That's the easiest, simplest way I know of to get a good start on finding a saddle tree that fits.  I have had to have saddles custom made for horses when I simply couldn't fit them.  

I hope this helps.  If the horse has the irregular shoulder problem that can be addressed with extra flocking in the panel on the side with the lower shoulder.  Something you can do with English saddles that you can't do with Western-style trees.

Good luck.

Lyn