rubbing problems on racking horse

Question
I have a 10 year old racking mare that I recently purchased. She foaled in Aug, but unfortunatlly the foal didn't make it. I have just started riding her and she is getting rubbed places on her back on either side of her spine about 6-8 inches infront of her hips. I have tryed 3 different western saddles but she continues to rub. I have tryed doubleing up on pads and that didn't work either. The places are about the size of quarters. She is by no means under weight, and she is not over weight either. Do you know anything about this problem or have any suggestions? Thanks Lauren Smith, Tennessee  

Answer
Lauren,

Well, this is a saddle fit issue.  I know you didn't want to hear that.  You didn't say how big the mare is but many of the racking horses I have seen tend to be sort of small.  I suspect you are trying to use too large a saddle.  The rubbed spots you describe generally come from the rear part of the saddle tree digging into her back when you sit on it.  A saddle with bars that are too long will "bridge" on the horse's back and result in this type of problem.  You might want to see if you can find a tack shop in your area that will let you bring the mare over and try various saddles on her for fit.  Hopefully they will have someone there knowledgeable about saddle fitting.  You might want to try a Western saddle with an Arab tree on it.  They are shorter than standard Western trees because of the shorter backs many Arabs have.  Extra padding won't work if the tree simply doesn't fit.  Like putting a heavier pair of socks on when wearing shoes that don't fit.  In many cases that can exacerbate the problem.  Lady I know who rides gaited horses in endurance rides a with type of bareback pad - looks very much like the treeless sports saddles.  A treeless saddle would also be an option.  They do come in Western styles now.  One of my clients rides her Clydesdale in one.  This may be a frustrating problem for you to solve, you're just going to have to look until you find what works for both you and the mare.  Good luck.