# Saddle slipping forward



## Firewell (8 May 2008)

Hello,

Can anyone help?

I own a compact, well built TB mare who is slightly croup high and has a forward girth line. I purchased an Albion K2 jump saddle last summer but over the months it has been slipping forward and has given her sore muscles just behind the withers and where the back of the saddle goes. My old saddler kept saying it was fine but it got to the point where she started to have the odd stop jumping (not like her all, she LOVES to jump) and generally she was being difficult to ride. I decided to give her 6 weeks off and got a good osteopath to look at her and he confirmed my suspision that the saddle had caused her pain.

She is back in work now and I have had a different saddler come to look at her. I didnt want to ride in the Albion so have been using an old wintec 500 that I used to use when I first brought my horse. The saddler put a medium/wide plate in the wintec for now (it did have a medium plate but this was pinching) but now the wintec slips forward also (but not as bad as the albion) so for the next couple of weeks she advised to use a polypad and a prolite pad to cusion the saddle and to stop it slipping forward. In the mean time the saddler is going to put a point strap on the Albion as she thinks this may stop it from slipping forward.

If this doesnt work does anyone know of a make of saddle that may work? or have any other ideas of how I can stop my Albion from slipping forward? My mare is very broad for a TB with fairly flat withers, think of a bouncy rubber ball and that is basically her conformation. It just seems that if the saddle fits her, it slips forward. Saddles that are too narrow and pinch dont slip forward.

I cant jump her untill im postive shes completely comfortable and its getting to be a bit upsetting.

I was thinking of trying a WOW or a Thorowgood T6 jump? 

sorry this is long

Thanks


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## amandathepanda (8 May 2008)

I would get a saddle company saddle for her as they are very forgiving if they do move (serge flocking seems to be more comfortable) and if it is properly fitted it shouldn't move.  I have WOW saddles too and love them but I can't help thinking my gut reaction for a TB mare with a history of back problems would be to get her sorted out with a nice, properlyl fitted saddle company saddle.
www.thesaddlecompany.co.uk


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## Firewell (8 May 2008)

Thank you, i'll take a look at their website


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## YorksG (8 May 2008)

Would she tolerate a crupper?


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## CBAnglo (8 May 2008)

It sounds as though it is a combination of the saddle being too wide and also the forward girth groove.  The point strap may help but I dont like Albions in general and not on anything flat backed.  The same would go for the Wintec which will only fit a very typical TB shape and 9/10 times doesnt even fit that.

I would go for a Thorowgood out of the choices you mentioned.  If you want any more info on SC saddles let me know - I am a fitter for them!


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## Firewell (8 May 2008)

I dont think my horse would tolerate a crupper, she can be a fiesty thing (which is wot I love about her!)

I looked at the website for the SC saddles, they look interesting, I like the fact they seem to be soft on their backs. I've found a fitter bout 10 mins down the road so going to give her a call tomorrow.

I like riding in the Albion but im sceptical that if it slips so badly in the first place would another stap make that much of a difference? The saddler did say that it sits very nicely on her, untill she moves! But then it obviously doesnt sit that nicely does it! Its all very confusing!


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## CBAnglo (8 May 2008)

I am reluctant to use cruppers / bps etc when fitting a saddle.  it should fit regardless, and then these things used for things such as xc etc when you are not doing ordinary riding.  but if you cant w/t/c/ in the school with the saddle moving all over the place then the saddle doesnt fit.

In my view, albions are good for riders - not so good for horses!


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## donkey22 (8 May 2008)

Sorry to butt in on this post, but it sounds like you have just described my mare and her problems! She's got sore behind shoulders and at the back of the saddle too (although she's actually a little lame too at the mo, but that's different 
	
	
		
		
	


	




). I feel awful for hurting her! I was considering a Wow tbh. They seem to be able to accommodate many different conformations, but I'm not 100% sure yet. Thanks for posting this anyway - very useful. I hope you find a saddle to fit your mare soon.


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## Starsy (8 May 2008)

I've got a forward girth groove mare too, drove me mad. We went through nine different saddles - they all went up her neck. Treed, treeless, flexi panel etc. I have finally bought a ghost treeless as I can attach the girth to wherever I like to put it in the girth groove without the saddle moving.  It's not a jumping saddle though.

Freefom also reckon that theirs will stay put, although I've never tried one, they do them with big knee and thigh rolls.


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