# Those of you with Equipe saddles



## coloredred (29 July 2013)

Particularly the Emporio dressage. I've had mine nearly a year now and I love it. My horse has shown no signs of it being uncomfortable for him when ridden although on rare occasions is reluctant to rein back while schooling and will throw in the odd rear, nothing nasty, he literally sits down and lifts his front end, holds himself there for a few seconds before dropping back down gently and carrying on. He's done it twice, maybe three times in the last few months. It could be unrelated but it got me thinking about saddle fit. Normally if he's unhappy he'll pull faces when I do up his girth but he hasn't done it. He had a sore patch that I noticed when brushing him that was just behind his withers so I gave him a week off and it went. I've ridden him three times since then with a sheepskin half pad and it's not come back *touch wood*
The saddle seems to fit perfectly nearly everywhere but one thing that sticks out to me is the width between the panels down the gullet. I measured it at two inches and it seems very close to his spine either side and have started to wonder if that is what is causing the problem with the sore spot. Surely when he bends left and right the panels are going to end up sat very very close if not over part of his spine?

By the way, I'm aware I need a saddle fitter to answer my question properly.


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## Prince33Sp4rkle (29 July 2013)

Don't think I can help as my horse loves his, getting better and better. I don't think the gap is excessively narrow, certainly no narrower than most saddles?


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## kirstyhen (29 July 2013)

Not much help as I have an Equipe Jump saddle, however it was one of the few that would fit my horse due to how much room it has in the gullet. Although having said that, she does have an Extra Wide version to make sure she has plenty of room, but the saddler said the dressage saddles were much easier to fit as they are wider.


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## BYR (29 July 2013)

We had to send ours back as it made our mare rear constantly and she just stopped going forwards and didnt want to work as all.  It also left marks on her back, almost blister like?  She is only just getting back to normal now, we had the saddle for about 2 weeks and its taken about 3 months to repair the damage  

We wondered if it is the different style of flocking Equipe use that didnt suit her skin as the actual fit was fine although it was a little narrower than her original saddle the fitter we trust didnt think it was enough to cause and issue. 

Maybe it would be worth getting it re fitted?


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## Prince33Sp4rkle (29 July 2013)

Aren't equipe latex and foam? Could she have a latex allergy?


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## BYR (29 July 2013)

Prince33Sp4rkle said:



			Aren't equipe latex and foam? Could she have a latex allergy?[/QUOTE

We thought somthing along those lines. Back to the jaguar & she is fine again no sores or rears!
		
Click to expand...


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## milliepops (29 July 2013)

Mine is happy in hers - she has wide gullet panels on her Wow jump saddle, the standard gullet panels were a bit on the narrow side along the spine. TBF the wow gullet seems quite a bit wider on the saddlehorse, but having flair panels does mean the gap is squished inwards a bit when you sit on it. 

The equipe dressage seems fine on mine though   The dressage saddle I had before was definitely narrower down the gullet and wasn't great for her.


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## coloredred (30 July 2013)

Thank you for the replies  

He doesn't seem unhappy in it at all, I think it's just me being paranoid although will get it checked out. The mini rears could just be him saying no thanks to rein back as both times he'd had a week or so off schooling. He goes well in it the rest of the time. I think maybe I'm just used to super wide gaps between panels on other saddles he's had.


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## DonkeyClub (30 July 2013)

The Equipes are among the most sympathetically made saddles out there, they are designed by an osteopath . Provided it fits the horse properly it will help not impede..


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## Prince33Sp4rkle (30 July 2013)

perhaps try the rein back in hand, or bareback, to get a clearer idea of what it could be?


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## coloredred (30 July 2013)

Good idea PS, he's willing to back up when asked from the ground but I'll hop on bareback and see what he reaction is. He hacked out happily enough today and still no complaints when doing up his girth.


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