Comments on: Evaluating Saddle Fit: Gullet Width http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/ My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings Sat, 26 May 2012 20:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Debbie Berry http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6853 Sat, 03 Mar 2012 21:42:27 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6853 Liz,
Thank you for such a quick reply! I will test both saddles for rocking. I know that the Zaldi’s cantle is slightly higher than the pommel. But the Wintec has a cantle that is slightly lower than the pommel. I shimmed up the Wintec cantle a couple of days ago (two felt shims under each side) until the cantle was even with the pommel, and for me, the rider, it was perfect. I sat right over my feet very easily. But I’m concerned about the panels fitting along the entire length of the saddle once the shims are in place. And about making sure there is no added pressure on the withers. The Wintec is an older model so doesn’t have the Cair panels, which I’m not a fan of anyway. The older model’s panels are not as rounded and seem to touch more surface area on the horse. Will have my saddle fitter look at the possibility of reflocking the Zaldi to allow for more room around the gullet channel. In the meantime, do you think I am on the right track with the adjustments to the Wintec?

Again, many thanks for your help!

Debbie

]]> By: Liz Goldsmith http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6851 Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:49:59 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6851 Hi Debbie,

Good for you for working to make your horse as comfortable as possible. Sometimes that can be a frustrating
I do not think that a gullet can be widened, however I believe that the Zaldi saddles have wool panels and it’s possible that having it reflocked to better fit the shape of your horse might help with overall fit. If your horse is getting rubbed under the cantle of the saddle it indicates that your saddle is moving too much. If the saddle is on the narrow side, adding the extra padding will only exacerbate the problem.

When you have the saddle on your horse without a pad, does the saddle sit levelly on his back? The cantle should be even or very slightly higher than the pommel. If you try to rock the saddle by pressing on the cantle, does it move or stay still? A saddle that rocks will cause the irritation you described. Sometimes even if the tree is the right width, the shape of the tree and the panels is wrong for the horse’s back. Some saddles are built with a curvy tree; others with a tree that is flatter. I guess that’s a topic for another post!

]]> By: Debbie Berry http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6850 Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:01:54 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6850 Hi! I am concerned that the saddle I have used on my thoroughbred has a gullet channel that is too narrow. It’s a 2 finger width from front to back. I believe over time that the narrowness has caused ligament damage/stress in his back. Knowing more today about saddle fit than I did when I bought the saddle, I have measured his back where the panels should sit clear of the ligaments on either side of the backbone. And it looks like he would need a saddle gullet channel of about 3 fingers width or slightly more. My question is whether it is possible to have the gullet channel widened by a saddle fitter. I use a Spanish dressage saddle called a Zaldi. Or I did until I determined it was too narrow! I also use a Wintec Pro Dressage saddle for riding in bad weather. The Wintec has the 3 finger width channel although it does narrow very slightly towards the back. I am riding in that right now as he seems more comfortable in the Wintec. The other question I have is that I have noticed with both saddles that the horse’s hair is being significantly rubbed under the saddle on both sides where the back of the panels sits on him (under the cantle). I use a fairly thick pad and a Mattes sheepskin halfpad, but that does not seem to make a difference. What do you think is causing that? Thanks for any light you can shed on these two questions!

]]> By: A question about measuring http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6811 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:44:08 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6811 [...] I found it, now I am really confused…. think I will stay with Western ….lol…. http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/eval…-gullet-width/ . SionTheMonster likes [...]

]]> By: Rebecca http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6706 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:11:27 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6706 Hi Liz, I tried your email but it did not work!!!!

]]> By: Liz Goldsmith http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6692 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:57:22 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6692 You can email me the photos at lizgo (at) mindspring.com.

]]> By: Rebecca http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6691 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:32:49 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6691 Hi, thanks for the prompt reply.. feeling a lot better after reading your response. I haven’t had a chance to take photos but will do so tomorrow. The saddle doesn’t appear to slip forward at all, in fact it slips back, but only slightly, not super close to the loins at all. It kind of tilts downward so that the back of saddle is not sitting firm and in regards to the clearance it is next to none. I will take a few photos and send them to you tomorrow. This may sound like a silly questions, but alongside my lack of saddle fitting skills, I also don’t know how to post the photos!! Thanks ever so much for your help, it is truly appreciated.

]]> By: Liz Goldsmith http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6687 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:04:17 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6687 Is there any chance you could send some photos (side view). Is the saddle actually slipping forward? Or is it just closer to the withers after you ride? If there is still clearance, it may be enough (the three fingers isn’t a hard and fast rule) but if the saddle is slipping forward it may be the wrong size. For small adjustments, if the saddle is too wide you can use a saddle pad with inserts but just need to be careful that you aren’t raising the front (or back) in a way that causes new pressure points.

]]> By: Rebecca http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6686 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:35:25 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6686 Hi there thank you so much for your entry, I still have more questions though. I have just bought a new gelding, he is quite narrow in the shoulders and my saddle appears to fit him, good clearance, daylight etc. I sought a few opinions and everyone said it was a good fit, however once I have been riding him for a length of time the pommel ends up almost sitting on his wither, only a few fingers clearance. Originally I thought it might be a due to the gullet size, which is adjustable, however after reading this I wonder if it is perhaps the tree size and in that case I need a new saddle!?? Please help if you can. I would get it professionally fitted if I could but there is no one close by who can do so and in the interim I am too scared to ride him in case I do damage!

]]> By: Ana http://equineink.com/2008/06/28/evaluating-saddle-fit-gullet-width/#comment-6682 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:05:02 +0000 http://equineink.wordpress.com/?p=167#comment-6682 Your a life saver! it’s so hard to buy a used saddle when you don’t know what size it is!

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