So… saddle shopping is awesome. Can’t say how much I love it. I drove 45 minutes away to a used tack store, brought back 3 saddles to try and they all failed. Two didn’t fit Nilla, the third didn’t work for me – it tipped me forward. So I took them back and picked up a really cool FlexEE saddle. It has a leather tree so it form fits to any horse. It was also really, really comfortable. Unfortunately, it tipped me forward.
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| FlexEE |
Sensing a trend?
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| FlexEE |
Part of the problem is that Nilla is very slightly downhill. She’s not as bad as some mules, but she’s certainly not uphill. So a perfectly level saddle is going to be downhill on her. I did talk to a saddler who said I need a saddle that “rises quicker seat bones to pubic bone.” However, the suggested saddles that do that are not cheap and I have not found any used ones.
So I persisted in trying saddles not recommended, because I one should always keep doing the same thing that doesn’t work right? In this vain, I returned the FlexEE saddle and picked up a really nice Kieffer Kiel with an adjustable tree. This saddle had been out on trial when I picked up the FlexEE or I would have saved a trip and now I have to go back again. It fits Nilla perfectly, but once again tips me forward.
I’ve had my trainer evaluate the saddles each week at our lesson and we keep going back to the Wintec, which works okay, but is slightly too narrow for Nilla and a good inch too short for me.
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| Upright in the Wintec |
At least it doesn’t send me pitching forward. As a former h/j rider, I’m already inclined to lean forward anyway, so I hardly need the saddle tipping me forward as well.
I don’t really have an ending to this story. It’s more of a never-ending saga, but I thought I’d vent share.
P.S. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway.
ugh saddle shopping is the worst!! good luck finding something reasonable that works for both of you!!
This is a half pad with three pockets on each side that you can place foam pads in. Robyn, the saddle fitter from the clinic, uses them, and so does Laura. The people at the barn I used to ride in use them as well. Laura places more foam pads in the front pockets to raise the front of the saddle, although it will probably be best to have a saddle fitter help you. Anyways, I'll leave the link. It comes with the foam pads and is completely customizable to make a saddle fit. I hope you find something that works.
http://www.prolitepads.com/balance-altering-relief-pads/29-tri-pad
Thanks for the link. I'd like to get one of those pads, but like you said I really need Robyn to help me out with it. She doesn't generally travel to our area though so I'd like to find a saddle that fits me well and then have her come out and fix it to fit Nilla.
I can totally relate. I just bought a Kieffer Kiel! I've only ridden in it once, but so far so good. I'd also consider trying a riser pad for the front of the saddle. They may fix your tipping issue.
It was a really comfortable saddle. It's not just a downhill issue though. Some saddle seats align me better than others. So I need to find a mythical fit for both me and Nilla.
Mattes also makes a correction pad
The Mattes pad has only 2 slots on each side, mules need the 3 slot type so that nothing goes in the middle. Since mules have flat backs and horses have curved backs and all saddles are designed for horses and not mules, you have to compensate for the curve of the saddle by removing padding at that point.