Sep
my saddle is too low on my horses back. thats what everybody has told me. what is a changeable gullet i want to know more about it and how much it would cost to get a new gullet in my saddle?
also right now my horse is a bit sick so i wont be riding her for two weeks so what are some things i can do on the ground.
herre is a pic of her saddle. if theres no way to get a nw gullet, what can i use to take the strane off her withers. im currently putting a towel under but i dont think its working. shes losing her on her withers.
and also what’s a riser?
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg175…
Answer:
I really can't tell the fit of your saddle too well from just that front view. I need a side view too. If it is the slope of the back, a “front-lift” pad will help. Do NOT get the pads that Breakfast recommended they’ll make your saddle worse. Those are rear “riser” pads that’ll tilt the saddle forward more. Unlike what BM said, risers are useful and have nothing to do with a correctly fitting saddle. If a horse has a sway/sloping downward back, you'd have to stuf the rear of the saddle like 3 inches more to make it fit higher. No one does this–you would use a lollipop or rear rises. Again, you see these used more with older horses who have insanely sloping downward backs. This is NOT your problem. You’ve the opposite problem and could benefit from a lift in the front.
Here are front-lift pads:
Here are a few pads that might help. It really depends on the horse and saddle. A half pad of some kind is the way to go, though. Use a regular square pad/all-purpose or baby pad under these. So, take a look:
Roma Relief Lift Front Pad: http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp…
Correction pad (has “shims”–inserts–you could take out the two in the back and leave the two in the front in for better fit up front: here is the most popular mattes: http://epshop.us/product_info.php/info/p…
Here are all of the mattes correction pads:http://epshop.us/index.php/cat/c34_CORRE…
If you buy these correction pads, only use the shims up front and remove the rear shims.
Wintec lift front: http://www.equestriancollections.com/ite…
The correction pad would probably be ideal because you can remove the back shims, the shims up front will add extra lift, and the fleece roll will help fill in any extra space. The Roma lift-front and wintec lift-front are more economical options, if the price of the fleece correction pad is too much of a shock. You can try to find one on ebay for cheaper.
As far as the gullet. If you don’t have a saddle with an interchangeable gullet, it would be cheaper to sell the saddle and purchase a different one–I recommend a slightly used bates dressage–I have the bates caprilli dressage. Bates, wintec, and new collegiate convertible saddles have interchangeable gullets. Most all other saddles do not have this option. If this is the case, underneather the pommel is a velcro flap that you can pull open and see the gullet under. Then there are screws that you loosen and can then pull out of the saddle. You use an interchangeable gullet kit to measure the withers and install the correct gullet–see this: http://www.easychangegulletsystem.com/.
If your saddle is rubbing off hair, you can try the front lift pad. It will definately help. However, in the end, you need to have a correctly fitting saddle. An ill-fitting saddle can have a detrimental effect on a horses back and performance. I highly advocate that you sell your saddle and purchase one with an easy change gullet. I purchased my bates caprilli dresage slightly used on ebay and got a great price!
Here is a used bates caprilli dressage saddle. It has changeable gullet and cair panels. http://cgi.ebay.com/Bates-Caprilli-Dress…
Here is a new collegiate intellect http://cgi.ebay.com/COLLEGIATE-Intellect…
Here is a wintec pro dressage–with a grippy equisuede seat: http://cgi.ebay.com/wintec-pro-dressage-…
Here’s a wintec 500 equileather (synthetic) saddle: http://cgi.ebay.com/Wintec-500-Dressage-…
All of these have changeable gullets. Bates is my preference. They’ve 3 dressage saddles: caprilli, innova, and isabell werth. Wintec is their synthetic line. Collegiate is good too. Be sure that the model you get does have the changeable gullet.
In the meantime, at the least, you must buy a lift front pad.
Answer:
A riser is a foam pad that goes between the saddle and the saddle pad on the horses back. it aids in lifting and distributing the weight of the saddle & rider on the horses back, heres an example;
http://greenhawk.net/cgi-local/SoftCart….
that one has a rear lifter built in.
I'm not sure if this is right, but a keyhole pad might help with your gullet situation.
http://greenhawk.net/cgi-local/SoftCart….
Gullets are usually mid-priced. I've never had to get my gullet profesinally changed. as I own a collegiate which has a easychange gullet system (which are quite usefull)
Answer:
Actually risers are useful. They are designed of different types of material. I use a memory foam one. Some reasons: to distribute the weight, even out the saddle, provide additional shock absorption (especially for those beginners thumping around). Even if your gullet (tree width) were wide enough to sit on your horse's shoulder correctly (yours is too narrow), your horse is high withered so your saddle slopes back (the need for a riser). I find the lollipop style the ideal, that way if the saddle sits over your horse's shoulders correctly the addition of the lollipop pad won’t change that. Also when you put your saddle on let the girth hang down, it should hang straight from the billets down (pointing to the ground) right behind the shoulder, this helps to let you know your saddle is in the right place and level.
Answer:
A riser is also known as a lift pad.There is no need for this and it is essentially a useless invention. They are designed to lift the back of the saddle and balance it more forward.But the only reason a saddle would be balanced to far back is if the tree was too narrow and that is what causes a saddle to slip back in the first place and no one should have a saddle that doesn't fit in the first place so like I stated…it's a useless invention.
You need to purchase a new saddle. I advocate a Bates saddle with the Easy Gullet Change System and it comes with a kit of different size gullets so when your horses back changes,which is often, you can change the gullet.They’re a bit expensive though so I have the ability to also advocate the Wintec saddles. Some, if not most of them come with the EGCS.
Sold at:
http://www.doversaddlery.com