Aussie Saddle fitting question......pic heavy..saddle pad question added

[rm185western]

OK anyone good at Aussie saddle fitting?? I think I'm OK with this one, but not sure, any inputs gratefully received

With a non slip pad and a blanket





With nothing



Is there supposed to be a big gap here

[Danni L]

Looks pretty good. Gaps in the right places, sits close to level.

[crookedpineqhs]

I've only ridden in one a few times but it looks pretty good to me. Looks like it'll be really comfy.

[Crookedblaze]

That is a gorgeous saddle RM, I'm jealous!

Aussies look like they ride high in the back because of that padding, but thats just the way that they fit. It looks like it fits very well.

[Sonseeahray's_girl]

Sorry, I disagree. I think it's too narrow in the gullet. You should NOT be able to fit your entire hand down the front in between the gullet and your horse's withers. Plus, IMO the padding is spaced too close together near the back (the channel of space over the spine is narrow). If you look at the pic from the side with the horse tacked up, you'll see that the gullet is almost level with the back of the seat...it should be slightly lower, thus causing the actual seat to be more level. In the pic, it looks to be angled slightly up as you move forward in the seat toward the front of the saddle.

Fitting an aussie is the same as fitting an english, with the exception that the back of the seat is going to appear higher than on an english saddle. The gap between the flaps and the barrel of your horse are natural and are created by the panels underneath.

Can you try it out for a ride or two before purchasing it? If your horse is anything like mine, you'll find out pretty darned quick if the saddle is comfortable for the horse or not. But from what I see in those pics, it's too narrow in the gullet/chamber.

[rm185western]

The saddle is mine already, so to late for a 'try before you buy'

Now bearing in mind that she is at least 150 to 200 overweight , my issue is, does it fit well enough for now, well enough that a heavier rider can start walking work on her?

I don't want to be on her for long, but I think that under sadddle work will help her with her fitness, and the Aussie seems to be more stable on that very round barrel than my Abetta. I don't want to hurt her, but also I know that everything will fit differently when she is back in shape.

[Valerie62]

I don't have any personal experience with Aussie saddles, but from the pictures it looks to me to fit pretty good......a few test rides would probably confirm yay or neigh.

I love the look of those saddles and have been kicking around the idea of getting one for my very round paint. Can I ask what size that is? (wide tree? - gullet width?). My husband will kill me if I tell him I want another saddle - he just doesn't understand. I think the local tack shop has a few used ones on consignment that I might go try this weekend.

[Sonseeahray's_girl]

Originally Posted by rm185western

The saddle is mine already, so to late for a 'try before you buy'

Now bearing in mind that she is at least 150 to 200 overweight , my issue is, does it fit well enough for now, well enough that a heavier rider can start walking work on her?

I don't want to be on her for long, but I think that under sadddle work will help her with her fitness, and the Aussie seems to be more stable on that very round barrel than my Abetta. I don't want to hurt her, but also I know that everything will fit differently when she is back in shape.

Personal opinion here, but the heavier the rider, the more the need for a correctly fitting saddle. The more weight in the saddle, the more she will feel the pinch from a gullet that is too narrow. Plus, how will you get that saddle to not slip? Crank down on the girth? That's only going to exacerbate the pinching.

I'd rather you put her on a strict diet for a couple of weeks to slim her down somewhat, then try again. You can do daily roundpenning/lunging sessions to work on her fitness in the meantime.

If the saddle is already yours, you have nothing to lose by waiting a couple more weeks until she slims down a bit. Then you can try again and see if the issue is just that she's too chunky, or if that saddle is just not gonna fit her.

[rm185western]

Only common sense, the heavier the rider the better the fit needs to be, I do appreciate that one only to well.

Just checking though, checking the Down Under website they appear to be saying if the saddle is sitting more or less level, then the fit is OK, also they talk about the saddle having to mold to the horse over a couple of rides, that in the beginning it will look though it's sitting high

She, and her fat friend have been in the dry lot for two weeks, on minimal hay, and no grain, and so far not a lot of difference.

I'm very reluctant to do to much on the lunge or the round pen, my personal thought is that it can be damaging on overweight horses, to keep balanced on a constant bend takes a level of fitness, JMHO.

Looks like I'll be breaking the surcingle and long lines out again

[Sonseeahray's_girl]

Well, like I said, you could try it out for a ride or two and see what the reaction from your horse is. I tried putting an ill-fitting saddle on my horse once, and before I even did up the girth he was pinning his ears, swishing his tail, and stomping his back foot Same saddle on hubby's horse (still wasn't a good fit) and that horse was CRANKY too when being ridden.

As long as your roundpen isn't too small, and you work up to a maximum of 20 minutes (10 per side) I doubt you'll do much harm to your horse...probably less harm than riding a poorly fitted saddle with a heavier rider JMO, take it for what it's worth

[Crookedblaze]

Originally Posted by Sonseeahray's_girl

Plus, how will you get that saddle to not slip? Crank down on the girth? That's only going to exacerbate the pinching.

They have special Aussie breastcollars to keep them from slipping. I actually used to use one on my barrel saddle, it did such a good job of keeping that sucker upright. They look like martingales.

Once she looses weight, it might fit better. I wonder if you can do the sweat test with an Aussie to check it's fit?

[Sonseeahray's_girl]

Originally Posted by Crookedblaze

They have special Aussie breastcollars to keep them from slipping. I actually used to use one on my barrel saddle, it did such a good job of keeping that sucker upright. They look like martingales.

Once she looses weight, it might fit better. I wonder if you can do the sweat test with an Aussie to check it's fit?

Have you ever actually tried that on a poorly fitted aussie saddle? I'd be curious to see that...I'm having a hard time picturing how it would prevent slippage if the saddle is too narrow and sits too high. Breastcollars and cruppers, from my knowledge, are designed to prevent the saddle from slipping back or forward, not side to side.

[cook1745]

I had one just like that. I LOVED it. It looks to fit good to me also!!!

[Amy]

I have a Syd Hill Aussie that I love. Unfortunately it's a no-go on my wide and round paint, and it looks like you may have a similar problem.

My Aussie saddle has a natural curve to the underside of it, which, unfortunately, is a problem on my flat-backed paint. (However, it fits my sway-backed arabian perfectly.) The back of the saddle pops up off of her back, because the curve of the saddle makes it a convex surface when it's on her back. The end result of this is that all of the weight from me (and tightening the cinch) ends up on her shoulders. She ended up getting dry spots and a few white hairs. I would end up having to try a pad that is built up in front to rock it back if I wanted it to fit, but even then I'm not sure it would work.

But, looking at the picture of your horse, it looks like you might have the same problem with it popping up in back. I would lunge/ride long enough to get a good sweat going, and then check your sweat marks.

Good luck.

[rm185western]

Thanks for all the replies so far, new question....

When I had it on her with the non slip pad, and a blanket, the saddle stayed beautifully in one place, last night I tried it with my Western 1/2 " felt pad, and it rollled badly.

I was wondering what to put under the saddle, I'm still hopeful that it will fit her when she recovers her shape, or Raven when she had put ON enough weight

Anyway, saw this,

http://www.downunderweb.com/store/Clearance_Tack.html (scroll down)

thought it might be worth snagging at that price, what do you think?

[seerfarm]

On an Aussie Saddle, I wouldn't use anything but an Aussie pad because of how it fits, and is cut.

Personal opinion but that one looks pretty thin, especially if you are going to be doing some trail riding.

Here is a nice Diamond Wool for only a few bucks more......

http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/pro...6CHT LSL90EKF


Have you checked out these sites in regards to fit:

http://www.kates.net/fittinghorseaussie

http://www.kates.net/withertracingguidelines

[Sonseeahray's_girl]

My husband uses that wool felt pad that's in the link you posted, (I think he even bought it at the same place) in the summer time. He loves it, his horse has never been sore or uncomfortable, and it's very serviceable. BUT he has a good quality saddle...a Bates Outback poley with the CAIR panels, so something to factor in. But I think the pad would do fine as long as you have a correctly fitting saddle with decent flocking.

I personally would never use anything other than an aussie pad with my aussie saddles either. I didn't think that what you had under your saddle in the pics yous posted were what you were actually planning on riding in...just had them on to simulate a pad.

[rm185western]

Ok, bad explanation.........................yes I need an Aussie pad, was just playing with what we have here trying to see what different thicknesses did to the saddle.

It was more seeing what would be good under it, bearing in mind I don't want to spend a fortune (that's an outright lie, I'd LOVE to spend a fortune.........just don't have one) just at the moment, you know how it goes

[merleliz]

I use the Diamond Wool aussie pad under my Aussie saddle...still slips a bit, but Ty, as you have all probably seen, greatly resembles a pregnant mare...

ETA: Try this link RM

http://www.downunderweb.com/wither.htm

[Slim Pikkens]

The Haflinger was bred for harness work, not as a saddle horse, therefore the conformation can prove difficult in getting a saddle to fit. Try riding with just a thin blanket, not the neoprene. If the saddle slips side to side, that's rider imbalance and it will certainly teach one to ride better balanced.