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What is the Big Deal With Saddle Fit
• Saddle fit issues have similar physiological factors with bed sores.
– Skin and muscle tissue require a constant intermittent flow of blood to remain healthy.
• Exercise requires increased blood flow.
• Exchange of oxygen and waste products occur in the capillary bed.
– Excessive pressure causes the capillary vessels to collapse.
• Capillary closing pressure becomes the critical issue.
• A poor fitting saddle can affect the trapezius, latissimus dorsi and longissimus dorsi muscles.
• When the back of the horse works correctly and is free of pain, forward motion becomes effortless and supports the rider. When he uses his back incorrectly, he will have rough gaits, difficulty moving forward, and his hollow back will cause his neck position to be high and stiff.
Saddle Mission Statement
• To distribute the weight of the rider evenly over the muscles covering the ribs of the horse allowing maximum unhampered movement of the scapula and loins during completion of the chosen profession.
Signs of an Ill Fitting Saddle
• Flinching or laying back (pinning) their ears while being groomed along the back.
• Reluctance to pick up hind feet for shoeing.
• Refusing to stand still while the saddle is placed or while being mounted.
– “It can’t be saddle fit, once I’m on she does fine!”
• Inability to bend laterally and/or inability to travel straight.
• Wringing or carrying tail off to one side.
• Shortened, choppy or disjointed gaits, short striding, dragging toes
• Higher than normal head carriage, head tossing.
• Higher than normal head carriage, head tossing.
• White hairs along the withers under the saddle indicating blood circulation to the skin has been cut off for lengths of time due to pressure.
• Sores on the back, soft blisters or hard painless lumps, hair loss under the saddle.
• Temporary swelling after removing the saddle.
• Muscle atrophy on one or both sides of the withers, behind the withers or loin.
• Front leg lameness including stumbling and tripping, hock, stifle or obscure hind limb lameness.
• Bucking or rearing, spooking
• Unwillingness to move forward under saddle.
• Resistance to work – lack of concentration, slow to warm up, refusing jumps, ducking out of turns, decreased speed, difficult collecting, not making transitions, avoiding hills, twisting over jumps.
• Rushing downhill or pulling up hill – inablility to use the back correctly.
• Difficult to catch
• Bites, snaps the air or grinds teeth.
• Hollow back, will not lift its back, “cold backed”, back sinks when mounted.
• Starts ride well, gets resistant later in ride or only on long rides.
• Rearranging the stall bedding, inability to stand still.
• Lack of bucking, rolling or movement when placed in turnout.
Dr. Ormston will be glad to help you check the fit of your saddle. The price ranges from $50.00 to $400.00 depending on how your saddle fits. He will check the angle of the tree of your saddle and if your saddle is too small there is nothing that can be done and the charge is $50.00. If the saddle seems to be large enough to fit your horse then he will have you ride with special pads to locate and determine how to eliminate any pressure spots.
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