Saddle fitting/pad for a swayback horse
I went through the saddle fitting tags quite a ways back and found a lot about fixing problems for high withers, but none for swaybacks so my apologies if this has been touched on and I missed it!
It's been a long, long time since I posted here so here is my problem. I volunteer for a rescue and am leasing (potentially looking into buying) a 3 1/2 - 4 year old paint horse from them. She been under saddle for about 5 months now and is doing excellently except that she has a mild congenital swayback and it's causing some trouble with saddle fitting.
Her swayback is not severe and two vets have cleared her for normal riding with up to 175 pounds on her back, tack included. The rescue bought a reinsman swayback pad and it's way too much bulk. Currently I'm using a western saddle on her, FQHB, and no matter how you position the pad, it pushes down and sits right on her withers causing tightness in the wither and shoulder area. She doesn't show any signs of being uncomfortable, but whilst on top of her, I put my hand between the saddle and her shoulder and it is uncomfortably tight.
So, my question is has anyone tried the cashel swayback pads? This is the one I was looking at and I would add a thin pad on top of it.
However, because I ride english as well, I was also looking at this one.
So, here are my two questions: a) Has anyone used either of these and what are your experiences? b) If I buy the english pad, would it be okay to use for western use, too? I don't see a whole lot of difference in the shape and it's the same amount of fill. My main problem with the reinsman pad is that the bulk continues throughout the entire pad and her back just isn't that hollow. She needs something to fill the bridging and give her some padding/protection on her withers (she looks like without the swayback she's have naturally high withers). I was hoping maybe a shaped pad like this would fill in just what needs to be filled in the back/wither areas and there wouldn't be so much bulk in the shoulders.
Thanks in advnace for any help you can offer!
Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have of her that shows her back. Not a good pic to show what I need, but maybe it'll give you an idea.
It's been a long, long time since I posted here so here is my problem. I volunteer for a rescue and am leasing (potentially looking into buying) a 3 1/2 - 4 year old paint horse from them. She been under saddle for about 5 months now and is doing excellently except that she has a mild congenital swayback and it's causing some trouble with saddle fitting.
Her swayback is not severe and two vets have cleared her for normal riding with up to 175 pounds on her back, tack included. The rescue bought a reinsman swayback pad and it's way too much bulk. Currently I'm using a western saddle on her, FQHB, and no matter how you position the pad, it pushes down and sits right on her withers causing tightness in the wither and shoulder area. She doesn't show any signs of being uncomfortable, but whilst on top of her, I put my hand between the saddle and her shoulder and it is uncomfortably tight.
So, my question is has anyone tried the cashel swayback pads? This is the one I was looking at and I would add a thin pad on top of it.
However, because I ride english as well, I was also looking at this one.
So, here are my two questions: a) Has anyone used either of these and what are your experiences? b) If I buy the english pad, would it be okay to use for western use, too? I don't see a whole lot of difference in the shape and it's the same amount of fill. My main problem with the reinsman pad is that the bulk continues throughout the entire pad and her back just isn't that hollow. She needs something to fill the bridging and give her some padding/protection on her withers (she looks like without the swayback she's have naturally high withers). I was hoping maybe a shaped pad like this would fill in just what needs to be filled in the back/wither areas and there wouldn't be so much bulk in the shoulders.
Thanks in advnace for any help you can offer!
Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have of her that shows her back. Not a good pic to show what I need, but maybe it'll give you an idea.