The woes of saddle fitting

Ok, this is my issue: my 35 year old Crosby Mark VI doesn't fit Harley, especially for long trail rides. He's had sore spots after long rides, so I figured it was time to do something as we head into the season. We had a saddle fitter come out and assess the situation. The channel is too narrow. It's also too curvy for his back and seems to bobble a bit. Now I'm on the hunt for a perfect fit both of us. This is what I'm dealing with: Thoroughbred withers, but a broad back behind.

So far, I've tried a County Eventer--sits funny, felt better on the "horse" at the tack shop.

A Harry Dabbs Jaguar XJS--very comfy, a little unsure about the wither fit with me aboard, but a definite contender. It's has a "familiar feel" to the Crosby, more of a HJ than AP saddle and I like where it puts me on him.

And here's a Stubben Roxane S--seems to have a bit of a bobble like the Crosby, and not sure about the channel width. I'll give it a whirl today (ooh-don't say that, Spinner Man may get ideas).

 

We ruled out a Jeffries, a Bates Caprilli AP, a Collegiate Sr. Event, a Wintec AP. The Wintec fit him well, but I couldn't stand all that bulk between my horse and myself. As the tack shop associate said, "like having a whole village between your legs"! She and I both prefer the feel of little to no knee roll. Some of the jumping saddles have blocks above your thigh which doesn't seem to bother me, ie. the Jaguar and Roxane, but the Wintec had a good 3 inches of saddle, knee roll, and padding--UGH! I could feel it in my hips after a while. So, given the price of these beasts, I'm not rushing into anything and will take my time to find the right fit.

On the humorous side of things, I was reading/writing on my camp's Facebook page one night, and a comment pops up from non-other than the saddle fitter who had just been out earlier that week! She had attended Camp Catherine Capers for 10 years, but a different decade. How small a world it truly is.

Back woes and ridin' Rolex

The 2 that trail ride together, feed together!

Once again, the refrain is "Poor Harley". This time it's his back, and it's my fault. I've been using my old Crosby Mark VI saddle on him since day one with a foam wither correction pad. But as his back has changed with weight gain and more muscle, and the further we ride, the more apparent it has become that this saddle just does not fit him.

After untacking from our Memorial Weekend ride, he had immediate swelling on his back. Over the next 5 days or so, it appeared to almost blister and shed the skin. I called the vet and she recommended just putting some antibiotic cream on it. It's never been weepy, just dry and scaly. The curious thing is that it only happened on one side.

So while he recuperates, and I spend time looking at saddle alternatives (yikes--scary prices!), I'll be riding Rolex. Yesterday we did some ring work with both girls and then headed out for a lovely evening trail ride. The bugs weren't too bad despite all the rain we had last week. So I'll get a chance to try improving my seat on a different mount, while also giving her some much-needed ring work to develop balance and bending--all under John's tutelage.

Any saddle recommendations from you fellow english trail riders out there would be appreciated, or if anyone can recommend a saddle fitter in the New England area.  Harley is, I suspect, a medium width, but with those prominent TB withers!

The cleanup committee has arrived!