Saddle vs. multiple horses

[Chickerdoodle13]

This question is mostly just for curiosities sake, but we are beginning to see an issue with our horse to saddle ratio! I just figured I'd find out what everyone else does, as its always been a question on my mind.

So I know several people have many horses, whether it be four or huge farms with 20+ horses. Either way, I'm wondering what you do regarding the saddles. Do you have one saddle for each horse, or do you use one saddle for several horses? I imagine it would be fairly pricey to do the first.

I've been at both ends of the spectrum. I've had years where I am completely obsessed with saddle fit and others where I wonder how exactly the ranches with 50 horses fit their saddles. We currently have four horses, three of which are rideable. Unfortunately, two of the horses have high withers with bony backs and the third is just completely round. We actually do have quite a few saddles (Our barn is starting to look like a saddle shop), but it seems like there are so many little things you could pick apart with each. The one I really love is the circle Y. It's fairly versatile with all of the horses, but it still has some minor downfalls. However, that one is better for the high withered bony backed horses and my wintec seems to fit better on the round muscular horse.

I understand that a poor fitting saddle is a bad thing for a horse. I would hate to walk in shoes that were too big or too small for several miles with a 100 + pounds on my back! However, what do all these big ranches do? Do they just see horses as disposable and use any old saddle so that they are lame early on? I can't imagine that would be very efficient. I've had people tell me that a horse with a poorly fitted saddle will act like a devil, yet I've seen horses act perfectly fine with some very badly fitted saddles! On the other hand, I have a gelding who acts up no matter what kind of saddle is on his back. (He likes to throw his head, which I've been told stems from saddle fit, but I believe more and more his issue is behavioral!) This horse is what really started my saddle fit concern. However, my dad is the type that believes saddles are all made the same. I'm trying very hard to sway his opinion of that and it's beginning to work. However, I just want to know what the heck everybody else does?

 

[haviris]

I have MY saddle which I pretty much use on who ever I ride. At one time we had several saddles, but I'm the only one that rides these days, I generally ride my horse, but do occationally ride one of the others. There are horses that have "special needs" when it comes to saddle fit, but ours seem to be pretty similar and so far I haven't run into any issues w/ this. Our horses are mostly QH and Paints.

Now if more then one person wants to ride at a time, we're in trouble, because I'm the only one that has a saddle now.

Now I do have our two mules that will be started this fall, not sure just yet what I'm going to do about saddles for them, because I have a feeling my saddle will not work w/ them.

 

[lupinfarm]

We've always used one or two saddles on multiple horses, if we found we had a new horse that neither of our two bog standard either the wide tree for the drafts and draft crosses, or the "average" tree for any other horse, we would hit up the horse auction and sit out the tack sale a few times, you could always pick up a good all-purpose english or a good western for $100-$250...

if we had an inbetween, we used whichever saddle fit best and filled out with pads. When you're not rich and you have more than one horse, you really gotta do what works for you. Every horse had its own bridle and pads of course, and if we'd been wealthy enough to buy multiple saddles we would have, but fact is we were just scrapin by boarding out LOL. You CAN fill out with pads, and there are pads made specifically for this purpose..The only places i've ever known to carry tons of saddles on site were riding schools, one i road at had 40+ schooling horses and every one had their very own wintec saddle. i've used for about 10 years the same all-purpose saddle that fit a 16.3 hanovarian on my haflingerxbelgian...she was a very wide hanovarian LOL.

 

[Bronco Hollow]

Throwing ones head would most likely be other issues.. bit fit or teeth... I'd be looking there before saddle fit as a reason for the discomfort.

Has the horse had wolf theeth pulled or dental exam? Some bits are painfull - what are you using?

 

[laughingllama75]

I always have more saddles than horses, LOL. but 3 horses and 5 saddles is not the same as 15 horses and 15 saddles, I understand. I try to fit the saddle to each horse, as every horse is different fit. I have a QH now, that was a ranch horse, he has white scars on his back from an ill fitting saddle. Pretty sad.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

llama, That is the same as our gelding. He has the big white spots on his back. I know that whatever saddle we use on him will never be worse than what MUST have been used on him previously.

Bronco,

We have the horses teeth floated and inspected by the dentist every year. The first time we had him done was probably the first time in his life. He did have some issues and I do believe they had to pull his wolf teeth. I'll have to ask my dad about that one though.

As for the bit, we've tried a few different kinds. He likes to play with the bit ALL the time. Right now we are using a broken snaffle that we bought from one of the trainers at a show. Its made of iron I think, because it causes the horses to hold on to the bit rather than fight it (I guess they like the taste) It also has some square edges rather than round on the inside of the bit for a little extra control when we need it, but it is not harsh at all. Out of all the bits, he does a little better with this one. For the most part, we don't have to put any pressure on the bit at all, except when backing up. So basically we just needed something he wouldn't mind having in his mouth and that we could use in an emergency when leg and neck pressure just don't cut it. (I.e. When he's acting up)

I do think a major contributing problem to the head shaking is the fact that he just hates ring work. Typically, he acts up the most at the jog and lope. However, if you go around a few times and work it out of him you would think he was the perfect horse. He also, interestingly enough, seems to hate kissing. If you kiss, rather than cluck, he throws a head shaking tantrum. He's gotten a little better with all the extra work we've put into him this summer so far.

 

[laughingllama75]

it's hard when you don't know the exact history on a horse. My guy thinks going in the ring means go at a dead gallop. the people before me had him 4 years, and only did speed stuff with him. if you try to slow him down in the ring, I get the same as you. You can see/feel the confusion in them.....like, WHAT do you want me to do??? poor guys. Patience and TLC, that's what it will take.

 

[Bronco Hollow]

Our one Morgan - he'll carry you through thick and thin, very brave and courageous. Put him in any environment - from crowd control to extreme trail and he just does it... but don't put him in an arena. He shuts down, you can't get him to do anything.

We had our saddles custom made and they are Regular trees. So far they have fit everything I put them on. I have lots of good saddles in the tack room... kinda like collecting shoes I think LOL but I need to sell them off as they are not being used at all.
Work your horse to get a sweat pattern - that will tell you where you have hot/dry spots.

The tree is critical.
Semi is 6"
Regular is 6-1/2 to 6-3/4
Full is 7" or just a tad more
Draft is getting up to 7-1/2 to 8-1/2
Circle Y for instance markets their trees as Full, but it actually is a Semi and it poorly fits or don't fit most horses. A lot of trees are coming out of Georgia - inexpensive but they wobble - probably kiln dried so they are warped. A good tree costs around 200+. Circle Y and the plastic ebay saddles use a tree costing 30. I've seen some saddles made in Mexico using pallet lumber for trees.
Twist in the bars is also critical - they have to be the same on both sides and often in production saddles are not. I had a production saddle that 1/4" off on the right - no wonder I was having problems! Gullet width is bar width, gullet height is an option. Sometimes it is hard to tell on a finish saddle what the bars are - kinda an x-ray process without taking the saddle apart.

Sorry don't mean to sound preachy... just trying to point out some the pitfalls in getting a good fitting saddle.

 

[wynedot55]

the horse you ride the most should have a saddle that fitts him to a t.a saddle fitted to the horse is best for horse an rider.no 1 wants to sitt in a small or oversized saddle.

 

[nightshade]

I have 2 saddles and a bareback pad. I only use one saddle though my old beat to crap one. Hubby got me new fancy one from X mas this year but frankly I just don't really feel comfortable in it to really use it a lot yet.