Slipping saddle - help please!

[VillyCazalet]

Cobby fat mare has a well fitting saddle but it slips, particularly when she is ridden by children or less balanced people.

I've seen gel pads to go under the saddle pad, does anyone know if these are any good?

If the saddle is slipping it doesn't fit, or doesn't fit as well as it could - sorry!

Might be worth getting a saddle fitter out to see what they suggest, sometimes changing your girthing arrangement can help (eg. add and use a balance strap) or the saddle may need re-flocking; particularly if the flocking has become uneven.

I'm really not keen on the grippy gel pads as they should be unnecessary with a well-fitting saddle.

If the saddle is well fitting (get it double checked incase she's changed shape) try a string girth. They are excellent and don't lead to over tightening like many girths do (the first response to slippy saddle is usually to hoik the girth another hole or two).

I like gel numnahs for avoiding pressure points but not for slipping, there have been cases where the horse has effectively got a massive Chinese burn (usually a grippy numnah coupled with an over tight girth).

Oh that's interesting, thanks. Saddle has been recently checked, she's just very round and has no withers to speak of. New girth might be an idea, but I feel we just need something to help the saddle grip a little more, without the need for an over-tight girth.

Honestly try the girth before you spend a fortune, we had a no wither, upright shoulder, barrel of a welshie and the string girth kept it still through hunting, jumping, falling down a rabbit hole and more! Previous owner had been using a breastplate, crupper and a sticky numnah!

Ok, I'll give it a go!

Does the saddle repeatedly slip to one side or both?

If the saddle is moving to one side and especially with a light weight rider on, it can be an indication of subtle hind end lameness. Had this with my mare, saddle moving slightly to one side, saddle fitted her very well.

Limpet pads are good- we have used a chamoix leather (sp) damped and wrung out which helps things stay put both under saddle and under girth- discipline we do we are unable to use cruppers et al but do tend to have rotund equines!

I use a thin rubber mesh sheet like you'd use to stop a mat slipping on super fat sec a to stop saddle slipping forward. It's only a stop gap though. Saddler confirms saddle fits aswell as it can but his fat pads push the saddle towards his neck. Diet and exercise slowly getting us there though!!

Yes! You can get that mesh from the pound shops, forgot about that. Bought some to put in the lorry cupboards to stop cups and things crashing into each other and it ended up under a saddle !

The saddle slips to either side, not back or forwards. I've managed to get a lovely new Stuben string girth, which is really wide to try tomorrow.

I've been using a little borrowed pony one which is about 40 years old. It doesn't seem to have helped at all but it is quite narrow.

Otherwise I'll try some of that grippy stuff

The new string girth appeared to do a good job today, thanks!

It was a devil to track one down, my local tack shop acted as if I'd asked for a horse's head. They just said 'try ebay' in a bewildered way, not 'we can get one in for you' or something like that!

Funny how useful tack comes and goes with fashions. The mare really liked it, she was absolutely happy with it being tightened.