Question # 157: What do you think about flocking a saddle to account for rider or horse "unevenness"? (Current freebie!)

After a lesson or riding session, my saddle always slips right and my right leg hangs longer than the left. Not sure if it is due from my physical left side weakness or if it is from the way my horse goes. My saddle fitter flocked both my jump and dressage saddles higher / firmer on the right to help keep me level. It does seem to help, but I am concerned whether this will be harmful to my horse. Slipping right can't be good for my horse but what about building up the saddle like this? Any suggestions? (Julie)

Hi Julie!

This is a great question! And one that I have often wondered about myself! Since this is not really my area of expertise, I have asked my friends and Master craftsmen David Stackhouse and Lesley Ellis of the esteemed Stackhouse Saddlery (http://stackhousesaddles.com) for their professional opinion on this subject. Here is their response:

"The first question must always be - why is the saddle slipping? You need to address the cause not just treat the symptoms.

In the vast majority of cases, slipping to one side or the other is caused by improper fit, generally (but not always) it is because the saddle is too wide. Everybody has more strength in one leg than the other, therefore if there is some looseness in the fit the saddle has room to shift to the side where more pressure is applied.

It can also happen on horses that are wide with very little wither, if the tree is not wide enough the saddle will perch on the back and will not be stable, in this case the saddle will shift to the riders dominant side.

If the saddle is fitting correctly, you then need to determine if it is the horses shape or movement causing the problem. If it is established that the horse is uneven, the next question is - is the unevenness caused by injury, training or conformation.

If the difference is permanent, building the saddle up on one side may be appropriate. If done correctly this will be helpful not harmful. It is just the same concept as somebody who has one leg shorter than the other using a lift in their shoe.

Any unevenness caused by training or injury that will improve, is better addressed by using a pad that has a pocket for shims, that way you can adjust the thickness of shim as the horse develops. Too much may inhibit the development.

Any shifting caused by the horses movement will not be improved by adjusting one side of the saddle, that is more likely put the rider off center and exacerbate the problem."

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