Saddle shims???

[Funnyfarm]

Does anyone know of anywhere on the Island or mainland that sells shims for saddles? I can find them online but there has to be somewhere semi-local that actually sells them?

[aj]

Sandra Kennedy she is listed in the equine services section of island horse, Rebalance and Ride.

[Maru]

Victoria Saddlery carries pads that you can insert shims into I think.
Isn't your saddle adjustable though?

[Flare]

I'm looking at saddle shims too. I'm working with Sandy Kennedy-she's excellent! I'll let you know how it goes.

[RiosBravo]

pretty sure Trading Post in Nanaimo does.... they aren't terribly close to you though

If your kids are still in diapers... I once saw a lady use a folded diaper and stuffed that in the saddle like a shim It worked... so if you're really stuck, there's a thought for you

[Funnyfarm]

Thanks, guys.

Mel, yep, it does have adjustable gullets but while that gives you more options it's not always perfect. The panels might be a bit flat for her back. Crossing fingers that it will be enough but just in case, I might be looking at shims......or worst case, shopping for a different saddle

I know Greenhawk has a pad that you can put shims into also but it's very expensive and you're still limited with the pockets....I want to be able to really fine tune it plus, I don't want anything extra under the saddle that doesn't need to be there. I've been wanting to get some shims for a while anyways as I think they're good to have on hand for tweaking saddle fit for some of the harder to fit older horses.

RB....that's too funny! I've used diapers as bandages but not for shimming a saddle! They are thin enough these days

Flare, definitely keep me posted

[Maru]

Well if you find a gullet that works, I'm pretty sure you could get the panels stuffed? I believe there is wool around the Cair bags so would just have to add more or remove.

[RiosBravo]

[Funnyfarm]

[dq for life]

Reflock a wintec? No one does because they are usually not worth doing. A full reflock is about $300.
Be really careful with shims that you don't create a lump or a bridge. Watch your saddle pad for the sweat pattern to make sure you have it even and are not pushing it off balance somewhere else.

[Funnyfarm]

Shannon, it's a Bates not a Wintec. If it'll fit her well afterwards, the saddle is definitely worth the reflocking.

And, yep, definitely know to be aware of the bridging. I find that's the problem with corrector pads. They're way too thick all over. I can't get over how thick some of them are these days?

My sweat marks were looking pretty darned good for a while even though at times, she was telling me a different story. When I go to get off, she sometimes flings her head and pins her ears...sometimes, a little squeal.

A couple of weeks ago, she started crow hopping when asked to canter. Then she started it while in the trot. But, the odd thing is that when I pushed her through it to a) rule out any sassiness, and b) to see how she moved and reacted when going forward she moved just fine?? No ear pinning, no signs of moving awkwardly/stiffly and even jumped a 2'6" course with her ears pricked over every fence

But, I'm positive now that she is definitely getting pinched when riding. I notice it more when I go to use an inside leg. I'm guessing because my inside seat bone is a touch more weighted also which is increasing the pinch. It's definitely bridging now on the left side which makes sense as her left lead canter, which used to be her stronger lead, was actually getting replaced by her right lead canter as far as quality.

It's a bit confusing as, to me, she doesn't look like a medium/narrow in the slightest yet the sweat marks were much more consistent with this gullet than with the medium. She has been checked by Jane Kettner and her muscles in that area where I'm positive she's being pinched aren't sore in the slightest.

[dq for life]

But is she sore in her lower back at all? If it is sitting a bit low behind it will create soreness behind where mares ovaries etc are. How is it sitting for level?
Bates are nice saddles.
Where are you thinking of shimming it if it is sitting well in the gullet? Shimming behind to lift the cantle? Or to shim for the bridge (which you will then have to be super careful that the cantle becomes not supported too).
If it is bridging, I would try a slightly wider gullet (as long as it doesn't go too low in front). Or if you shim, very slightly at a time.
When you go to get off and she protests, it is too tight in the gullet and putting all of your weight on the stirrup bar...so too narrow.
The next size up bar may be too much, and you might need to just bend out the one you are using, a bit but not as much as the next size up.

[Funnyfarm]

See, that's where I'm confused again! She was sore in her lower back when Jane looked at her yet the saddle doesn't sit low at all....sometimes, it looks like it is lifting up once it is girthed up and doesn't that usually mean that a gullet is too wide? I say sometimes because I think it is possibly because of how she is standing or when she is walking up the hill to the ring.

I was thinking of shimming around the dip in her shoulders/below the withers to help with the bridging. I definitely plan on starting very thin and subtlely!!

The medium was a bit too close to her withers. I also felt like it was pinching more than the narrower gullet but in a different place. It seemed like it was concentrating the pressure in one spot.

I never thought of bending the current gullet?! They're pretty solid...not sure how I could do that. My Stubben is so much wider yet it doesn't come close to her withers

[dq for life]

Big strong man to bend it! My hubby has bent quite a few for me.
The thing is, they don't fit one size and then the next without being somewhere in between, commonly.
What does the bare bar look like on her, without it being in the saddle?
If it is good and it just needs a bit of flocking to tweak the balance I would be looking at the Schleese pad with shims since it has thinline built in to it too. An added bonus, and about the same price.
But what you are describing in her reaction sounds like more than shimming...I would start with the bare bar and look at the width on her first. Then build up from there.

[Inside Out Equine]

A word from the wise, sometimes it's not muscle. I was having problems with Kinsely (well more than her normal problems ) we went back and forth between saddles and body work for a long time. I knew the saddle was off, I just couldn't figure out where. Her body work was all a ok no sore muscles, nothing. But her transitions and turns were off under saddle. Turns out the saddle was pinching a nerve so it only showed up under saddle.

[Funnyfarm]

Nicole, I'm wondering if it's a nerve too. Maybe that's why, once she's going, she's not reacting? Maybe because everything is moving more as opposed to things starting off...not sure if that made sense or not!

Shannon, I've tried the bare bar and I don't know.....it's one of those things that you spend so much time looking at it that you start to wonder if you're imagining things or what you should be looking for anymore When I have done the wire mould, it looks nothing like the gullet being used....it screams use a wider gullet yet the wider one was worse on her. But, maybe it wasn't wide enough??? It's almost like the wider ones are a bit too wide over the shoulder but then they sit too low up higher, pinching that area and of course, are too close to the wither.

I think you're right though....that she'll need one of the gullets bent. Stephane probably has the tools to do that. I should also just trailer her up to you and get your opinion!!!

[HoofBeats]

We have shims at The Trading Post. They are pliable. They don't squish. We have them in different sizes. I have them in my own saddle and quite like them. They are $ 50.00 for install.

HoofBeats

[Funnyfarm]

[RiosBravo]

[Funnyfarm]