“One of the most challenging problems I encounter as a fi t- ter is lateral slip. If the saddle is going off to one side, it can be hard to determine just what adjustments need to be made; sometimes what appears to be the logical answer turns out to be the exact opposite of what really needs to be done.”
7
WORK WITH A FITTER I know it seems I’ve been touting shims as an
When a saddle “bridges,” it makes contact in the front and the rear but leaves a gap in the middle, under the seat, as shown by the red arrow.
T ere are also instances where shims are the
only method of adjusting fi t. If you have a western saddle, or an English saddle that has foam-fl ocked panels instead of wool, shims and correction pads are the only methods of correcting fi t ing issues.
effective tool that can be used to make “do-it- yourself” fi t ing adjustments, but please keep in mind you should only use shims with the advice of a knowledgeable fi t er. One thing that always makes my blood run cold is hearing an owner say, “T e saddle was too tight in the front, so I put some extra padding in there to off er more cushion.” T is would be the same as wearing thick socks “for cushion” if your shoes were too tight. I’ve also seen saddles padded and shimmed to such an extreme that it was sort of a “Princess and the Pea” situation, and correct (or incorrect!) fi t was a bit of a moot point. So please remember: shims can be a tremendous help with certain saddle fi t ing issues if they’re used properly. To misquote an old hair color commercial, “Only your fi t er knows for sure!”
For more information about the best saddles and accessories, see:
Cashel Company, p.8,9 Circle Y Saddles, p.99 Flex Tree Saddlery p.58 High Horse Saddles, p.92 Horse Saddle Shop, p.57 J T International Dist., p.2 Jeff ers Equine, p.17 Skyrider Saddle, p.59 Horse Lovers Outlet, p.53 Weaver Leather. p.86
Kit Hazelton is a lifelong horsewoman who has been fi t ing saddles for well over a decade. A self-proclaimed “dressage redneck,” she does most of her dressage on the trails and back roads of southern Vermont. Kit is an Associ- ate member of the Society of Master Saddlers (North American Chapter); she fi ts and repairs saddles at Trumbull Mountain Tack Shop and shares her adventures in saddle fi t ing on her blog:
www.saddlefi t
er.blogspot.com
WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US • December 2011 | 59
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