Thanks Carole, for taking the time to look at these photos.
The mare and me appreciate it!!
The "Timing" seems to be after she sheds winter hair and also the summer coat -for discovering white pressure marks, if a saddle does not fit correctly for my mare. While she has been without ANY white pressure hairs for over a year, as I stopped riding in a saddle last May or June 2010.
We have ridden exclusively without any saddle, but a "Thinline bareback pad" and my Cashel "Softsaddle" bareback riding pad- seen below-
Lunging before an indoor ride Spring 2011
Spring 2011- Cashel soft saddle ride
Konklusion underside- with pillow incert-
First time Konklusion upon mare-June 3rd /2011
Bareback
there does seem to be 2-3 fingers clearance- with the brand new saddle- from mare's withers. The gullet panels have always been snug, starting high and being right next to her withers~
Ride at home on KONKLUSION before beach outing June 2011- Sweat pattern using "HAF" brand saddle pad
First ride upon the Konklusion- sweat patterns
6/4/11
Third ride on Konklusion- 1 hour ride- 6/9/11
From the beginning, the sweat patterns were more on the left shoulder than the right. She may be bigger on a shoulder, which is typical of most horses
June 12th 2011- 1 hr ride-
June 12th 2011- First outing to beach with my New KonKlusion- No white hairs
Wallowa trip July 14-18th 2011
Tacking up the Konklusion-no padding
October 5th 2011
Leather girth with elastic on one side
Ample finger space
Saddle sits close and right on wither pocket-no rider weight
I got on, we took the girth off- and there is no longer any clearance between saddle and withers
New White hairs from pressure that appeared Early Sept 2011, after summer coat shed
Bare mare
Once I saw the White hairs this past Sept.2011 on Washashe mare, I was horrified. I thought,"oh, my padding must be too thick!" My "Haf" pad that is billed for "treeless saddles". The spine is flat for 1 1/2 inches and the pockets are filled with anti microbial closed cell foam.
I switched to my cotton "Thinline" pad.
Last outdoor ride on Konklusion
For outdoor rides, I use a "Professionals Choice" girth. I have watched your informative "Proper girthing videos" and always make sure that I can pull down an inch at least, under her belly.
Carole, I think that it is not a girth problem. I have been ultra careful to do things right this time..since this is my 6th saddle in 5 years with all sorts of problems fitting this high withered and deep wither pocketed mare.
My weight on the "flexcore" tree, makes this specific build of saddle flatten upon my mare's withers.
I don't think it occurred at first. But as the time has passed, I have noticed my mare "groaning" and not wanting to go downhills again.
I would love it if Brent could come out and assess the saddlefit upon my Washashe mare. I truly HOPE there is something we may do for this saddle.
I hope that not fitting her beforehand, turns out to be the problem. She, like I said and I know you understand from experience Carole, is one of the toughest horses to fit for a correct saddle fit.
Sincerely yours, Kacy and Wa mare
i found this post today looking up barefoot bareback pads (the physio model). i feel your pain now. i have to wait til the 23rd before the saddle fitter comes, and really cannot ride until then. i have no idea what type of saddle would fit my new horse, and mine looks like it fits, but just feels wrong when i sit there. i feel so bad for you, but am so impressed that you rode bareback so very long. you have legs of steel and the balance of a cat. now i'm thinking about going down your road. the barefoot physio pad has foam inserts that you can adjust, i guess, and that supposedly keep pressure of the spine. the girth thing looks superior to a regular cheap bareback pad cuz there is no wither pressure. agh, i hate this. and i'm not sure i want to ride these hills in a bareback pad. but then i think of oregon, and i know you have mostly mountains there.
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