This saddle has shifted to the right and is putting pressure directly on the spine in addition to the fact that its gullet width is too narrow.
One of the things I see often – even with professional riders – is that the rider is not sitting straight on the horse (especially obvious when you see the rider from behind!). You will find good examples of this in almost any equestrian publication.
Do you often have to step into one stirrup while riding to centre your saddle on your horse’s back? This could mean that your saddle does not sit straight on your horse’s back. Straightness means that the center of the saddle is in alignment with your horse’s spine. Sometimes, a saddle that appears straight when the horse is standing in the crossties will shift to the right or left when the horse is being ridden. A saddle that falls or twists to one side can lead to problems with your horse’s SI (sacroiliac) joint; if the saddle shifts to such a degree that the panels rest on the horse’s spine, this can lead to the kind of irreversible long-term damage mentioned in previous posts. Read the full article here.
~ Jochen Schleese CMS, CSFT, CSE, courtesy of Saddlefit 4 Life
