slip sliding away

[Paul L Muller]

Since no one is using the COI, I might as well ask another question and get another problem solved. When I ride , my saddle blanket drifts back and off the horse in very short order. I don't want to use a pad, I want to keep things as authentic as possible, so what can I do? I use a wool blanket under a McClellen saddle. I need to uncinch and reajust every hour or so, or is that normal? plm

[TexCavly]

How does your saddle fit your critter?

[Paul L Muller]

I assume it fits ok, I can't say for sure, she does not seem sore . I think you will apprecitae that I am test driving a saddle mule this week, they want 1200.00 for her. am still intimidated by mules...any advice???? plm

[Jerry Ross]

Paul,
What kind of saddle tree are you riding on what kind of horse? Wide tree on quarterhorse? Wide tree on walking horse? Narrow tree on quarter horse. This problem occurred with my walking horse who stays thin naturally. I bought a narrow tree saddle and years ago and that was my problem. I still use a breast collar to keep the saddle in place .I have another horse that does not need the breast collar with the same tree. So try a different saddle tree style on your horse. Does any one live close to you?

[IowaYank]

Paul, I'll have my Mac with me when I bring Shiloh over on Friday. You can try my saddle out on your horse and see if it makes any difference. We'll take a look at it and see if we can't find the solution.

[Paul L Muller]

It is a Doud Kidd tree with qtr horse bars, my horse is a mystery,but I think she is part airhead...I mean arab, and qtr horse but no one knows for sure. I am going to try a breast collar, but that is just a shot in the dark. plm

[Jerry Ross]

Paul,
The breast collar will not help with the blanket issue. Is she on the thin side? High withers ? The quarter bars did not work on my TN Walker.

[TexCavly]

Paul what you need to do is put your saddle on your horse w/out pad or blanket, then it should be evident weather or not the saddle fits or not. Feel under the skirts and under the tree, also put a hand on the pommel and a hand on the cantle and see if it rocks any. If the tree is in full contact everywhere then it fits if it rocks and there are places that don't touch her then it doesn't. Dry spots are a good way to tell if it fits or not too but since you have a white horse they are difficult to see.

I'm going to go ahead and say that from what I've seen Arabs have an 1800's body style and the trees made today to fit QHs won't fit them.

That's a good price if the mule is broke, but remember if you plan to reenact with it you need to invest in a saddle that fits. Right now I have a Bob Marshal treeless saddle that fits any equine for my everyday riding saddle and then I use whatever fits the best for reenactments as far as period saddlery.

Bad fitting saddles and poor hoof care plague many reenacting horses. I can go to an event and watch a fella have trouble with his horse and know it is most likely bad saddle fit. I wore a hole in my horse's withers one time with my McClellan, I'm not proud of it.

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Paul, Jerry is right about the tree/blanket issue... My blankets don't slip with my qtr horse bar Mac and my qtrs, but with both my Saddlebred and Walker they are slipping in 1/2 hour... Now the real trick is to find a narrow tree Mac being made out there... Z

[Paul L Muller]

Zack; That sounds right on the money, my hosre is not as wide as a qtr horse. Does that also mean that the saddle is going to make her sore? A norrow tree is a good idea, I have an 04 tree in the tackroom and I can whip out a mac. in a few days., thanks ......just kidding...ha ha ha ...whao, tough room! plm