How do you build the withers back up once they've got narrower?

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Accepted Answer

Hi! It is not all that unusual for a horse to actually get narrower as it lifts through the withers and thoracic back, going from being rounder to carrying itself more correctly. It can also simply be that the horse is leaner now than it was when it was out on summer grazing, for example. You can pad up to a point before you need to move to a narrower tree, but if the horse feels good and still offers plenty of forwardness, you probably do not need to worry. You want the feeling that the horse comes up into the saddle and grows up through the front as you ride, and that it feels bright and happy. You can also try this yourself. Place the saddle directly on the horse's back with nothing underneath, find the spot where it naturally wants to settle, then look from the side and judge whether it sits in balance. Where is the deepest point of the saddle: in the middle of the seat, too far back, or does the saddle tip forward? It is important that the saddle does not pinch around the withers, and that the point of the saddle tree does not press against the horse's shoulder blade, as that makes it hard for the horse to move its forelegs and forehand freely and risks causing pain. Run your fingertips along the edge of the panel too, starting at the front under the saddle flap and working back. That way you can feel whether the panel bears evenly the whole way, or whether you can fit more than your fingertips in, for example under the stirrup bar. If you can, the saddle is putting pressure on at the front and back, and you do not want that. If you want to measure the tree width, you can buy a Flexi curve fairly cheaply from a tack shop, then measure just behind the point of the shoulder blade and where the withers run into the thoracic back, and trace the shape onto a large sheet of paper. It can be eye-opening to see that a horse's back can change over a single session, and you can also track the difference over time. Good luck, and I hope that clears a few things up :)