WTD: Got the saddle, got the gullets - no gauge

[Risk-Averse Rider]

I can't find the Wintec gauge that's supposed to be in the container with all the gullets for my Wintec dressage saddle (and for the Wintec Pro Jumping saddle that's supposedly on its way to me).

So is there a way to gauge - as it were - the gullet fit by just sticking the gullets on the horse's back? Is it as simple as: the legs of the gullet should be parallel to the sides of the withers?

If not, I'm seriously going to have to de-clutter this house. And the garage. And the trailer.

And that would give me a big sad :-(

[Puddin Pie]

I know that my saddle fitter uses the wintec gullets as an approximation of the tree sizes for measurements. He places the gullets directly where they would sit on the back of the horse-might as well try it. Can you borrow one from someone?

[jn4jenny]

A lot of people just hold the gullet up to the back.

When I had a Bates, I preferred to use a Flexicurve from the local office supply store to take a proper wither tracing, lay that down on a table, and then compare the gullets to the flexicurve. That way I could more accurately appraise whether I was holding the gullet at the angle it would actually lie on the shoulder.

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Puddin Pie - I have the gullets. The medium one is currently in the dressage saddle (appears to be too narrow - surprise!) and the others are sitting in their annoying little hard-to-open plastic box.

What I can't find is the gullet gauge.

I do, however, have a flexible ruler.

My initial futzing around with the gullets on his back indicates that he's a medium wide or a wide. Need to try the saddle on him again, though, to make sure I'm putting the gullets in the right place.

So it sounds like the shape of the gullet should parallel the shape of the underside of the saddle. More or less. That was what I was wondering about - is there some kind of magickal offset built into the saddle?

Thanks!

(What *ARE* you people going to do with your time should I ever find a saddle that fits?)

[onelanerode]

I never had much luck with that damn gauge, lol. :lol: I guesstimated by looking at the horse's back and the gullets, and if the one I picked didn't work, I went wider or narrower depending on how the first one fit.

[jn4jenny]

My initial futzing around with the gullets on his back indicates that he's a medium wide or a wide. Need to try the saddle on him again, though, to make sure I'm putting the gullets in the right place.

Um, why? Any saddle that fits your horse should have its tree points approximately 2-3" behind the scapula. That's about three finger's width. Measure at that point and there ya go. If your saddle is sliding forward or back such that the tree points are not in that location, there's a darn good chance that the panel shape is just plain wrong for the horse.

(What *ARE* you people going to do with your time should I ever find a saddle that fits?)

Don't take this the wrong way, but there will be another Mini Saddle Crisis coming right behind you from someone else. And then another. And then another. And there were others before you. Trust me, I wish it weren't so. :(

[billiebob]

I never had much luck with that damn gauge, lol. :lol: I guesstimated by looking at the horse's back and the gullets, and if the one I picked didn't work, I went wider or narrower depending on how the first one fit.

Bingo!!!!! :lol::lol::lol::lol: This is exactly how I do it!

[saultgirl]

I never had much luck with that damn gauge, lol. :lol: I guesstimated by looking at the horse's back and the gullets, and if the one I picked didn't work, I went wider or narrower depending on how the first one fit.

Same here.

Don't worry, changing the gullets gets easy. I PROMISE.

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Don't take this the wrong way, but there will be another Mini Saddle Crisis coming right behind you from someone else. And then another. And then another. And there were others before you. Trust me, I wish it weren't so. :(I have 2 horses, each with a jumping & a dressage saddle... and I'm thinking I need a Western saddle.

I might just be the next mini crisis :lol:

At least all these saddle crises indicate that there are people out there who are concerned about their horses' backs... :yes:

[JB]

Um, why? Any saddle that fits your horse should have its tree points approximately 2-3" behind the scapula. That's about three finger's width. Measure at that point and there ya go. If your saddle is sliding forward or back such that the tree points are not in that location, there's a darn good chance that the panel shape is just plain wrong for the horse.
Ditto :) Stick the plates one by one on the horse's back. Compare the one that "fits" to the next size bigger. I'd go with the next size bigger. Even then you may find you're SOL. IME with these, if you end up with the XW plate in (and it's really not all THAT wide, but maybe I'm just jaded :lol:) then the saddle better fit as-is. If it fits with the W or anything more narrow, I'd bet you a million $$ it won't fit with the XW in - the overall shape of the tree changes too much.

Don't take this the wrong way, but there will be another Mini Saddle Crisis coming right behind you from someone else. And then another. And then another. And there were others before you. Trust me, I wish it weren't so. :(
Sadly, I sooo agree :)

[kellyb]

LOL RAR your lolcat made me laugh.

In all seriousness if you really want a gauge I have one you can borrow. Just PM me your address and I'll send it out...send it back when you are done with it. My horse isn't going to need to be measured for a while.

[McVillesMom]

IMO, the gauge isn't all that accurate. It seems to measure them at one size wider than they really are. I just stick the gullets on their backs. :)

[Hampton Bay]

Huh, I have found it measures too narrow, not one size too wide. My mare usually measures a W, but the XW is what actually fits her. Same with my boarder's mare if I remember correctly. Maybe the narrower sizes measure off? Or maybe none of us know how to really use the dang gauge!

I just use the gullets to measure too.

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Ditto :) Stick the plates one by one on the horse's back. Compare the one that "fits" to the next size bigger. I'd go with the next size bigger. Even then you may find you're SOL. IME with these, if you end up with the XW plate in (and it's really not all THAT wide, but maybe I'm just jaded :lol:) then the saddle better fit as-is. If it fits with the W or anything more narrow, I'd bet you a million $$ it won't fit with the XW in - the overall shape of the tree changes too much.:confused::confused::confused::confused:

Maybe it's the heat, but I don't understand what you're saying.

Why would you expect it to fit with the XW if it fits with the W or MW?

[Risk-Averse Rider]

LOL RAR your lolcat made me laugh.

In all seriousness if you really want a gauge I have one you can borrow. Just PM me your address and I'll send it out...send it back when you are done with it. My horse isn't going to need to be measured for a while.Thanks, kellyb. With any luck, I'll either find mine or will be able to make do with putting the gullets straight on his back. If not, you'll get a PM if I can't find one locally.

That's my all-time favorite lolcat.

[mvp]

Screw the gauge. You can put the plate on your horse's back in that magic finger-measured spot behind the scapula. But I have also put the existing saddle on the horse in the place it stops sliding back, looked for the nailhead, or even the pockets that hold the tree points, then noted where that was and put the gullet plate on naked back there.

And with respect to waves of saddle crisis-- So long as they aren't always in my back yard, I'm good. I think they are like tornados which ought to get their joy and raison d'etre from being equally catastropic everywhere, but which also spread that around the landscape, you know, for justice and variety.

[JB]

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

Maybe it's the heat, but I don't understand what you're saying.

Why would you expect it to fit with the XW if it fits with the W or MW?

Sorry, yeah, must be the heat :winkgrin:

What I'm saying is if you end up with, say, the M plate in for a good fit, and you ride a bit and get more muscle, then go to the W plate, you're probably still going to be ok. But if you then have to put the XW plate in, IME that will change the overall shape of the tree enough that, even though the *front* is wider, it is not the same shape and will not fit correctly anymore.

But if you start off the bat with the XW in and it fits, all over, then you're ok, because that's the shape the horse needs.

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Sorry, yeah, must be the heat :winkgrin:

What I'm saying is if you end up with, say, the M plate in for a good fit, and you ride a bit and get more muscle, then go to the W plate, you're probably still going to be ok. But if you then have to put the XW plate in, IME that will change the overall shape of the tree enough that, even though the *front* is wider, it is not the same shape and will not fit correctly anymore.

But if you start off the bat with the XW in and it fits, all over, then you're ok, because that's the shape the horse needs.Unless, of course, he gets too wide for the XW!!! :D

[JB]

well yeah, and then you get to join the new SFH Club (http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=210998)! :lol:

[Risk-Averse Rider]

well yeah, and then you get to join the new SFH Club (http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=210998)! :lol:I thought SFH was going to be Short Fat Horse Club!

[JB]

Oh heck no, because then my TFH (tall fat horse) couldn't be in the club!