what width saddle for trail driving?
- Thread starter MPR
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hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
You want a good gullet for sure, saddle pads are really only used to help "fix" a saddle that isn't sufficiently padded and raised off the spine on its own. Most mini saddles fall into that category so saddle pads are pretty standard equipment for us! LOL. As to width, well, that's up to you. I've been driving with one that is about 2" I think, and as long as I have a good thick pad under it it's fine. Wider is better assuming the built-in padding fits the horse's back; simply having a very wide saddle that doesn't fit right won't be any better than using one that's too narrow.
I personally love the Camptown mini sport harness, it's the only one under $1,000 that actually fits the minis and it's great for trail driving as it is comfortably padded even under the cinch and is synthetic for easy care.
Leia
I personally love the Camptown mini sport harness, it's the only one under $1,000 that actually fits the minis and it's great for trail driving as it is comfortably padded even under the cinch and is synthetic for easy care.
Leia
Leia,
Thanks for all the helpful info. you've given me.
How thick is the built in pad on yours? Mine is 1" thick, but the pad is quite hard. Is your pad soft or harder? I'm now thinking that I could have the center section removed, to make a gullet. The reddish part is leather. Here's a picture of mine.
If I make a gullet, I could remove some of the stuffing to make it flatter shaped.
Thanks for all the helpful info. you've given me.
How thick is the built in pad on yours? Mine is 1" thick, but the pad is quite hard. Is your pad soft or harder? I'm now thinking that I could have the center section removed, to make a gullet. The reddish part is leather. Here's a picture of mine.
If I make a gullet, I could remove some of the stuffing to make it flatter shaped.
hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
Oh my. That's um, that's um...unusual.
: Definitely not your normal built-in padding! I don't have my Camptown Harness in hand yet but here's a picture from the website of how the padding is built:
You can see how it is meant to sit down smoothly on either side of the horse's spine without touching the actual vertebrae in the middle. Smucker's and the other well-known carriage harness brands build them along those lines too.
My saddle is much much narrower from that same angle, being basically a flat piece of leather with two small bumps of padding placed on either side with a gap in the middle. I would never use it without a pad as my horse has a prominent wither and the hard lump from the underside of the check hook would be digging right into his spine but it's a lot better than some mini equipment I've seen which has basically nothing at all to hold it in place. Yours at least has padding but depending on how your horse is built, how your cart is balanced, and how the padding fits on his back it could still be pretty uncomfortable. I would definitely have someone scoop out some of that padding in the middle and create a gullet for you.
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I hate coming across as a know-it-all by being the only one posting on your threads but I didn't want to see them go unanswered.
: Anyone else want to contribute??
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Leia
You can see how it is meant to sit down smoothly on either side of the horse's spine without touching the actual vertebrae in the middle. Smucker's and the other well-known carriage harness brands build them along those lines too.
My saddle is much much narrower from that same angle, being basically a flat piece of leather with two small bumps of padding placed on either side with a gap in the middle. I would never use it without a pad as my horse has a prominent wither and the hard lump from the underside of the check hook would be digging right into his spine but it's a lot better than some mini equipment I've seen which has basically nothing at all to hold it in place. Yours at least has padding but depending on how your horse is built, how your cart is balanced, and how the padding fits on his back it could still be pretty uncomfortable. I would definitely have someone scoop out some of that padding in the middle and create a gullet for you.
I hate coming across as a know-it-all by being the only one posting on your threads but I didn't want to see them go unanswered.
Leia
That's a very very nice saddle. But I can't afford one of those right now.
Today I made some pads with a channel down the center for the saddle to sit in (making the whole thing more square). I put one pad on each side, leaving a gullet space over the spine. I think this will work for now. Eventually I can have have this harness maker redo the pads more square and with a gullet.
Today I made some pads with a channel down the center for the saddle to sit in (making the whole thing more square). I put one pad on each side, leaving a gullet space over the spine. I think this will work for now. Eventually I can have have this harness maker redo the pads more square and with a gullet.
billiethekid40
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MPR, your pads are very similar to the pads I make for my harnesses as well. I find they are so much better for raising the saddle off the vertibrae than a regular pad. The only difference is I make mine in the same style as the other pads, and just sew in the foam inside of pockets in the pads. I use foam gardening pads for the foam, and get them at my local dollar store.
hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
Hey, that looks great! And Billiethekid has a good idea too. Thanks guys, I'm taking notes!
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Leia
Leia
The only difference is I make mine in the same style as the other pads, and just sew in the foam inside of pockets in the pads. I use foam gardening pads for the foam, and get them at my local dollar store.
That's a great idea. :aktion033: Could you take some pictures of yours? What is gardening foam like?? Another thought is may be I could buy a pad and remove the padding in the gullet area. But I'll need a longer girth. With the pads I made, I'm just making it on girth length!
The pads I rigged up yesterday was my first attempt. I can keep trying different things. I'm going to glue back in a piece (I saved the strip that I scooped out) at the top to give it more gullet height. I'm thinking about tapering the pads as it goes down. I can make covers for these pads too, or just glue leather on the bottom may be.?
That's a great idea. :aktion033: Could you take some pictures of yours? What is gardening foam like?? Another thought is may be I could buy a pad and remove the padding in the gullet area. But I'll need a longer girth. With the pads I made, I'm just making it on girth length!
The pads I rigged up yesterday was my first attempt. I can keep trying different things. I'm going to glue back in a piece (I saved the strip that I scooped out) at the top to give it more gullet height. I'm thinking about tapering the pads as it goes down. I can make covers for these pads too, or just glue leather on the bottom may be.?
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billiethekid40
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The gardening foam is just a dense foam kind of like what you probably have there, only it comes in all sorts of colors and I've seen some that are 1" thick and some that are 3/4" thick. I get them at a local dollor store in the gardening section and they are usually just big enough to get one pad out of.
I cut two pieces the length of each half of the back saddle and round off one end on each to match the contour of the saddle. Then I cut two pieces of material (use any kind you like, I use polar fleece but you could use regular fleece as well) in strips long and wide enough to cover both pieces and still have room in the middle for the gap. Remeber to leave extra around for sewing, I leave a 1/2 " extra. Mark places on one of the pieces for velcro strips you will use to attach the pad to the saddle- where they are so thick they will pop out from under when the horse moves. Sew on the velcro strips. Match the two fabric pieces and sew, leaving one end open. Insert one foam pad, sew a line across to hold it in, then an inch or so after sew another line. Insert the next foam piece and then sew up the end. If you left the fabric loose enough, you can now add trim if you wish. I only bother for a show pad. Then I make a breast collar cover out of matching material that velcros on as well.
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All my pads are out at the barn so I'll try to remember to take a photo when I go out today.
I cut two pieces the length of each half of the back saddle and round off one end on each to match the contour of the saddle. Then I cut two pieces of material (use any kind you like, I use polar fleece but you could use regular fleece as well) in strips long and wide enough to cover both pieces and still have room in the middle for the gap. Remeber to leave extra around for sewing, I leave a 1/2 " extra. Mark places on one of the pieces for velcro strips you will use to attach the pad to the saddle- where they are so thick they will pop out from under when the horse moves. Sew on the velcro strips. Match the two fabric pieces and sew, leaving one end open. Insert one foam pad, sew a line across to hold it in, then an inch or so after sew another line. Insert the next foam piece and then sew up the end. If you left the fabric loose enough, you can now add trim if you wish. I only bother for a show pad. Then I make a breast collar cover out of matching material that velcros on as well.
All my pads are out at the barn so I'll try to remember to take a photo when I go out today.
I tried out the pads today. I just placed them where I wanted them and didn't tie them on the the saddle. They stayed in place perfect! The gullet worked. When I got back the hair over his spine was all fluffy, so there was no pressure there. I also tweaked the balance on my cart. It's just right now. I'm so happy I got these problems solved. :aktion033:
hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
Good for you, your setup looks great! :aktion033:
Leia
Leia
Thanks, Leia. Now that I got the cart perfectly balanced, there's really no weight on him. But I'm still glad that he has the spine clearance now. At some point, I could get the saddle pad redone, but I don't want to be with out it right now. It's prime driving season!
hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
Not unless it is putting a lot of upwards pressure on the bellyband when you are in the cart. If the unwrapped shafts lighten but stay horizontal (i.e. don't try to flip up) when you sit down, then it's fine.
Leia
Leia
The shafts don't flip up when I'm in the cart. When we're going down the gravel road, the shafts are going up and down slightly, but only about 1/4" or so. I had just heard the the shafts were suppose to be parallel with the ground. They were until I put the extra pads on. But I've seen large horses pulling smaller carts where the shafts are angled a lot. I guess it's the balance that's important. But was wondering if angled shafts was considered "wrong".
hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
Horizontal is the guideline but you'd much rather have them sloping up a tiny bit than risk them pointing down. Slightly upwards very rarely causes balance problems while anything below level always does. Plus on most carts a slight upward tilt provide a better angle to the singletree.
Assuming, of course, that the whole picture works- we don't want a tiny horse hitched with the shafts up over his back like a travois in an attempt to make them uphill! :new_shocked:
Remember, carts were designed with larger horses in mind. You can only make the wheels just so big, eventually you've got to tilt those shafts up to fit a Belgian or 17h warmblood! :bgrin They are made for that so no worries. It does depend on your style of cart though, easy entry carts with large square metal baskets should be hitched nearly level while a road cart or Jerald style have proportionately large wheels and are meant to be hitched uphill.
Leia
Remember, carts were designed with larger horses in mind. You can only make the wheels just so big, eventually you've got to tilt those shafts up to fit a Belgian or 17h warmblood! :bgrin They are made for that so no worries. It does depend on your style of cart though, easy entry carts with large square metal baskets should be hitched nearly level while a road cart or Jerald style have proportionately large wheels and are meant to be hitched uphill.
Leia
Your set up looks great! The shafts have a good angle I think! Your shafts sound like they "float" in the shaft loops and that is a very good thing. I really like your little horse, he looks so happy pulling you along!
