| |
HomeRP StoreContact Us
|
|
INFO
Join Our Mailing List!
Receive educational newsletter and product specials from RP. 
If you prefer, you may also email or call for information.
|
SADDLE FIT: Fitting Challenges
The photos below show horses
with conformational challenges that ReactorPanel has been able to resolve.
 |
 |
Broken , badly
healed withers. We would adjust an RP asymmetrically in front to compensate. |
 |
 |
Table-top back
with no defined withers, the most dreaded of conformations to fit. Requires
an RP standard-wide or custom-wide tree. |
 |
 |
An extremely dippy
back and a forward girth groove. Requires fine-tuning the panel postion,
using a disc under the center of the saddle, and using the forward-most
(point) billet. |
 |
|
An extreme solution
to the extreme problem above--a thick disc behind, a thin in the center,
and a medium in front for the horse above. Click to enlarge, and see how
the panel twists to follow the contours of the horse's back. |
 |
 |
A dippy back, the
right makes him look downhill, but the left photo is properly composed.
Since this back is not extreme, a standard fit is not complicated. |
 |
 |
Whether this is from conformation or past saddle fit, I can't discern. On the saddle damage page, there's a horse I went to fit who had a similar "hole". This was more clearly identifiable as being from saddle damage. After fitting with an RP, this horse should be templated at 6 week intervals to ensure muscle is rebuilding. |
|
|
These hollows behind the withers could either be muscle atrophy or simply lack of muscling. Same suggestions as horse above. |
 |
 |
This horse has
a forward girth groove, saddle is an Esprit which has 3 billets compared
to the 4 in the rest of the line. You can see that by using the two rear
billets, the saddle would be pulled forward, so it should have been girthed
with the front and rear instead. |
 |
|
Another girth groove
in the armpit. This time the saddle is properly girthed on the frontmost
and third billet, on an RP with 4 billets. |
 |
|
For a pony, there
are shorter panels available. |
ADJUSTING
FIT
How to adjust front disc placement while the ungirthed
saddle is on the horse
|
 |
Goal: remove disc to a new
location
First, remove disc from panel. Place hand between disc
and panel, to prevent velcro from reattaching. |
|
|
Next, use chisel to remove
disc from saddle.
Place disc in new location on saddle. |
|
|
Slide chisel between disc
and panel and reposition panel to proper height.
Hold panel against saddle and slide out chisel, allow velcro
to reattach. |
Discs too far to the outside
edge of tree
 |
 |
The velcro on the top of the
disc should not be visible . |
Too narrow in rear for proper
spinal clearance
Girthing Position
 |
 |
Left shows billet choice is
behind the horse's natural girth groove.
right is the correct choice for this horse. |
 |
 |
Left: each saddle except the
Esprit starts out with 4 billets.
Right: this horse is girthed with the front (point) and
4th billet straps. |
 |
 |
Left: unstitching unused billets
after final decision on which to use is optional.
Right: longer girth needed so buckles are completely on
sweat flap. |
|
 |
Right: this saddle has slipped
too far forward. Billet choices and/or fit needs to be revisited. |
Horse is diagonally asymmetrical
|
 |
Left: horse is diagonally
asymmetrical, and the right rear needs a thicker disc.
Right: a different horse gets a custom fit accomodating
an injury. |
Missing proper clearance between
front discs and tree
 |
 |
Left: when the rider is mounted,
the gap above the disc has closed, inhibiting panel flex.
Right: shows proper clearance,more than enough. Although
there is clearance, discs are too high and this horse should probably have
a different tree. |
Panel set too low
 |
|
Panel needs to be set at wither
height. |
 |
 |
Left:Rear discs set incorrectly
Right: a disc under the rider's seat will create a pressure
point. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
