Saddle Horses

I stumbled across this photo the other day. A shiny saddle but what else can you see? Those 2 lines running down the panels suggest this saddle has being stored on a metal frame saddle horse. The pressure of the metal on the panels has caused the flocking to mould round it. This means when it is then put on your horses back your flocking is not level and can cause pressure points. It is really important to run your hands along the panel of your saddle regularly to check your flocking, checking for any lumps, bumps or hollows and also look at your saddle for straightness and uneveness. If you have a cair system or foam this is still important as it may permanently imprint on these. Your saddle should be checked 6 monthly by a qualified saddle fitter who can do this thoroughly and adjust the flocking as required. It may look like nothing but it can make a huge impact on your horse!
A great alternative are pole saddle racks or saddle mates. Or you can put pipe insulation on your framed racks to even out the pressure!