How do you evaluate saddle fit?

[Coues123]

I prefer a good wood tree. Ive owned probably 7 different pack saddles and used them on I dont know how many different horses and have never had a single issue with a decker not fitting and and causing any kind of soreness

Would you care to expand/explain why a wood tree over plastic?
I may have been doing this for over 40 years but continue to learn all the time from those who know more than me.

 

[Pony Soldier]

This is a little off the subject but I have a set of panniers with leather ends. When I started they were all that way but I haven't any like that for sale in some time.

I had mine custom made with a middle strap for packing placer gravel to a process site. Over the years I have found it quite handy for stabilizing loose loads of material like feed, etc. At that time I got right hand hooks and left hand cast hooks for hooking onto the bars on a decker. I have seen the hooks for sale since then but only one direction.

 

[bmart2622]

Would you have a riding saddle with a plastic tree?? I wouldn't so why would I have a pack saddle with one. The pack saddles I have been using have never let me down or left me looking for something better. That pack saddle looks cheap and gimmicky to me. If you like it and it works for you then thats great!! Get out there and tear up the trails!!

 

[jthomas]

Would you have a riding saddle with a plastic tree?? I wouldn't so why would I have a pack saddle with one. The pack saddles I have been using have never let me down or left me looking for something better. That pack saddle looks cheap and gimmicky to me. If you like it and it works for you then thats great!! Get out there and tear up the trails!!

The Phillips form fitter sold by outfitters packs station has plastic bars. You recommended it in a earlier post. Have you used a pack saddle with plastic bars before? What are you baseing your opinion on?

 

[bmart2622]

Ive used a Phillips before. Im basing my opinion on the thousands of miles I have packed. If you like the adjustable one then use it, Im not trying to change anyones mind and nobody is going to change mine

 

[bmart2622]

And the Phillips is covered in leather and lined with fleece, they arent just a hunk of bare plastic

 

[doverpack12]

I prefer a good wood tree. Ive owned probably 7 different pack saddles and used them on I dont know how many different horses and have never had a single issue with a decker not fitting and and causing any kind of soreness

Thanks, how are you evaluating fit of the decker bars for each horse? I have one decker. Seems to fit one horse well for width/angle and rocker.
Rocker is really the one that’s tough to evaluate for me.

 

[bmart2622]

Check it with no pad on like you would a riding saddle making sure youre getting correct contact

 

[jthomas]

Flour sprinkled on the back of the animal takes the guess work out of it. Set the saddle on top and kinda seat it in place then pull off the saddle and the flour will show all the high and low spots. This only works on a pack saddle that doesn't have fleece lining.

 

[bmart2622]

Setting your rigging properly can potentially affect the fit as well. Some people try to cheat the saddle forward or backwards instead of adjusting the rigging to keep the bars in the pocket

 

[doverpack12]

Flour method was my plan. Just need it to warm up a bit and let the horses shed out some

 

[TomBono]

Looking to hear how anyone else evaluates saddle fit.
I’m not having issues but would like to get my pack saddles assigned to a horse and know they fit well.
Riding saddles I took the horses to a lady who fits them on the spot by first using a bent electrical wire to pick out saddles that might work, then you sit in them and pick out 5-6 you like then they go on the horse, no pad and she slides her hand between the back and bar feeling for how they fit. Instantly ruled out the bad fit. I’ve tried it and can sort of feel a bad fit but it’s pretty tough.
I’ve also bent my own wires ( one 4” back from the shoulder blade and one 4” off the spine along the back strap) for each horse and compared to my saddles and friends saddles.
I also compared those to my pack saddles and have an idea what material needs to be filed off.
I’ve read Smoke Elsers book and Bob Hooverstines book that each talk about fitting pack saddles by sprinkling flour on the back and filing the bars where the flour touches them until you get full contact.
Knowing a horses back is a roundish triangle if the bars fit perfect with no pad then adding a pad, especially a thick pack pad would make them too tight or pinch in my mind.

Curious what others do and how. I’ve set each pack saddle on their backs with all rigging removed and taken a good look at the bar fit.

I use the Smoke Elser method.....so far so good.

 

[TomBono]

What makes you not a fan of plastic bars?
I have a Phillips and the adjustable forks/arches. The Phillips has the back sewn together and the only way to spread it would be heat the arches. Am I missing something in this equation?
Are we talking manties only.

I know us packers from the southwest are blasphemous pannier and bag packers but manties would last about a mile before the brush from our uncleaned trails has the mantie tarps torn to shreds.

From my experience, those plastic bars don't ride as nice. They can be a little slippery up there. A nice cottonwood tree really sinks in and rides nice. IMO

 

[TomBono]

Setting your rigging properly can potentially affect the fit as well. Some people try to cheat the saddle forward or backwards instead of adjusting the rigging to keep the bars in the pocket

Also investing in quality saddle pads, I like the wool Toklat pads. I feel like they breath better. I've saddle marked some mules with some cheaper canvas backed pads. Once again. Just my opinion.