>>>> The tree is actually wide enough, but the gullet is too wide and bottom >>>> out on >>>> Deacon's spine.
I had a similar problem with the Wintec Wide. I was thrilled that they finally had made a saddle with wide enough gullet-plates, but the gullet channel was so wide that it tended to leave too much of the saddle's panels unsupported, hanging over the edge of the horse's back. It might have worked for a couple of the super-dooper wide horses that I've had that are bigger in all dimensions (I didn't think to check it on Falki) but it didn't work on petite but WIDE Sina, who is only 13H but needed about a 36cm tree at the time, and who has a very short back. I guess Icelandic's are "draft horse" sized in some dimensions, but are still "ponies" in others. >>> I wonder if too wide of a gullet could be accomodated with a pad for a >>> treeless saddle >>> with a channel like skito? Maybe Robyn or Kaaren will speak up, or someone with experience with the Balance Saddles International. That's the premise in their saddles - you get a saddle that's too wide, and pad to fit, taking away pads as the horse's muscles fill in. That said, there's a limit to how much you can do with padding, and even the Balance saddles come in widths and with other variables in their design. In other words, they certainly don't try to make one saddle fit all horses. I think they are able to work on some Icelandic's, but Carol Brett wouldn't recommend one for Sina. Sina is really hard to work with because she's so wide, but also so short-backed. You might do a little reading on Carol's website. I really liked her and I think she's brilliant, even if I couldn't get one of her saddles to work on my horse. I guess you might could say that a too-wide saddle can be made to fit with padding - but ONLY if it's the correct shape for the horse in all dimensions. Karen Thomas, NC
