3equines
Posted : 4/29/2010 7:16:32 PM
Here's my final 2 cents on shims.
Shims can be used to fix a saddle that is too big. They almost never work on a saddle that is too small. The exception to that statement is that the SMX Ortho Sport pad has a built-in shim that fills in behind the withers on high-withered horses where the saddle fit voids behind the shoulder and pinches the scapulae.
The biggest problem with shims is that they often end up putting excessive pressure in one area with a void around the border of the shim. If the shim is too thick, or not placed properly, it will only make saddle fit worse. If the shims are not identical and are not placed at exactly the same part of the saddle on both sides of the tree, you will end up with more problems than you started with.
I like the set of shims I am using because of their tapered edges. They form a seamless transition with the bar of the saddle. I made them from a Cashel Tush Cush, Western style. Their shape allows for lots of experimentation. They are made from closed-cell foam that will work with the shape of the horse and the shape of the saddle bar to disperes pressure evenly.
Shimming up the front of a saddle can cause the saddle to put too much pressure over the loins, or worse it can cause the saddle to bottom out on the spine under the cantle. You need to be thorough in assessing the fit of the saddle after shimming it. A pad that offers good spine clearance si essential in this case, as you may have observed from my photos. Do NOT use a standard pad that is the same thickness over the spine as it is under the bars. Buy a pad with at least 1/4" spine clearance on each side of the spine, this is a FLAT THIN area in the pad along the back.