Chat
10-03-2016, 07:15 AM
Nice photos, Hunthard! If I were you I would start by feeling along the backs of the goats who are reacting and see if you can find specific sore spots. This will help you figure out the source of the problem. Soreness in front, middle, or rear can give you clues as to what is going wrong with saddle fit. With only 20 lbs. and such a short distance your goats should not be experiencing this level of soreness unless you've got saddle fitting issues going on.
Next, look at how your saddles fit your goat. Saddle trees are rigid and don't always conform very well to the back, and many people also put the saddles too far forward where the saddle makes contact with the tops of the shoulder blades as the goat walks. Take the pad off one of your saddles and set it on each of your goats' backs to see how it fits. Does it settle down nicely into place or does it rock back and forth or side to side? Does it rest squarely on the back muscles, leaving clearance along the spine, or does it look like it's teetering on top of of the spine with the panels sticking out? Or, by contrast, does it look as though it's perched up too high above the spine with the edges of the panels digging into the back? Run your hand flat under each panel and feel for pressure points or areas of "bridging" where there is little or no pressure at all. A saddle that bridges puts pressure on the front and back of the saddle instead of distributing it along the whole panel. A saddle that rocks to and fro as the goat walks will rub sore spots and may not be making enough contact front and back, instead concentrating the load in the middle. Contrast the fit of your Northwest saddle to one of your other saddles and see if you can tell the difference. Next, add your pads and see what difference that makes to the fit.
I notice right off the bat from one of your photos that the britchen (hindquarter strap) on one of your saddles is too loose. This will allow the saddle to slip forward going downhill and can cause sore spots on or behind the shoulders. The britchen should be adjusted so that you can just slip your hand edgewise between the strap and your goat's buttock. It should slide back and forth along the goat's buttocks as he walks so that it musses his hair up but doesn't rub it out. The breast strap should be similarly adjusted. Another thing to think about is cinch tightness. It should be tight enough to keep the saddle from bouncing around, but not so tight your goats' eyes bug out. A properly balanced load should keep itself in place with a snug (not tight) cinch. If you notice one of your packs constantly sliding to one side, check the balance before you tighten your cinch. You should be able to slip your flat hand under the cinch behind the elbow.
Good luck!
Next, look at how your saddles fit your goat. Saddle trees are rigid and don't always conform very well to the back, and many people also put the saddles too far forward where the saddle makes contact with the tops of the shoulder blades as the goat walks. Take the pad off one of your saddles and set it on each of your goats' backs to see how it fits. Does it settle down nicely into place or does it rock back and forth or side to side? Does it rest squarely on the back muscles, leaving clearance along the spine, or does it look like it's teetering on top of of the spine with the panels sticking out? Or, by contrast, does it look as though it's perched up too high above the spine with the edges of the panels digging into the back? Run your hand flat under each panel and feel for pressure points or areas of "bridging" where there is little or no pressure at all. A saddle that bridges puts pressure on the front and back of the saddle instead of distributing it along the whole panel. A saddle that rocks to and fro as the goat walks will rub sore spots and may not be making enough contact front and back, instead concentrating the load in the middle. Contrast the fit of your Northwest saddle to one of your other saddles and see if you can tell the difference. Next, add your pads and see what difference that makes to the fit.
I notice right off the bat from one of your photos that the britchen (hindquarter strap) on one of your saddles is too loose. This will allow the saddle to slip forward going downhill and can cause sore spots on or behind the shoulders. The britchen should be adjusted so that you can just slip your hand edgewise between the strap and your goat's buttock. It should slide back and forth along the goat's buttocks as he walks so that it musses his hair up but doesn't rub it out. The breast strap should be similarly adjusted. Another thing to think about is cinch tightness. It should be tight enough to keep the saddle from bouncing around, but not so tight your goats' eyes bug out. A properly balanced load should keep itself in place with a snug (not tight) cinch. If you notice one of your packs constantly sliding to one side, check the balance before you tighten your cinch. You should be able to slip your flat hand under the cinch behind the elbow.
Good luck!