Goldfinch Fine Tack

Courtesy listing for a dear friend. This is a VERY special horse. Located in Erie, CO.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JatssAn1d/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Devoucoux saddles currently available at Goldfinch Fine Tack!

Offers considered, especially if you don’t need a trial!

17” 1AA Devoucoux Chiberta Enara $4,790
17” 2A Devoucoux Chiberta Lab $3,890
17.5” 1A Devoucoux Chiberta Enara $4,490
17.5” 2 Devoucoux Biarritz S $2,190
17.5” 2AB Devoucoux Biarritz S $2,190
18” 2AAAR Devoucoux Chiberta Lab $2,990
18” 2A Devoucocux Biarritz Lab 🔥 Fire sale! Make any offer! $2,990
18” 2AA Devoucocux Chiberta I /Ioldy, $2,490

Full listings and photo galleries on www.goldfinchfinetack. com

Today’s work called for no dogs needed.

Yet here we are. 🤷‍♀️

First time for finding a big dog in my van, I think??

Rare to find on the pre-owned market!

$5,890

Erreplus GTA 17”
2024 model
23 cm seat width
Standard flap
Velcro knee blocks (currently has large blocks but small blocks could be ordered)!
32 tree with long tree points (tree width is adjustable by a qualified Erreplus fitter)
+1 Panel, for an uphill horse
Flocked panels for adjustability

Message for more information and to set up a fitting!

Does your saddle slip to one side? Please read this!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D1Y1TKmQd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Great Saddle Slip Mystery🔍

Your saddle slips to the left.

So naturally, you buy a new girth.

It still slips.🤨

So you buy a fancy anatomical girth, a non-slip saddle pad, and perhaps a breastplate with enough straps to secure a small aircraft.

It still slips.😠

So you call a saddle fitter.

Then another saddle fitter.

Then one recommended by a friend who swears they transformed her horse's life.

It still slips.😖

At this point, many horse owners begin to suspect that they're somehow destined to spend the rest of their life searching for the mythical saddle setup that stays exactly where it should.

But before you spend another dollar on tack or lose respect for your latest saddle-fitter, let me tell you about some fascinating research by Line Greve and Sue Dyson.🤓

Because what they discovered put some very important information on the table to consider when you have a saddle slip issue.

The researchers investigated horses with persistent saddle slip and found that many of them had underlying hindlimb lameness.

Now, stay with me if you just rolled your eyes and think this isn't you case because your horse is clearly NOT lame....

The type of lameness identified was not the obvious kind where the horse is hopping around on three legs.

The subtle kind.🤔

The sort of issue that can quietly affect performance, behaviour, balance, and movement long before anyone recognises it as a soundness problem.

Why?

Because horses with discomfort or dysfunction or weakness in a hind leg often alter the way they move. They redistribute load, change how they push off the ground, and compensate through their body. Those altered forces travel through the horse's back and can gradually push the saddle off centre.

This doesn't just apply to horses with obvious injuries. It can occur in horses with mild lameness, asymmetries, weakness, developmental immaturity, or conditions affecting structures such as the stifle, sacroiliac region, suspensory apparatus, or other parts of the hind limb.

Now here's the part that many people find surprising.

The researchers found that saddle slip was actually associated with well-balanced saddles that had even contact and good flocking.😲

In other words, a saddle that slips isn't necessarily poorly fitted.

In fact, if you've had the saddle checked, adjusted, reflocked, replaced, and the problem keeps returning, there may be something else worth investigating.

The most compelling finding came when the researchers identified the source of the hindlimb pain and used diagnostic nerve blocks to remove the discomfort.

The saddle slip disappeared in 97% of cases.😱

Read that again.

Ninety-seven percent.😱

The saddle didn't change.

The girth didn't change.

The saddle pad didn't change.

The horse's movement changed.🤯

That's a pretty powerful clue.😎

One of the biggest challenges with horses is that we often focus on the symptom we can see rather than the cause we can't.

The slipping saddle becomes the problem.

The canter transition becomes the problem.

The spooky behaviour becomes the problem.

The horse drifting through the shoulder becomes the problem.

But sometimes these things are not separate problems at all.

Sometimes they are all clues pointing towards the same underlying issue.

So if your saddle consistently slips despite multiple fitting assessments and equipment changes, it may be worth considering whether your horse is trying to tell you something.

And if that saddle slip is accompanied by things like:
- Canter difficulties
- Resistance under saddle
- Reactive or spooky behaviour
- Struggles with engagement
then the possibility of an underlying soundness issue becomes even more important to investigate.⚠️

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned working with horses is that behaviour, performance, and movement are often connected in ways that aren't immediately obvious.

A slipping saddle may not always indicate a soundness issue...sometimes it can be a YOU issue, but that is for another article another day.

But if it keeps happening despite your best efforts to fix it, it might be worth looking beyond the saddle.💡

Sometimes the saddle is not the problem.

It's the clue.

References
Greve, L., & Dyson, S. J. (2013). An Investigation of the Relationship Between Hindlimb Lameness and Saddle Slip. Equine Veterinary Journal, 45(5), 570-577.
Greve, L., & Dyson, S. J. (2014). The Interrelationship of Lameness, Saddle Slip and Back Shape in the General Sports Horse Population. Equine Veterinary Journal, 46(6), 687-694.

Collectable Advice 226/365. Please SHARE or hit SAVE. Please no copy and pasting.

Delivery days are the best days!

2016 Antarès Contact 16" 1D, L, #163093

***For trials, please visit www.goldfinchfinetack.com***

This gorgeous Antarès is beautifully balanced and and very comfortable. Incredibly soft and padded! A slightly flatter seat allows precision and close contact with your mount. A great option for a budding rider!

$2,590

Year: 2016

Model: Contact

Seat: 16"

Flap: 1D flap, shorter, straight flap, measuring 13” from the top of the stirrup bar, down, and just over 12.75" across

Tree: Wide AO1 tree, measures just over 4.5” between the felt dots (where the panels have been attached)

Panels: T1 M10, thinner panels, standard shape

Leather: Full Calfskin

Condition: Very good condition. There is a small nick on the front piping near the pommel. There are some light scuffs on the cantle and some discoloration on the seat.

Comes with an Antarès saddle

Automatic trial with credit card payment! Buyer pays shipping, no restocking fee!

*Payment with Affirm Financing results in a final sale. Please see our trial policy page for further details.

2018 CWD SE09 17.5" 3AA

***For trials, please visit www.goldfinchfinetack.com***

$2,790

The CWD SE09 features a semi-deep seat, and the forward flap is perfect for a rider who prefers to ride with a more closed hip angle. This saddle also features grippy, full buffalo leather. This CWD monoflap is beautifully balanced and is soft and padded all over. For a rider that craves the ultimate close contact feel, this saddle will be a fabulous option!

Year: 2018

Brand: CWD

Model: SE09

Seat: 17.5”

Flap: 3AA measuring 15" from the top of the stirrup bar, down and a little over 15" across DONE

Tree: This tree angle is quite open on this saddle. It will fit like a wide. The panels attach higher up, with an approximately 4” dot-to-dot measurement.

Panels: Standard panels

Leather: Full buffalo

Condition: Very good condition! There are some areas of discoloration on the seat.

Comes with a fleece-lined CWD saddle cover

Automatic trial at checkout with credit card payment! Buyer pays shipping, no restocking fee!

*Payment with Affirm Financing results in a final sale. Please see trial policy for details. Automatic trial given with regular credit card payment!

2022 Prestige Renaissance M 17" LC, 32 Tree, Full Calfskin, #07751222

***For trials, please visit www.goldfinchfinetack.com ****

$3,490

A great option for someone who loves the feel of a narrow twist but wants the adjustability of a Prestige! This saddle is made for a slender rider with long legs! The tree is currently set for a more narrow horse but is adjustable on a thermal press.

Year: 2022

Brand: Prestige

Model: Renaissance M

Seat: 17”

Flap: LC flap, 14" from the top of the stirrup bar, down, and 15" across

Tree: 32 (medium-narrow)

Panels: Foam panels

Leather: Full calfskin

Condition: Excellent condition, some scuffs on lower flap, some darkening of the leather in areas.

Comes with a Renaissance saddle cover

Automatic trial with credit card payment! Buyer pays shipping, no restocking fee!

*Please note that payment with Affirm financing results in a final sale with no trial. Please see trial policy for further details.

2022 Voltaire Stuttgart 17" 1A, Full Buffalo, Pro Panels, #123222

***For trials, please visit www.goldfinchfinetack.com ***

$3,590

This stunning Voltaire Stuttgart has a deeper seat that offers extra security and stability. Soft, squishy, secure, and comfortable, Voltaire offers a beautifully balanced saddle! One of the most popular brands on the market! This saddle is in lovely condition and features soft and grippy fully buffalo leather. Built for a more petite rider.

Year: 2022

Brand: Voltaire Design

Model: Stuttgart

Seat: 17"

Flap: 1A (short and slightly forward) measuring 12.5” from the top of the stirrup bar, down, and 13” across

Tree: Standard, medium-wide, 4.75” between the felt dots

Panels: Unmodified PRO panels

Leather: Full buffalo, dark brown

Conditon: Very good condition, some normal wear on the flaps.

Comes with a Voltaire saddle cover

Automatic trial at checkout with credit card payment! Buyer pays shipping, no restocking fee!

*Payment with Affirm Financing results in a final sale. Please see trial policy for details. Automatic trial given with regular credit card payment!