Based on the current study, saddle slip occurs in a high percent of the horses with hind limb lameness, and saddle slip may actually be an indicator of subtle or low grade hind-limb lameness, said Greve. | Photo: iStock

Whether you’re out for a light hack or heading into the show ring, a saddle that slips off-kilter is a potentially dangerous nuisance.

This problem can occur for various reasons–from rider position to asymmetry in the horse’s back shape to ill-fitting equipment–leading owners to try different saddles and additional padding, often to no avail.

Intrigued by other possible causes, Line Greve, an intern at the Animal Health Trust (AHT), in Newmarket, U.K., recently completed a study alongside Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS, head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the AHT, to document the correlation between saddle ship and lameness. They presented their results at the British Equine Veterinary Association’s 51^st annual Congress, held Sept. 12-15 in Birmingham, U.K