It is sometimes difficult to find a saddle that fits the wide-bodied, mutton-withered versions of the Icelandic Horses!

Treeless saddles seems to be a good alternative for the problem of saddle fitting these Icelandic Horses, as "icelandic" saddles tend to be narrow.

A few people have had slipping problems with saddles (either treed or treeless) for a variety of reasons.

Here are some suggestions to help with the slipping of the saddle:

[] Self centering girth; Dana of Nickers Saddlery has them.

[] Try a different material on the bottom of your saddle pad - poly fleece may slip more than other fabrics, the spacer material may slip less; and 100% wool is pretty good at holding the saddle.

[] A liner like the shelf liners available from WalMart for tool boxes and cabinets; it doesn't need to be under the whole pad, but at least thru the middle section on your horse. Care should be taken with this material so that heat doesn't build up (since it's a synthetic-type material and may not "breathe" as well).

[] The type of liner on the girth will make a difference as well. There are 5 choices for girth liners - from the grippiest to least grippy: *waffle weave neoprene, *flat neoprene, *leather, *poly felt, & *100% fleece

[] Mounting methods make a big difference. Use a mounting block, or take a portable "step" with you (it can fold up and be hooked on a D ring from the saddle).

[] Dont be afraid to tighten up your girth a bit - the Skito foam compresses a lot and your girth will be tight to mount and loosen up once you are mounted, simply because of the loft of the pad being compressed.