Ahh, help with saddles!

[KKL]

I amm new, but I have been 'lurking' the last few days and reading everyones vast saddle fit worries, input, concerns, experiences and the like. 

Here is my dilema;

I have a 21 year old Spotted Saddle Horse/Arabian Cross, he is narrow bodied, short backed, has 'regular' withers, is somewhat hollow backed and has a prominent spine. 

For the last 4 years (of the 4 1/2 I've had him) I had been using the Crest Ridge Sonata Straight Run 2005.  It took a bit to get used to with it's deep flatter seat (pencil roll/A fork) but it keeps me very centered, even through spooks and sudden spins.  But, since he was moved off of a grass pasture into a dirt pasture he lost weight (which was good for his back) BUT made the spine more prominent AND his saddle didn't fit 100% so I was using the Supracor Pad, which helped a lot.  But now with his weight to where it should be, even with the supracor the saddle is bridging on his back and the padding/cordura had shifted, rubbing on his spine in the rear.

I WAS looking at the Imus saddle...too much confusion about the different production lines.  I really love supracor and would LIKE to have it built into my saddle, but I guess I could settle for their seat saver. 

Is there anyone out there with a horses conformation like mine who has found a saddle that truly fits, both horse and rider?  I don't want to lose the centered close contact feel that I have now, he is too shifty and responsive to be "perched" up there.  But, I am looking to find something that fits him better and is a little better made than the entry level Sonata SR was.  I am now also considering Dixieland, Allegaeny, Steele (a little $), higher end Crest Ridge, R Blevins...

Any thoughts??

[Laceygirl]

I went thru 4 saddles before I finally decided to have a custom saddle made and that was the best thing I ever did.  She is real comfortable now and so am I.   She is a MFT and has a very broad back and none of the saddles I tried fit her correctly.
Its more money but never have to buy again.

[rodear]

There are two theories that I know of that apply to a sway backed horse.  One is Dave Genadek's theories (About the horse) where you shim the middle so the saddle does not put pressure on the wither area or loin area.  He uses shaped foam shims to do this.  I have done this and it works.  An old cowboy trick is to take a single (30x30) saddle blanket and fold it so it fits in the dropped area and lifts the ends of the saddle off the horses back.  You try to get it so that you can just sweep your fingers under the saddle at the withers and the loin when it is cinched down.  This has also worked for me.  somewhere on his site he sells a pad with shims.

The other theory is that you ignore the center dropped area and spread the pressure over a wide area in the withers and loin area so there is no pressure point that will hurt the horse.  Len Brown (The Corrector) has a pad that uses shields to protect and spread out the pressure.  ***Link Deleted per forum Rules***    I have also used the corrector pad and it worked for me.  The corrector is pretty pricey but a lot cheaper than a new saddle.

[Wrangler]

I am in the market too!
I have studied the Imus saddles.  I don't like where it puts my leg -  too far forward for me.  I felt as though I was in a recliner (although some might like that)     This saddle is really heavy too.  I think there are many light weight saddles to consider.