Asymmetric saddle causing rubbing of hair at withers

Does your saddle cause the hair to rub on one side of your horse's withers but not on the other side?  Please take a moment to read this message below from a Brain or Pain reader:

Hi Sue

Reading your latest newsletter and the article on saddle fitting advice has reminded me of something you may wish to share with your readers. I had a strange pattern on one side of Charlie’s back last year after using my Bates GP saddle. It looked kind of scrubbed to one side near the withers and the other side was normal. My saddler advised I may eventually need to use a wider gullet insert as his shoulders filled out (the muscle was very wasted there due to the previous ill fitted saddle that was too narrow) so I decided to try that before getting the saddler out. I bought the next gullet size up and went to put it in, carefully following the instructions and a video demo on the internet and I was horrified to find that the screw on one side of the current gullet was very loose and was allowing the gullet insert bar to wobble a lot – hence the scrubbing effect it was having on Charlie’s back. The saddle had been bought second hand and I had never thought to check how secure the gullet bar was in it because it is my first experience of such saddles. I would urge all users of saddles with these changeable gullet bars to check them often (and especially if buying one second hand) to ensure that all changed gullet bars are fitted just as in the instructions. I dread to think how this felt to poor Charlie.

Hope this helps others

Mandi