How To Fit a Saddle To Your Horse
Saddle Fitting Tips
Five Steps To a Perfect Fit
1.First place the saddle slightly forward on the horse's withers. Next, press down on the pommel and slide the saddle rearward until it stops at the resting place which is dictated by each horse's confirmation. Repeat this procedure several times until you feel the saddle stop in the same spot repeatedly, behind the shoulder blade.
Resist the temptation to place the saddle too far forward on the withers. This is a very common fitting mistake and can interfere with your horse's soundness and his movement
2.Pommel clearance. There should be approximately two and one half to three fingers clearance between the pommel and the horse's withers. Adequate clearance should extend through the gullet of the saddle, between the two panels. More than three fingers clearance may mean the pommel is too high, that is, the tree is too narrow.
Clearance, as well as all indicators of saddle fit, should be determined with the saddle in direct contact with the horse's back. With wool-stuffed panels, make allowance for the saddle to settle a centimetre or so. (Note, the panels are the wool-stuffed bottom of the saddle which rests on the horse's back). (Exception, the two to three finger rule might not apply to horses with flat, round withers. In those cases refer to pommel-to-cantle relationships and other indicators.)
3. Pommel to cantle relationship. With the saddle in proper position and the horse standing on level ground, visualise a straight line parallel to the ground from the pommel to the cantle. Some saddles with deep or moderately deep seats, and the cantle should be between 1 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches higher than the pommel. In shallower seats, such as the close-contact jumping saddle, the cantle should only be approximately 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches higher than the pommel. In almost any saddle, if the cantle is level with or below the pommel, the saddle is not properly fitted.
4.The deepest part of the seat should be in the center of the saddle.
5.With pressure on the top of the saddle, raise the sweat flap to ensure that the panels fit snugly and evenly on both sides of the withers and along the back. Also be sure that the panels lie closely to the sides of the withers when viewed from the front.
Saddle Fitting Guide
Common Saddle Fitting Mistakes The tree of the saddle is too narrow and, therefore sits too high in front and too low behind. The lowest point of the saddle is displaced rearwardly placing most of the rider's weight on a very vulnerable part of the horse's back.
Compounding the problem, the pommel points of the saddle (the two sides of the pommel) which should lie parallel to the withers, are instead sitting on top of the musculature. As a consequence, the panels in the middle of the saddle are not in even contact with the horse's back. This situation is called "bridging". When the rider posts to the trot, the saddle pivots at the withers and raises at the back causing the horse discomfort and a reluctance to move forward or round his back.
Saddles that sit too high in front, often slide forward. Despite the fact that the saddle is sitting low behind, the rider often feels he is tipping forward. Tipping forward is a natural response to compensate for the saddle sitting too low behind.
Unfortunately, this causes the rider to break forward over the waist at the sitting trot, absorbing the movement in their lower back instead of going with the movement.
Another compensatory response is for the leg to creep up because the flap is forwardly displaced. Typically, riders try to correct this problem by using a bounce pad under the rear of the saddle which only adds more pressure to the withers and makes the entire saddle laterally unstable, swinging side to side. The correct solution is a wider, properly designed tree.
Another common fitting problem, saddles without adequate clearance under the pommel. Generally, saddles that fit this way are too wide for the horse's withers. More flocking or a narrower tree is indicated.
Rider Discomfort
Most riders discomfort can be alleviated with proper saddle fit and design. The most common problems associated with saddle fit are:
Seats Too Small
Saddles Sitting Too High in Front
Saddles Which The Rise To The Pommel Extends Too Far Back
The most common rider position problems that cause discomfort at sitting trot are breaking forward over the waist into the pommel,
or a locked lower back with gripping knees which cause the rider to bounce. Both problems are exacerbated by the horse pulling on the
reins or being on the forehand.
Wide V's Narrow
There are many different types but most riders prefer a narrow fit and it is, therefore standard unless otherwise requested. A narrow fit allows more leg on the horse for security and effectiveness. An excessively wide fit can shorten and adversely affect the angle of the seat bones.
What Type of Wither Does Your Horse Have
You need to choose the correct tree width to correspond to your horse's wither width and the correct panel length to correspond to your horse's wither shape. Withers are generally classified as Narrow, Medium, Wide and Extra Wide
Narrow for high very narrow withers, for example narrow Thoroughbred. Medium for most Thoroughbreds. Wide for average Warmblood, Quarter horse or on any withers on which a medium fit sits too high. Extra wide for flat round withers on which most saddles sit too high, including the wide tree.
Withers come in basically three different shapes, A, B and C.
Types of Saddles
Saddle Fitting Guide
Type A
Type A is the most common shape. The line from the withers to the shoulder is relatively straight.
Type B
Type B is the second most common shape and is characterised by a substantial depression on either side of the wither.
Type C
Type C withers are similar to Type B, but the depression extends even further down the side of the withers. This type of withers is generally very prominent and extends further rearward than most withers and then turns sharply downward.
Saddle slipping is usually caused by a poor fit, for example, a tree too narrow. Most saddles feature different tree sizes and panel designs that generally prevent saddle slipping. In extreme cases, however, a saddle might slip even when it is properly fitted.
For example, an excessive layer of fat behind the shoulder or around the girth area can make it difficult to secure the saddle well.
Most riders prefer the deeper seat in the dressage saddles and flatter seats in the show jumping saddles. There is no right or wrong, just a matter of perference. It's up to you to choose the right one for your style of riding.
Type A is the most common shape. The line from the withers to the shoulder is relatively straight.
Type B
Type B is the second most common shape and is characterised by a substantial depression on either side of the wither.
Type C
Type C withers are similar to Type B, but the depression extends even further down the side of the withers. This type of withers is generally very prominent and extends further rearward than most withers and then turns sharply downward.
Stop Saddle Slipping
Saddle slipping is usually caused by a poor fit, for example, a tree too narrow. Most saddles feature different tree sizes and panel designs that generally prevent saddle slipping. In extreme cases, however, a saddle might slip even when it is properly fitted.
For example, an excessive layer of fat behind the shoulder or around the girth area can make it difficult to secure the saddle well.
Deep Seat
Most riders prefer the deeper seat in the dressage saddles and flatter seats in the show jumping saddles. There is no right or wrong, just a matter of perference. It's up to you to choose the right one for your style of riding.