Horse Saddles - The Right Fit

When buying a saddle, be it new or used, it is very important that the saddle not only fit you, but that it also fits your horse. While some saddles can be re-stuffed, only so much can be changed through the re-stuffing process. It is best to find a saddle that fits well in the first place.

Most retailers will permit buyers to take home a saddle to try on their horse. Some will charge a deposit or even the full price in advance, but will accept the return if the saddle does not fit. As long as you do not damage the saddle, most will accept a return without difficulty.

Saddles are measured according to the length of the seat. A 16" saddle measures 16" from the pommel to the cantle. With this in mind, you need to consider how big a saddle you need to comfortably sit in. The average adult is comfortable in a 17" seat. Teenagers can generally manage a 16", while children often need something smaller.

If possible, try sitting on a few different sizes of saddles to see what size of seat best suits your needs. Keep in mind that the higher the pommel and cantle, the tighter the fit will be.

As long as the saddle feels comfortable to sit in, your will probably be in good shape as a rider. Keep in mind the height of the pommel and cantle, and the positioning of the padding. Some saddles offer adjustable padding, particularly in the knee roll.

The rest of the fitting is related to your horse. Saddles come in three basic tree sizes, narrow, medium and wide. Most horses will fit a medium tree. Fine boned horses such as Arabians, sometimes need a narrow tree to fit the structure of their back. Wide trees are suited to horses with broad backs such as warmbloods or draft crosses.

When the tree is the correct width, the saddle should sit evenly on your horse's back with both sets of padding resting on the muscles along the backbone. There should be a clear gap along the spine all the way from the front to the back of the saddle. If there is no gap, the tree is too wide. If the padding is sitting on the backbone, the tree is too narrow. Some saddles have adjustable trees, making them great for riders who need to ride a range of horses who may have different body types.

Next, you need to consider the pommel. While the height of the pommel affects your seat, it also relates to the horse's whither. If your horse has a high whither, you might need a saddle with a higher pommel. Some saddles have cut-back pommels which are designed to offer room for a particularly high whither.

Finally, the flaps need to rest comfortably along the horse's shoulder and side. The front edge should not rest off the horse's side, nor should it dig into his shoulder. A properly fitted saddle should rest smoothly along your horse's side, with no air space or pinched places.

To check your saddle's fit, place it on your clean horse's back without any padding. With a helper to hold the saddle secure, take a good look at how the saddle fits upon your horse. Note any spaces or places where it rubs. If the saddle does not appear to fit, don't try to ride in it, just return it to the store and discuss the issues you found with the supplier.

If it seems to fit, remove the saddle, and add a clean, thin saddle pad. Fasten the saddle, and see how it looks when the girth is tight. Then try riding in it. Give you horse a good workout, doing whatever you normally would do with him. If he seems sore, stop you ride, and take off the saddle. Ideally, you want to get your horse into a light sweat, just enough to see how the saddle sits on his back while he works.

Remove the saddle when you are done, and check your horse's back. Are the sweat marks evenly matched from one side of your horse to the other? Are there any places that seem to be more worn than others? If the sweat marks are even, and the weight appears to have been distributed evenly throughout the saddle, your saddle fits. Any uneven wear is a sign that it does not fit correctly.

Be sure to lightly clean the saddle before returning it to the store. Sweat can damage the material if left on the saddle for any length of time, and it looks bad to return the saddle with signs of wear and tear. Do not use the saddle for more than one test ride. Let the store owner know how your ride went, and either return or keep the saddle depending on how well it fit.