Saddle Fitting Service by Bev Harrison at The Tack Collection

Beverly Harrison

Beverly Harrison is recognized as a Qualified Saddle Fitter by The Society of Master Saddlers (United Kingdom), Ltd. For over a decade, her speciality has been professionally fitting saddles.

Learn more about The Society of Master Saddlers (UK) by visiting The Society of Master Saddlers (UK) website.

At The Tack Collection, we know that a well-fitting saddle provides your horse with maximum comfort, while also providing you with stability and support—a combination that will make each riding discipline more enjoyable. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at 303-666-5364 or toll-free at 1-866-303-8225(TACK), OR email us at info@tackcollection.com. We are happy to answer any questions you might have.

Learn more about saddle fitting by clicking on the links below:

What is a well-fitting saddle?

Saddle Fitting Check List

Common Problems to Watch For

View Photos from an Actual Saddle Fitting

THE EFFECTS OF A PROPERLY FITTED SADDLE

FOR THE HORSE -

A saddle should support the weight of the rider over a large surface area, protect the spine, and remain stable on the horse's back during movement.

The fit and placement should be such that the horse is able to move as freely under saddle as he does at liberty.

FOR THE RIDER -

The design of the saddle should make it easy for the rider to perform whatever actions necessary for the specific type of riding: easily holding a two-point position, quietly following the motion of an extended trot, or staying in balance over cross-country jumps.

SADDLE MAINTENANCE

It is ultimately the rider and owner's responsibility to place the saddle correctly on the horse's back: generally 5-7 cm behind the scapula (shoulder blade).

Rider and owner should regularly check the horse's back for soreness or any indication of problems, such as white hairs or bumps.

The saddle should also be checked by a qualified professional at least once a year since horses can change shape because of work, diet, age, and a variety of other reasons. Flocked saddles may need to be rebalanced as the horse changes.

The saddle itself can also change shape with use and will need maintenance over the years;. flocked saddles will need to be completely reflocked every 3-5 years.

SADDLE FITTING CHECK LIST

Without a saddle:

If you run your hand along your horse's back, is the muscling strong and even? It should be free of "dents," or areas of uneven muscle.
Is the hair along your horse's back healthy and without white hairs, bald areas, or scuffmarks?
When you massage or palpate your horse's back, is your horse comfortable and without pain or spasm?

With a saddle (no saddle pad):

When you tack up, is your horse mannerly and unbothered by the saddle and girth?
Can your horse move his shoulder freely without being blocked by the front of the saddle? You can determine this by lifting his knee and observing the rotation of the shoulder blade.
Do you have plenty of clearance between the horse's spine and the gullet of the saddle throughout the length of the saddle? Unmounted you should have room for 3 fingers vertically, and mounted at least 1 finger all along the length of the saddle. You should also have enough width in the gullet for your horse's spine plus an extra inch for the nerves and connective tissue along the vertebrae.
When you are not in the saddle: can you easily slide your fingertips between your horse and the front of the saddle, from the pommel downward, without obstruction or pinching?
Is the angle of the point of the tree (located at the front of the saddle) lining up with the angle of your horse's wither?
Is the panel of the saddle next to your horse's back following his shape? There should not be holes or areas of pressure.
Does the length of the saddle stay on the thoracic vertebrae (over the rib cage)? The saddle should not be so long that it is on the lumbar section of the back.
When you stand behind your horse, is the middle of the saddle centered over the middle of your horse? It should not be sitting off to one side.

With the Rider:

Does your horse move freely under saddle with unrestricted movement during transitions or over jumps?
Does your saddle stay in place while you are riding? It should not pop up in the back or move from side to side, nor should it slide up past the withers or back past the lumbar.
Do you feel in the center of the saddle when riding with your legs in the correct position?

A negative answer to ANY of these questions warrants discussion with a professional saddle fitter.

In some cases, a saddle can be adjusted to fit your horse better and be in correct balance for you; while in other cases, it may be time to start over with a new saddle.

A Few Common Problems

Placing the saddle too far forward blocks the movement of the scapula (shoulder blade), puts the saddle out of balance so that the cantle (back of the saddle) is too low, and can cause bridging which pinches the withers and puts too much weight toward the lumbar.
A saddle with too narrow of a tree pinches the horse's withers and focuses pressure at withers and lumbar, whereas a correctly sized tree will disperse the rider's weight evenly along the horse's back.
A too narrow gullet pinches the nerves and connective tissue on both sides of the spine.
A jumping saddle with a flap that is too forward for your horse's shoulder obstructs the movement of the scapula. A pinched scapula can cause a short, choppy stride. When the horse has freedom in the shoulder, he can easily bend, stretch down, and extend his stride.
A saddle that is too long for the horse's back makes the lumbar area sore since the lumbar is not structurally designed to carry weight.

STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS FROM A FITTING

First, stand your horse square and evaluate his conformation in profile. Is he higher behind? Higher in the wither area?

Next, check out your horse's lateral symmetry or asymmetry - is one shoulder higher/more developed than the other? Is one side of his back higher or more developed? All of these issues can affect saddle fit.

Next, Bev palpates the horse all the way from his poll...

... down through the wither, back and loin areas looking for any stiffness or soreness.

To determine saddle placement, Bev locates the back of the scapula. She will place the saddle far enough behind the scapula so that the saddle will not impede movement as the scapula rotates back.

Bev lifts the horse's knee to determine how far the scapula rotates back. Usually it is about 2 inches.

Using a saddle fitting stick, Bev uses chalk or tape to locate areas along the spine where contours will be taken. This also provides a longitudinal profile of the horse's topline.

Bev transfers the contour onto paper being careful to keep the original shape. Each contour location is numbered for reference.

Here Bev is taking a contour at the first location, being careful to conform the stick to the right and left side of the horse.

She does the same for each location along the horse's back. Each contour is traced onto paper, labeling the right and left side of the horse.

The finished product is a full contour of the horse's back that can help determine the correct saddle size, as well as serve as a reference point as the horse's back changes over time.

Bev places the saddle correctly, where the scapula has room to rotate back.

The location of the girth can also help determine if the saddle is placed correctly. The girth should sit 4-5 fingers behind the elbow. Keep in mind the location of the girth channel (the place on the horse where the girth sits) can vary from horse to horse depending on their build.

Now Bev will check the fit of the saddle. She checks the gullet area for wither clearance. You should be able to insert three to four fingers in this area for a correct fit/sufficient clearance. There should be enough room from side to side through the gullet to allow for the width of the spine and adjacent ligaments and proprioceptors.

Next Bev checks the size of the tree. The angle of the tree should match exactly to the angle of the horse. The panel of the saddle should also match the shape of the horse and should not have any areas that are gaping or pinching.

Then she checks the underneath panel of the saddle, which should also match the shape of the horse without any areas that are gaping or pinching.

Now Bev checks the clearance of the gullet from behind, and checks to be sure the saddle is sitting in the center.

Note that this saddle is slightly to the left of center. Bev would need to correct this for the horse.

Bev then checks the front-to-back balance of the saddle. Again she makes sure the horse is standing square and with his head straight ahead. If your horse is resting a foot or turning his head, the saddle may appear to be off balance.

On a short-backed horse in particular, note whether the saddle comes too far back over the loin area. If the saddle is too "long" for the horse it can put pressure on the lumbar vertebrae instead of staying along the thorasic region which is supported by the ribs.

Next Bev checks the symmetry of the saddle with the rider on board, and also checks to see if the rider is balanced. Note the gullet clearance with the rider's weight added to see if it is still sufficient.

Finally, Bev checks the horse's gaits for even strides. The horse and rider should be comfortable.

After an in-depth saddle fitting such as this, performed by a certified Master Saddle Fitter such as Bev, you and your horse will have found the saddle that is right for the both of you!

Also keep in mind that our horses do change, often dramatically, over time. They will change slightly when work fluctuates from summer to winter, but significantly as they mature from a young horse to a schooled horse with a developed topline. This DOES affect the fit of the saddle and the fit should be routinely monitored.

To set up an appointment to saddle fit YOUR horse, contact The Tack Collection - phone (303) 666-5364 or TOLL FREE at 1-866-303-8225 (TACK). Or you may email us to inquire about setting an appointment!

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