A saddle is composed of some parts that flex and bend, and some parts that
are fixed. The flexible parts may be adjusted, but the parts which are
fixed must fit both horse and rider well. a saddle which does not fit a
rider can cause problems with the rider's balance and stability. A saddle
which does not fit a horse well usually causes pain. Bad saddle fit can
contribute to "problem horse" behaviors such as resistence or acting out,
bucking, rearing, "girthy"-ness, putting ears back or biting when saddled,
not wanting to be caught or ridden, refusing to stand for mounting, and
many more. A saddle which is narrow at the points may become excessively
painful during posting.
After saddle fit has been adjusted, a horse may continue his previous
behaviors for a while. He still expects the pain; he associates it with
the saddle or with being ridden. You will have to convince him that the
saddle will not hurt him any longer. Give him some time to get accustomed
to the new fit of the saddle.
A horse who was often ridden in a badly fitting saddle may also have
developed muscle problems. The saddle may have been digging into a muscle,
or could have caused him to stay tense while saddled. If you have had a
saddle fit problem, you may wish to consider an evaluation from an
equine
therapist.
Offering Saddle Fitting, Saddle Flocking Adjustments, Reflocking, Tack
Repair and Alteration.
352-871-2943 or click "Contact Me" for appointments.
Discounts for Group Visits.
Serving the North Central Florida region.
People often like to compare the fit of a saddle to that of a shoe.
This can be similar in many ways, but perhaps a more on-target metaphor
would be comparing to a backpack.
I had brief possession of a "Barefoot" treeless saddle, a demo model. I
had a chance to get a pretty good look at it, and see how and how well
it functioned.
An even sweatmark does not guarantee that your saddle fits. However,
dry spots under the pad bring certainty that you saddle does NOT fit.
The dry spots are caused by pressure so great that it prevents the
sweat pores from operating properly.
Well, in truth, sometimes getting a saddle that fits correctly is
expensive. However, that's the rarer case. For most horses, an
inexpensive fitting option is out there.
I've said that it's not very precise, and can be damaging, to try to
adjust the fit of a saddle with a pad. See Saddle
Pads for more discussion of this issue.)
How, then, can you adjust the fit? Well, an English saddle is almost
infinitely customizable by altering the flocking.
To fit well, a saddle must match the shape of a horse's back. It must
match all along the length of the underside of the saddle, not just the
"gullet width."
However, it must also allow for motion of the back, with its shape and
its substance giving to the motion. In all three of these--matching,
shape, and substance--foam panels fall short of fitting a horse
well.
When we look at the gullet of an English saddle, we typically look at
the front, and how the points of the tree sit on the horse's shoulders.
There's a bit more to it.
There are all sorts of pads out there designed to "make" a saddle fit
better. Unfortunately, the only way to truly make a saddle fit better
is to change the saddle itself.
If the saddle flap interferes with the shoulderblade, it may cause the
horse to feel a "pinch" with every stride. He may begin to form scar
tissue behind the shoulderblade. This scar tissue may resemble a
muscle, because it is deeper under the skin, and firm.
You have several options with a horse with a swayed back. One is to
realize that most swayed backs are NOT congenital, and not true sway.
They're a result of lack of muscle across the topline, and building
back muscle will raise that back up straighter again.
There are also options if you have a horse who does have a congenital
swayback, or has a condition of some kind that will not allow his back
to lift even with more muscle.
Once a horse has developed damage to his muscles from a poorly fitting
saddle, that damage doesn't heal on its own. The horse will still have
that damage 20 years later. Horses who have been retired for years
still have damage and tender spots.
Whether the saddle was yours, a previous owner's, a saddle used by a
trainer for 30 days, or any other circumstances...Once a horse has worn
a poorly fitting saddle, that muscle damage will be with him for the
rest of his life--UNLESS the muscles receive the proper physical
therapy.
"Twist" is a deceptive term when used with respect to a saddle. It
could indicate a natural part of the tree, it could indicate a defect
in a tree, or it could be the width/narrowness of the saddle at the
waist.
A Western saddle is typically heavier than an English saddle. However,
a Western saddle may be more comfortable for a horse carrying a heavy
rider--even though it means that the horse is carrying *more* weight
overall. -- In addition to reading about weight distribution, you can
also play with Javascript calculations on the second page, Weight Calculations.