SADDLE FITTING GUIDE

Positioning The Saddle Correctly

Place the saddle on the back and slide it back to where the horse's conformation stops it. This will be where the saddle will slide back to when ridden. The front edge of the tree must be positioned away from the back edge of the horse's shoulder when standing. Approximately one hand should fit between the girth and the elbow.

Pressure on the scapula will restrict foreleg and shoulder movement. Having the saddle too far forward will weigh down the horse's forehand. When the saddle is positioned on the shoulder blade or across it, this creates pain, restriction, and pinching. In some cases bruising will occur on the bone which can take up to 3-4 weeks to heal providing no saddle is used during this time.

Problems associated with positioning saddle too far forward

• front end lameness
• restricted movement in shoulders
• sore back
• sore scapula
• horse moving hollow

• no part of the saddle should ever contact any portion of the horse's spine.
• the shoulders must be free.
• the saddle must not be placed on the blue or red lines.
• the contact areas of the saddle must touch the area in between the lines.

The pink area shows the top of the shoulder blade

The saddle can only extend back as far as your horses last rib, (thoracic 18).
The lumbar area behind the last rib is not for weight bearing. This area is not a stable area due to the fact that the ribs do not extend this far back to support the spine.

When the saddle is too tight and presses into the loins, the horse becomes very reluctant or unable to coil (lift) his loins and become light. The more the saddle pinches the more the back hollows. He tries to protect himself, and then he throws himself onto the forehand. At this stage he is dropping the base of the neck instead of raising it.

White line is the shoulder blade

saddle too far forward on the shoulder blade

saddle is moved further back off the shoulder blade

SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT YOUR SADDLE IS NOT FITTING

• does your horse snarl and lay back his ears when he sees you coming with your favourite saddle

• have a high head carriage or an over developed ewe neck. The head raises in order to hollow his sore back

• over reach or strike the heels with his hind shoes

• always speeding up, will not go calmly

• reluctant to go forward

• starts his ride calmly but becomes agitated as ride proceeds

• resists flexion to one or both sides, as the saddle panels are too close to his spine

• clinchy, fusses when the saddle appears

• biting when the girth is done up

• cold backed, back sinks when mounting

• bucking

• does not want to pick up canter leads both ways

• gait short and choppy

• stumbles when ridden

• biting when the girth is done up

• stretching front legs out in front when saddled or girthed

• moving with a hollow back

• coming above the bit

• difficult to get the horse to move straight

• head up when jumping

• white hairs on the withers and back

• swelling on the back and withers after riding