The good news is that a properly fitting saddle can be found for almost every horse. However, finding a properly fitting saddle can be time consuming, take a lot of patience and knowledge, and often requires professional assistance. Additionally, even when the "right" saddle for the horse is found, it must fit the rider too. If not, the rider is also susceptible to painful back, hip, pelvis, leg, shoulder and neck issues, muscle damage (as well as some behavioral issues ☺).

Proper saddle fit is a necessity for a happy, healthy, high performing horse.  A properly fitting saddle will:

• Protect your horse's spine and surrounding musculature
• Distribute the rider's weight as evenly as possible across a broad area thereby avoiding pressure points, muscle damage and possible lameness
• Help enable your horse to properly use their ring of muscles which includes the neck, back, shoulders, hips, pelvis and haunches just to name a few key areas

Holistic Horse Bodyworks performs a six component saddle fit evaluation. Each component has 10-30 individual items that are assessed.

• Component One: Saddle evaluation off the horse
• Component Two: Evaluation of the horse (Some of this may be done prior to component one.)
• Component Three: Saddle evaluation on the horse (static)
• Component Four: Evaluate the "rider's conformation" (if they give permission-oral and visual only)
• Component Five: Saddle evaluation with the rider up
• Component Six: Saddle evaluation with the rider riding

Examples of chalk impressions made during Component Six when the rider is riding

• Make Templates of Your Horse's Back
  Both English and Western saddles come in different tree sizes. There is variance in the tree size from manufacturer to manufacturer even if the size has the same name. Making templates of your horse's back you can take with you when you are shopping can aid you in your search and save you time and money.
• Do not buy a saddle you cannot test ride. Most reputable saddle shops will allow customers to either take a saddle on trial with a deposit or allow a customer to buy a saddle and return it within a specified period of time if it does not fit the horse or rider.  Private saddle sellers may or may not allow returns. Because of the complexities involved in saddle fitting, it is not advisable to purchase a saddle that cannot be test ridden and returned if needed.
• There are many questions about whether saddles that are not specifically manufactured with an adjustable gullet or have interchangeable plates can be widened or narrowed without damaging the structural integrity of the tree. The answer depends on several factors including:
  • The materials from which the tree is made
  • Whether the tree has been widened or narrowed previously
  • How much wider or narrower the tree needs to be to properly fit the horse
  • The overall condition and age of the saddle
  • The type of saddle
  • The tool that is being used
  • The skill of the person doing the adjustment including their knowledge of saddle fitting and equine anatomy
  Also, keep in mind that even if the gullet fits or can be adjusted to fit, that does not mean the rest of the saddle fits the horse (or rider) properly.
• Broken, cracked and fractured trees cannot be repaired. However, these saddles can continue to serve a valuable purpose.  Holistic Horse Bodyworks presents hands-on saddle fitting clinics.  Saddles with broken trees are a very effective teaching tool in these clinics.  If you have a saddle with a broken tree and would like to donate it, please contact Ilene Nessenson.  See the Upcoming Clinics page for the next scheduled clinic. You can also review the saddle fitting clinic materials.

Holistic Horse Bodyworks offers hands-on saddle fitting clinics enabling riders to learn some key English and Western saddle fitting basics as well as some basic horse anatomy.  Check out what clinic participants and horse clubs are saying about these clinics.

_Photographs taken by Jeff Dixson, www.steensmountain.net/cameraguy