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or call (503) 867-1023
or call (503) 867-1023
English and Western Independent Saddle Fitting
Independent Fitting. Veterinarian Trained. Comprehensive Services.
Did you know studies indicate 75-90% of all saddles in use do not properly fit the horse on which they are used?
Did you know improper saddle fit can cause lameness, back, hip and pelvis issues, permanent muscle damage, cervical (neck) issues, shoulder issues, behavioral issues, poor performance and pain?
Did you know studies indicate 75-90% of all saddles in use do not properly fit the horse on which they are used?
Did you know improper saddle fit can cause lameness, back, hip and pelvis issues, permanent muscle damage, cervical (neck) issues, shoulder issues, behavioral issues, poor performance and pain?
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 ☺).
Benefits and Importance of Proper Saddle Fit
Proper saddle fit is an absolute 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
- Improve your horse's performance and gait quality
- Help your horse move freely within the envelope of release, especially the neck, back, shoulders and haunches
The Six Components of Saddle Fit
Holistic Horse Bodyworks performs a six component saddle fit evaluation. Each component has 10-30 individual items that are assessed.
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Thermal Imaging / Thermography and Saddle Fitting
The use of thermal imaging aids greatly in assessing saddle fit as well as providing the rider with an assessment of their seat balance. During a thermographic saddle fitting, scans are taken of the saddle, the horse and the rider pre and post ride. Pressure points, areas of uneven or lack of contact and rider balance are all depicted in the images.
Note the red color on the front (bottom) and back (top) of the saddle panel and the yellow color in between. This image depicts a bridge which is an area where the saddle is not contacting the horses back and thus uneven weight distribution. This can lead to pain, discomfort, muscle spams, muscle damage and even lameness in the horse as well as pain in the rider's body.
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Additional pictures of a thermal image saddle fitting pre and post ride are posted on our Thermal Imaging Page.
Holistic Horse Bodyworks offers saddle fitting with and without thermal imaging. Check out our Services and Rates Page for more details.
Holistic Horse Bodyworks offers saddle fitting with and without thermal imaging. Check out our Services and Rates Page for more details.
Chalk Impressions Made During Riding
Note the unevenness of the coloring right to left. This saddle shows more contact and pressure at the front on the right side due to shoulder asymmetry of the horse which was exacerbated by uneven flocking in the saddle. The white space on the left side toward the center also indicates a bridge. The deep blue coloring on the back portion of the panel also indicates a pressure point.
This saddle has very little contact toward the front. What little contact there is is only on the right side. Most of the weight is on the back represented by the deep blue color.
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Saddle Fitting Services and Rates
Key Questions to Ask When Hiring A Saddle Fitter
- How long have you been fitting saddles?
- Where did you receive your training?
- What are the qualifications of the instructor(s) who taught you?
- Do you fit all disciplines of English and/or Western saddles?
- How many saddles have you fit in X discipline (X means the discipline in which you ride)?
- Do you understand how to properly use shims, when shims are necessary and what thickness of shims are necessary in a given situation?
- Do you have a thorough understanding of the different pads on the market and which is appropriate in a given horse/rider situation?
- Do you know which pads and materials absorb concussion, which pads and materials create concussion, and which have no affect on concussion?
- Have you ridden in the saddle(s) you recommend?
- What is your depth of knowledge regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the myriad different saddles in X discipline (X means your riding disciple)?
- If you are working with a saddles sales rep......If the saddle(s) he/shes sells do not fit you or your horse, will they recommend other brands that will work? Will they fit other saddle brands or only the one(s) they sell? Will they help you locate other brands?
- Will you help me find a used saddle or only a new saddle?
- Do you do a full bodywork check of the horse prior to fitting? What is included in the bodywork check? Where did you receive your training to do the bodywork check? Do you know why it is important to do a full bodywork check on the horse prior to fitting the saddle?
- If you sell and/or fit English saddles, can you also adjust the flocking and/or reflock the saddle if needed?
- If you sell saddle(s), do you offer a free flocking recheck 90-120 days after the sale or reflocking of the saddle? If the flocking needs adjustment, can you do that? Do you charge for that? Do you know why a flocking check is necessary?
- What are the 3 most common issues with saddle fit?
- Do you use thermal imaging, chalk impression, clay impression, or other method(s) in addition to observation and sweat or dirt patterns when fitting a saddle? If so, what method(s) do you use?
Saddle Shopping Aids and Tips
- 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
- 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.
Saddle Fitting Clinics
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.
Bureau of Land Management Kiger Mustang Adoption: Saddle Fitting Clinic
_Photographs taken by Jeff Dixson, www.steensmountain.net/cameraguy