The
horse saddle you choose should fit your
horse and your body comfortably. It should
fit the horse snuggly across the withers,
shoulders, and back without digging in.
Horse or Pony Saddles should also stay firmly
in place, never slipping backward or forward
on the horse. The saddle should also fit
your body. A saddle that is too large will
make it hard to maintain proper form, while
a saddle that is too small can be uncomfortable.
A
Horse saddle that fits well will improve
the way your horse will work, and make him
more willing. It won't interfere
with his natural movement and most importantly,
it will evenly distribute the rider's weight.
If
you are in any doubt as too whether a horse
saddle fits correctly you should always
seek advice from a qualified saddler, an
ill fitting can cause your horse severe
pain which in turn could lead to a change
in behaviour.
This
guide is designed to assist you in checking
to see if a saddle you currently have or
are looking to purchase will potentially
fit your horse, it is only a guide and does
not replace the need to have a qualified
saddler check that the fit is 100% correct.
1
- Remove any
numnahs,
saddle pads or saddle cloths, a saddle
should never be fitted with anything underneath
it. Your horse needs to be tied up
on a flat surface then place the saddle
slightly up on your horses neck then slide
it backwards so the
horse saddle sits just behind the shoulder
blade. Generally the shoulder blade
feels like a large lump underneath the withers.
Do not attach the girth
2
- If you view the saddle from behind
or in front you should clearly be able to
see daylight through the gullet and you
should be able to insert 3-4 fingers under
the pommel the arch at the front of the
saddle. View the saddle from the side and
the seat area should be horizontal and from
the front the saddle should sit snugly around
the shoulders.
3
- To check the seat size is not to long
for the horse the panel of the saddle should
not sit beyond the 18th rib.
4
- If all the above are correct the girth
should then attached and done up and the
horse ridden, whilst being ridden check
the saddle does not move sideways, in trot
the saddle should be checked to ensure it
does not move upwards or sideways.
5
- Finally remove the saddle from the horse
and check the saddle area for any scuff
or sweat marks as this will show if the
saddle has moved or slipped.
How
Can I measure a saddle I currently to have
to see the size I need for a new saddle?
We
would recommend you using a saddle fitter
but the below gives you an idea on how to
measure the saddle.
1
- From the top of the knee roll on your
saddle measure down approx 1 ½?, this point
is known as the tree point and should be
the first part of the saddle that comes
into contact with your horse or pony.
2
- Measure from the above point, the gap
in the saddle to the same point on the other
side this then gives you a tree point to
point measurement.
You
can also measure a measure the saddle from
D ring to D ring (from where the D ring
is attached to the saddle) but this is not
advisable as it does not give an accurate
measurement.
Horse Pony Saddle Sizes
Medium
Wide - The tree point to point exc padding
under the saddle = 8? approx
D ring point to D ring point 7?
Extra
Wide - Tree point to point exc padding
under the saddle = 10.5? approx
D ring point to D ring point 9?
