Saddle Fitting

• Obvious sores
• White hairs
• Temporary swellings after removing the saddle
• Scars or hard spots in the muscle or skin
• Muscle atrophy on the sides of the withers
• Friction rubs in the hair
• Suspect dry spots under the saddle
• Asymmetry in muscles
• Nerve irritation when palpating the sides of the wither

Some riders and trainers believe that all horses resist work at different stages in training and that some horses are just resistant by nature. This is simply not true.

There are times when the horse may not know how to respond correctly. When the messages or aids given by the rider are not clear or when the horse is so sore that he refuses to move forward when asked. It is not the nature of the horse to resist constantly.

To be able to perform as their riders or trainers wish, they must be unimpeded by pain.

Many horses are sore in their backs or hampered in their movement due to a poorly fitted saddle. A saddle must fit the horse without pinching, rocking, creating pressure points or pressing on the horse’s spine. A saddle must also allow for proper movement. For example, if the front third of the saddle restricts the horse’s shoulders or withers, he/she will be reluctant to stride out. Frequent or obscure rear leg lameness or stiffness can occur because the hind legs cannot engage or come underneath the body with normal, strong movement. Instead the hind legs tend to trail behind the horse. This causes excessive stress and concussion on the hind leg joints. Reluctance to use the back and hindquarters properly is caused by too much pressure from the back third of the saddle.

Some important things to remember regarding anatomy when it comes to your saddle fit are:

• The wither is part of the spine, your saddle should never rest on this area nor should it pinch the sides of the wither (spinous process). 

• Your horse’s front legs are NOT attached via a bony joint to the main body structure, as in the hind end (hip joint) but instead they are attached via soft tissues. Scapular cartilage resides over the top of the scapula and damage to this cartilage is possible when an ill fitting saddles pinches or restricts this area.

• The lumbar vertebrae are not supported by an underlying structure, as in the case of the thoracic vertebrae (bony and cartilage connections to the sternum via the rib cage) and therefor should not be weight bearing. Pressure from the saddle should not be exerted on this delicate area.

A proper fitting saddle, though often overlooked, is one of the most important gifts you can give yourself and your horse. It connects you together and allows for communication. The saddle may be considered an extention of you and an ill fitting saddle has thepotential to damage your relationship with your horse. It also has the potential to cause misalignment and injury throughout your horse’s body. If you suspect your saddle of fitting poorly I will gladly examine and test the saddle fit and work towards finding a saddle that is right for both of you.