Saddle Fit:
The Secret To A Happy Horse And Rider

Proper saddle fit has become quite a hot topic. That’s a positive development since poorly fitting saddles cause problems for both horse and rider. However, the increased emphasis on proper saddle fit has caused many people to go on a quest for the “perfect” saddle for their horse.

Let us take some pressure off. There is no such thing as the perfectly fitting saddle. A horse’s conformation changes throughout its life, and even throughout the year as their exercise level and nutrition varies. Buying a saddle to precisely fit a horse at a moment in time often results in a poorly fitting saddle at a later date.

That’s what you need, too. With a suitable quality saddle and a variety of saddle pads, you should be able to ride many horses of the same physical type. Such a saddle should comfortably clear a horse’s withers, allow for free movement of the shoulders, be the proper length and shape for its back, and be well balanced to provide good weight distribution. That's proper saddle fit. If you ride horses of different breeds or significantly different sizes, then you'll need to invest in multiple saddles.

Guidelines for achieving proper saddle fit:

• Fitting the Horse

• Fitting the Rider

• Signs of Poor Saddle Fit

• Impact of Horsemanship Skill on Saddle Fit

• Impact of Saddle Defects on Saddle Fit

• Determine your correct seat size

• Saddle Sores

You'll find more helpful information on saddle fit at the HorseSaddleShop and also with this video series produced by HorseCity.com and Martin Saddlery: Chaptert 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4

Veterinarian and saddle fit expert, Joyce Harman has created an excellent DVD, Western Saddles: Pain-Free Fit, that takes you through the basics of saddle fit for the western saddle in an easy-to-understand approach. Using several different type horses, Harman demonstrates and discusses good and bad fit. We recommend the DVD for anyone looking to better understand western saddle fit.