Does your saddle fit?

Does your saddle fit? How do you know?

Over my years of riding, the most frustrating thing I have dealt with is getting a saddle to properly fit a horse. It is generally much easier to figure out that your saddle DOESN’T fit. Indicators can be a sore back, rubbed hair, uneven sweat marks, or white hair. White hair means that the saddle has been ill-fitting long enough that the skin has been damaged.

The biggest problem about saddle fit is that the horse’s back moves. Saddle fit is generally checked while the horse is standing, and the back is static. Another problem is that the horse’s back will change with age and level of fitness. You also have to consider that, like an ill-fitting pair of shoes, short-term use might not cause any serious problems, but chronic or long-term use can cause cumulative damage. In other words – you might not see any problems on those 30 minute rides, but once you start spending hours in the saddle, more misfit issues can arise.

To further complicate things, saddle measurements can vary between manufacturers.

Generally, the two saddle measurements are the gullet and the bar. The bars are what sit lengthwise down the horse’s back. They use terms like QH bar, semi-QH bar, Narrow and Wide. The tilt is what differs; but again, there is no set standard of what that is. The gullet indicates how far apart the bars are, and is measured in inches. Unfortunately, the gullet measurement is taken on the bare tree. Once the leather of the saddle is added, the measurement is distorted. Both gullet and bar work together to create correct saddle fit. (Aside: in traditional English saddles, there is wool flocking underneath the saddle tree that can be shifted and repacked to help fit.)

In a properly fitted saddle, the pressure-bearing surface is as large as possible. The bars will sit flush along the back, not digging in anywhere. (It is the spots that “dig in” that cause the pain and ultimately the white hairs.) Think of the saddle like a backpack. If it is well-balanced and “hugs” your back, it is easy to carry. If it is lumpy and puts more pressure in one area, it quickly becomes uncomfortable.

There are also a whole slew of gimmick saddles out there. They promise to fit a wide range of horses, or erase all saddle fit problems. Mostly they do not perform as promised, and generally cost a whole lot. I have fallen into that trap, lured by their promises. Don’t believe everything they say to sell their product. Some people really like the gimmick saddles, and they work for their particular horse – but NO saddle is “one size fits all”.

How do you find a saddle that fits? Well- you can try the “hand” test. First, set the saddle directly on the horse’s back. This way you can see any obvious mis-fit issues. Look at the contours of the horse’s back and the contour of the saddle. They should match closely – with the saddle gently cupping the back. Then, you take your hand, and place it underneath the saddle on one side. Slide your hand down the length of the saddle. You should feel even pressure all the way down. This really only evaluates major fit issues. If all looks okay, then you can do the white towel test. Use a white towel on the horse’s back, saddle up and ride. After riding enough to get the towel good and dirty, untack and take a look at the towel. You should see even amounts of dirt all the way under the saddle. Darker or lighter areas indicate pressure differences and a saddle fit issue. There is also now at least one company that markets a gel pad that does the same thing, but with high-tech materials. Ride for the designated time with the gel pad, untack, and you can see the problem areas.

Another way to evaluate saddle fit is using the wire method. Several saddle makers offer fit consults if you use a bent wire behind the withers, and then you can measure the wire once you remove it. Pictures of the wire on the horse’s back can show a saddle fitter what type of tree would be best for the horse. However, even professional saddle fitters can get it wrong.

The most recent method that I have found for figuring out saddle fit has been very helpful. Using templates printed onto paper and then cut out of cardboard, you can see which bar/gullet combo should be a fit for your horse. After many years of buying and then reselling saddles that did not work, I made a “reverse” template of my mare’s back behind the withers, and then farther along her back as well. I was able to take these two to a large saddle shop, and fit these “Reverse” templates to the underside of a saddle. Finally – a saddle that fits! Amazingly, my saddle used to always slide around – no matter how I tightened it, I still needed to find a step to mount or the saddle would come over. It happened so much, I was getting a complex about it. Turns out, a saddle that fits DOES NOT SLIDE! To use a cliché, it is the best thing since sliced bread. The crupper and breastcollar that were indispensable are now no longer necessary. We travel significant inclines, so that is saying something. I can mount from anywhere without the saddle sliding – even with a loose girth!

The saddle that fits your horse is out there – just try not to fall for gimmicks, and remember – if it doesn’t seem to fit right, it probably doesn’t. Good luck.