A) A saddle provides a stable base of support for the rider, distributing the rider’s weight across the horse’s back evenly.

B) A saddle provides the horse with a comfortable structure to move freely under the rider’s weight during chosen activities.

C) A saddle provides a structure for Stirrups.

D) A saddle provides safety and security for the rider.

Note: Behavior, soundness and performance problems are often saddle related. Also often overlooked when trying to determine the cause of a problem are bit fit and saddle pad and girth comfort.

A) Parts of the Saddle

B) How to Recognize a Well Designed “User Friendly” Saddle

• Look for broad, flat panels with beveled gullet and outside edges.

• Even flocking / foam is important.

• Make sure that the density of the flocking is appropriate to the activity, horse comfort and rider’s weight.

• Gullet width should be wide enough to allow a generous 1 finger on each side of the horse’s spine throughout the length of the saddle. This usually means approximately 3-3 1/2 inches total gullet width, depending on the horse’s size, at the narrowest point in the gullet.

• The gullet should also be wide enough under the stirrup bars to accommodate the horse’s shape.

• Always check for asymmetry in any saddle, both top and bottom.

• Look for stirrup bars that are away from the horse and include safety features/ adjustable position.

• Look for correct stirrup bar placement for your activity.

• Billet placement options are preferable - i.e. more than 2 billets, moveable or angled billets. Avoid only 2 billets placed close to the front of the saddle.

• Flocked vs. Foam Panels - Flocked panels mold over time to your horse, but this is not a plus if multiple horses are ridden in the same saddle. Flocked panels also need to be checked and spot reflocked every 6 months. Foam panels are often thinner and can be used on many horses of similar body type. They also do not have to be maintained as flocked panels do. However unless the foam panels are custom cut, you cannot easily make changes to fine tune them.

A) Alternative Saddle Choices

• Treeless Saddles

• Flexible Panel Saddles

• Half Tree Saddles

• Reinforced Flexible Base Saddles

B) Know Your Horse’s Body Type & Breed

Some of the following challenges do well with an alternative saddle rather than a traditional saddle design.

• Flat - low whithers

• Round body - table top back

• Steep pitch to the topline

• A lot of movement to the back

• Gaited horses (rolling lateral movement to gait with deep shoulders)

• Horses with dramatic seasonal changes (i.e. gains in winter, thin in summer)

• Young horses or horses with atrophied backs as an interim choice

• Limited budget - entry level (some models)

• Spare saddle

A) Measuring the Horse’s Topography

An Equimeasure is a very handy reusable sheet of high tech plastic that is heated and then molds to the shape of your horse’s back. The advantage here is that it is a three dimensional representation. This means that you can take it to a saddle shop or saddler and actually put the saddle on the molded sheet to check the fit.

Another way to measure the topography is to trace the topline and cut it out of cardboard. This will of course be mainly a two dimensional representation. This method measures fairly accurately the side to side dimensions of your horse.

B) How to do Tracings

For doing tracings you will need:

• 8.5” x 11” file folder (handy for storage and tracking comparisons)

• A flexible curve

• Chalk (white or colored if you have a light colored horse)

• Marking pen

• Small level

• Polaroid, digital or film camera (optional)

Step 1 - Square your horse up on level ground. Next find the rear edge of the horse’s scapula and mark the entire rear edge with chalk (wetting the chalk makes it easier). This enables you to become aware of the shape of your horse’s shoulder. This is important to know as it will help you choose the type of tree points needed.

Step 2 - Place your flexible curve approximately 2 fingers behind the rear edge of the scapula that you just marked. This is where the front edge of the saddle is placed and is what will help you determine the tree size. Next carefully mold the curve to the shape of the horse’s back at that point. Then gently lift by the apex of the curve and lay the molded shape down on your file folder. Label the right and left sides and trace the inside edge of the curve with the marker. Label this tracing ‘A’.

Step 3 - Next place the curve on the lowest point in the back and mold Trace this on the folder and label it ‘B’. Also write down the distance between A and B.

Step 4 - The next tracing is where the back begins to widen. Label it ‘C' and note its distance from A (note: the saddle gullet needs to accommodate the C tracing).

Step 5 - The next tracing will be at the last true rib area. Label this tracing ‘D’ and note the distance between A and D. The distance between A and D is the area available for the saddle to sit and thus determines the length of the saddle for the horse. While the B to D dimension gives you the pitch of the back which must match the pitch of the panels.

Step 6 - Place the flexible curve on the highest point of the whithers on the center of the spine and mold it to the entire topline all the way to point D. You will need to get your horse to lift its belly as you do this. This measurement shows the curvature of the topline when the back is lifted to simulate a moving back. Trace and label this measure ‘E’. Measurement E should match the curvature of the saddle tree.

Step 7 - Now put the flexible curve still in the shape of the E tracing back on your horse’s topline. Next place a level on the flexible curve and note the adjustments needed, either raising the front or back, to make it level. Write down these adjustments under E in your file folder. Doing this will tell you if your horse is croup or whither high and by how much. This is very important to know for either flocking, building or leveling a saddle.

Step 8 - Only do this next step if it is safe! Stand behind your horse on a stool that allows you to have an overhead view of the entire back. The horse must be straight and you might need a handler to help. Doing this allows you to note any asymmetries in the horses’ back.

Pictures of step 8 and of side views including the feet are very helpful in studying your horse’s topography. Also helpful is keeping records in order to track changes.

C) Observing Your Horse’s Overall Shape

Areas to Consider:

• How is the barrel sprung?

• Where is the natural girth groove?

• Is the shoulder straight, laid back, flat or bulgy?

• Is the curvature of the topline normal, straight, roached or swayed?

• Assess the horse’s condition. Palpate with a belly lift for soreness, atrophy of general muscle tone.

• Age / condition, will they change soon?

• Current fitness level versus working level.

• The activity you will be doing together.

• Does the horse have significant seasonal changes?

• Prior injuries.

Finally, observe your horse at liberty in all gaits in order to determine how the back changes during movement. Realize that adding a rider will alter this. How much the back is effected depends on the rider’s skill level, weight and height compatibility with the horse.