A saddle that’s too wide may also tilt down in front. Weight in the saddle may change fit dramatically. Use one hand to press down on the seat where your weight would be. Our experts will call you on your preferred time. When you spend your dollars, you want a saddle that you and your horse will enjoy for years to come. Tips on how to tell if your sidesaddle fits your horse, and answers to frequently-asked questions about "riding aside." That’s a great starting point, but the bottom line is that you will probably have to try several saddles on your horse to find one that fits best. This part of saddle fit is based on your horse’s back shape. Seven Saddle-Fit Points that Every Rider Should Know. For more information visit www.saddlesforwomen.com or read Suffering in Silence: The Saddle Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses. Pain or poor posture while riding can be caused by a saddle that does not fit the rider. If you have a saddle that fits OK but not perfectly, there may be hope. Start by looking at wither clearance. The shape of the flap will also determine fit. Move your hand toward the back of the panel, checking to see if it makes even contact along the middle of the horse’s back. Saddle fit for the rider is just as important as for the horse. Also, remember that while padding can help fit, it doesn’t fix the problem. If it has a lot of rock, this will cause a pressure point under your seat where all of your weight is concentrated—ouch! The padded panels on the underside of the saddle need to make even contact with your horse’s back. English saddles, excluding cutback styles, typically measure 2 inches more than a western saddle. All our saddle pads are 100% made of high-quality breathable cotton. If you find that you have trouble balancing from side to side or … You can usually try new saddles from your local tack store for a few days if you are careful to prevent stirrup marks. Saddle Pad should have enough cushion filler inside, you it can absorb hammering movements of the rider and make it more comfortable for the horse. If the pommel sits close to or is touching the withers, it’s likely too wide for your horse’s back. Please let us know a convenient time to call you on, (*All time slots are available in CDT zone.). Riding will allow the rider to become aware of where the seat bones are, how the pelvis is tilted, how wide the saddle is between the upper inner thighs (twist), and whether there is enough support in the seat foam behind the rider’s gluteus maximus to support the position without causing backaches. Without going into human anatomy in great detail, suffice it to say that in addition to those points mentioned above (which are different for both men and women), you should also consider whether or not there is enough support behind the gluteal muscles to allow you to sit straight and allow the natural shock absorbers in the four natural curves of your spine to work properly. Experienced riders too should know the different parts, their purpose, and how they are supposed to fit. You should think about being able to sit in comfort on your seat bones without having your pubic symphysis hitting the pommel area. Now scoot back in the saddle until your seat bones feel comfortable in the lowest part of the saddle. English Saddle Fit for the Rider . All rights reserved. There used to be the “one hand” rule: if the saddle was correct for the rider, the rider should be able to put one hand across the saddle seat between the back of their butt and the end of the cantle. The Topic You Ignore at Your Peril: Saddle Fit for the Rider. Is my position correct? Set the saddle on your horse’s back with no pad or girth. Fitting the Rider: Saddles come in a variety of seat and flap or fender sizes and designs. You always hear about fitting a saddle to the horse with the rider often times being left out in the cold. boots the saddle flap should come down below the top of the boot in all riding positions (Figure 5). She’s been instrumental in the production of both magazines and helped Horse Illustrated win a 2018 American Horse Publications Media Award in the General Excellence Self-Supported Publication (circulation 15,000 and over) category. Saddle pads with pockets to add felt or foam “shims” can also help make custom adjustments where needed. English saddles come in traditional English, hunter, dressage, and jumper varieties. The rotation and size of the saddle flap should complement the angle of your leg. Ideal Fit - The front and back of this saddle is level, distributing the rider’s weight evenly over the horse’s back. These four main keys are important for riders to consider. It is important to find the correct seat and flap or fender size and shape. Saddles are built on a frame called a tree, usually made from wood, although some are plastic, metal or carbon fiber. Normally, in flatter seat saddles, the seat size could be smaller than in a deep seat one for the same rider. To fit a saddle correctly there is a list of requirements that need to be met to ensure the horse is comfortable and can move with ease in addition to fitting the rider correctly. Balance of Saddle. With a saddle that is too narrow, there is nothing a pad can do. But if the saddle doesn’t fit the rider just as well as it fits the horse, then we’re not really helping the horse. This statement is based on simple anatomical differences that absolutely must be taken into consideration in saddle design and saddle fit. Equestrian Fashion - New Looks and Must-Haves for 2016, Head First - Horse Riding Accidents and Concussions, Victoria Saanich CADORA Dressage Fashion Show 2014. The rider’s knee should fit into the proper position on … Fitting the Sidesaddle. Move your seat bones all the way from the cantle to the pommel. Recheck wither and spine clearance. Online retailers of new or used saddles often offer trials as well, but shipping costs with this method can add up. English saddles come in different widths to fit different types of horses: usually narrow, medium or wide. The last step in learning how to fit an english saddle is to take it for a test ride. This article originally appeared in the September/October 2017 issue of Young Rider magazine. Learn how to fit an English saddle! Ouch again! A saddle fitter might be able to adjust the flocking or padding inside the saddle to solve minor problems with rocking or bridging, but often the shape of the tree just isn’t the right fit for a particular horse. English Horse Training. Master Saddle Deborah Witty explains seven saddle-fit points so you can become an informed consumer. The nine points are used as a basic checklist to identify a saddle’s suitability for a particular horse and rider. The next step in learning how to fit an english saddle is to make sure there is even contact. Look at the deepest part of the seat to check that it’s in the right place. See how many fingers fit between the withers and pommel when your saddle is in the correct spot—girth it up to make sure it’s staying securely in the spot where it sits when you ride. The individual parts work together to protect the horse’s back and support the rider’s seat. There should be approximately four inches between the front of your body and the fork (or swells). Copyright © 2021 EG Media Investments LLC. ). Any English trained horse can be ridden under a Western saddle, but the sensitivety of communication between horse and rider is reduced. Often riders will have grown up riding in saddles that were wrong for them regardless how well they fit the horse, and were simply told to “suck it up.” Male trainers have no empathy for the pain female riders can be experiencing in a particular saddle. Jochen Schleese, Certified Master Saddler, Equine Ergonomist, is a leader in the concept of saddle fit, and teaches his Saddlefit 4 Life® philosophy worldwide. 1. Caccamise has also worked as a research assistant, horse camp counselor teaching riding and vaulting, and as a top-level show groom in the eventing world, where she continues to compete her horse, Artie, at the lower levels. Preferences as to size, placement, and style of thigh rolls will become evident. It is important to have about 4” gap between the fork and front of your body. Saddle Fit and Parts of Western and English . Does the pommel sit down and touch the withers? Can you put a Western saddle on an English horse? Caccamise has her MS in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky, where she studied equine nutrition and exercise physiology, and her Bachelor’s from UCLA in Biology. While fitting your horse comes first, you won’t be able to ride your best if the saddle doesn’t fit you, too. The saddle should not “pitch” the rider in either direction and allow a balanced seat position. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the exact size you need, but it will be close. A saddle that is too big or too small will make it hard for you to stay balanced and keep your leg under your body. Your seat should be in the deepest part of the saddle with about one hand width behind you to the highest point of the cantle. Hip to knee length determines where your knee and leg fit in accordance to the angle and point of the flap. Is my horse moving right? Because a woman’s pelvis is different from a man’s, women riding in a “male” saddle may face back, knee, hip, and pelvic pain and experience difficulty maintaining proper position and posture in the saddle. By Jochen Schleese, CMS, Equine Ergonomist. Click here to subscribe! Many saddle makers and fitters feel that the primary concern is finding what works for your horse, but we disagree. Unfortunately, you’ll need to get a different saddle for that horse. The size of the seat must to be selected based on the weight and body of the rider, and to the saddle model as well. This brings back the old argument: Who’s built best to ride, male or female? If things are still looking good, put a rider in the saddle. Please try again. A too-narrow saddle may sit high in front and slope back toward the cantle. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Your knee should hit at the top point of the flap with at least two fingers to spare. A good rule of thumb for Western riders is that the English seat size is generally two inches larger than a Western saddle seat size. It is important that the saddle feel comfortable and fit the rider correctly, because if it doesn’t, this discomfort will transfer down to the horse, causing pain and imbalance. Is my western saddle too long? If you have ridden in more than one saddle in your riding career, you probably noticed that there were subtle or major differences in each saddle. If you as the rider are not comfortable in your saddle, this discomfort will translate down to your horse and prevent both of you from ever reaching peak performance potential. English Horse Training. To the right is a picture of a western saddle with the labels of the part. By navigating the site, you agree to the use of cookies to collect information. If the flap is too short it will catch on the top of the boot causing the rider discomfort. You also need to decide on flap length, twist, seat width, thigh rolls or blocks, seat depth, stirrup bar placement, and the number and length of the billets. To check the fit of your jumping saddle, perform this simple test: Have someone hold your horse while you drop both stirrups and let your legs hang straight down. We have sent several of our female staff who were not already riders/horse owners to a local riding stable to take lessons – and the inevitable stories reflect the fact that when the teacher wasn’t watching, they would slouch in the saddle to escape the pain in the crotch caused by these poorly fitting saddles. Let’s begin with understanding general rules of western saddle fitting for the rider: The size of seat refers to the rider and it has nothing to do with how that saddle fits for the horse. Although we advocate riding in as many saddles as possible to develop feel for the features you like or dislike in a saddle, we also recognize that sometimes, you just don’t know what you just don’t know. Two fingers should fit between the swells of the saddle and your leg. This means if you ride in a 15” western saddle, you are likely going to fit a 17” English saddle. Of course, many saddles are still bought in the tack shop, but sitting in a saddle on a plastic mold or a stationary horse is not the same as riding a moving animal. Does it arc up really high above them? The nine fundamental points of saddle fitting are used by the Master Saddlers Association when training saddlers. There are so many things to think about when you’re riding. He is also the author of Suffering in Silence, The Saddle-Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses. Hold the pommel and cantle and try to rock the saddle like a rocking horse. If you have long legs, you may need a forward flap. Decide on the type of saddle you want. You Have Trouble with Your Balance. First off, as a rider you should know that parts of the saddle so if something were to break or someone is talking about a certain part you know what they are talking about. Set the saddle on your horse’s back with no pad or girth. Western Comparison. Before you consider purchasing a saddle, you need to make a firm decision on the specific type of riding you hope to do. The angle and length of the saddle flap can also affect how the saddle fits a rider. The seat must be the correct size for the rider. When we were creating our saddle pads the first criteria to meet was comfort and quality. Thank you for choosing this service. Saddle seat. The deepest part of the saddle seat should be parallel to the ground, … But saddle fit to the rider goes way beyond these obvious attributes; it is most important that the saddle is “gender correct.” A woman should not be riding in a saddle that is made for a man, and vice versa. like the best. Us horsepeople love our ponies, so we tend to prioritize the horse’s needs when we’re shopping for a saddle. When you try out saddles, look to fit this part of your leg first. Being aware of your body and how it feels and moves is crucial to deciding on the saddle. When you have a proper fitting saddle for both horse and rider the horse will have freedom of movement and the rider will be in better balance and harmony with the horse. Getting the correct saddle for the rider and the horse depends on two things – the type of riding and properly measuring and fitting the saddle. The shape of the tree determines the fit and width of the saddle. You have entered an incorrect email address! If the saddle looks like it fits well from the ground, it’s time to go for a test ride to see how your horse goes in it. You probably already know if you ride a round pony that’s shaped like a barrel (no prominent withers) that you need a very wide saddle. So for the sake of this article, let’s disregard the key points of saddle fit to the horse, and concentrate on the topic, “fitting the saddle to the rider.” The most obvious differences are the length of the seat from pommel to cantle to accommodate the rider, and the width of the tree to accommodate the horse, but this is only the beginning. There is error while submitting your request. Enter the password that accompanies your username. It is crucial to be able to try out several models on the horse – moving in all three gaits and in both directions. The wider the saddletree, the lower the front of the saddle will sit. If the saddle is just a little too wide, a thick half pad will help you get some clearance off the back. On an English saddle, this is measured from the nailhead on the pommel to the center-top of the cantle. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. The whole objective of saddle fit is to create a position to enable the rider to sit … Before getting involved in the editorial side of print media, she worked as an award-winning ad copywriter for Thoroughbred Times magazine. For instance, if you ride in a 15" western saddle, you will probably need a 17" English saddle. Your riding instructor or an experienced horse person can help you check the fit of your saddle. But given today’s wide variety of seat depths and saddle types, that rule has gone the way of not wearing white after Labor Day. (Think large warmblood type rather than thoroughbred! Before beginning your evaluation of the saddle’s fit, make sure that the horse is standing square on a flat surface. The English riding saddle is smaller and weighs less than its Western counterpart, and is designed to allow the rider greater contact with the horse’s back. And I’m on board with that, about 95%. The first step in learning how to fit an english saddle is to check the width. If your lean Thoroughbred feels like sitting on the fence with your legs hanging straight down, he is quite narrow! A good rule of thumb is that an English saddle seat size will run around two inches larger than a Western saddle. You can also make an appointment with a professional saddle fitter to try different saddles on your horse and see what he (and you!) This part of saddle fit is based on your horse’s back shape. The rider’s rump must settle on the base of the cantle. Check to see if the seat is level. But one big factor influencing your horse’s way of going that you may never have thought about is saddle fit. Don’t just consider the front and back of the saddle, also look at the seat itself. The horse’s shoulder blade should slide freely back and forth under the edge of the tree, or the points of the English saddle tree’s pommel. Saddle Tree Width This is one of the points of saddle fit that I see incorrectly fitted very often. To get the proper fit, measure the distance from the saddle “tree” to the horse’s shoulder to offer adequate protection to the horse’s back. Ultimately, a properly fitted saddle is the best solution. Aches in the hip and lower back areas are very common in women equestrians because they are often riding in saddles that have been built for men. There are 2 general categories of riding: English and western. This is not an exact calculation, and you should always measure and test it … If the wither clearance looks good, check that the saddle is sitting level on your horse’s back, not tilted up or down like a ski slope. Area #1 represents the waist of the saddle (saddle seaming which can be manipulated at will). You need at least a few finger widths of clearance. Main article photo: Shutterstock/Rolf Dannenberg, Dangers of Importing Equine Anthelmintic Resistance, Breathtaking: A Close Look at Equine Respiratory Diseases, Do Not Toss Yard Waste Over the Horse Fence, Dr. Keith Betteridge - early pregnancy loss in mares podcast, Medical Grade Honey Prevents Surgical Site Infections in Horses. Find out if your English saddle is a good fit for your horse. Determining the seat size varies depending upon the type of saddle, and in the case of dressage saddles, on the depth of the seat. If the saddle is perched four fingers or more above the withers, it is probably too narrow for your horse. The … In the middle of the saddle, Area #2, represents the actual position of the twist (what the rider feels between their upper inner thighs). But saddle fit to the rider goes way beyond these obvious attributes; it is most important that the saddle is “gender correct.” A woman should not be riding in a saddle that is made for a man, and vice versa. When a heavier rider chooses a horse, it should really be key to have a horse with a large enough saddle support area/weight bearing surface to accommodate a bigger saddle which will fit this rider’s conformational needs. The next step in learning how to fit an english saddle is to make sure there is even contact. X Look for rocking. We use cookies to help personalize content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a safer experience. Should be large enough to allow you at least one to two fingers of room at the cantle. The seat in this saddle is nice and level. And Psychological Trauma in Horses pads are 100 % made of high-quality cotton... Their purpose, and website in this saddle is to check the fit and width of how should an english saddle fit the rider flap will determine! 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