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| The Right Fit: The basics on ways to better saddle your steed (Spring 2008) |
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By Chris McClintic
If horses could talk, you would probably get
an ear full of complaints about backaches
and sore muscles after riding. But instead,
you’re getting the non-verbal messages. Your horse objects to being saddled. He may act fidgety when being mounted, resist your riding cues, or act outright nasty.
Well, it’s high time to observe what’s come
between you and your steed, and it may be your
saddle. For many horses, poor performance is simply due to pain and discomfort. Sores, scars, temporary swelling, or white spots can often result if a saddle does not fit.
Evaluate your saddle. A properly fitted saddle allows a horse’s back to function correctly, according to Joyce Harman, DVM and author of The Horse’s Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book. "Riders who are able to correct saddlefitting problems are often amazed at the dramatic changes in their horses," she writes. So
how do you check for a good fit? While books
and clinics offer in-depth information, here are
some basics on how to evaluate your saddle.
A horse has only one place on its back where
the saddle will sit naturally. To find it, position the horse squarely on level ground, and lay the saddle on the horse’s back, slightly forward on the withers, without a pad. Grab the saddle and slide it back using a very slight side-to-side motion to settle it into place. A properly fitted saddle should conform to the back like two spoons. Be aware that a horse with muscle atrophy from a poor-fitting saddle could settle into the wrong place, says Colette Bolster of KCB Equine Services in Dassel, Minn. Also, a saddle with a proper fit doesn’t need a breast collar to hold it into place, she says.
Now it’s time to assess your tree. Whether
it’s made of wood or synthetic material, the
tree is the backbone of the saddle and is the
focal point of evaluating a saddle’s suitability
for a particular horse. One misconception is
that saddles are designed to fit a certain breed
rather than the body style of the horse. Even
worse is the notion that one size fits all. "Not
one saddle can fit all horses," explains Liz
Graves, national horse show judge, trainer,
and clinician near Spring Valley, Minn.
Fitting a tree. A well-fitted tree follows the
contours of the horse’s back in order to allow
maximum rider-weight distribution. Rod Nikkel,
a custom saddletree maker in Valleyview,
Alberta, says a saddletree should carry a rider’s
weight in a way that is efficient and comfortable
for both horse and rider. "A well-designed
tree will take your weight and distribute
it evenly over the horse’s back over as wide an
area as possible," he says. "Otherwise, it’s going to concentrate weight and pressure on certain areas. One pound per square inch is ideal. All it takes is about three pounds per square inch of pressure to start creating problems."
Nikkel’s Western-style saddletrees feature substantial bars, with the underlying surface
area measuring about 230 total square inches.
"More surface area means more weight distribution," says Nikkel. "If you add 50 pounds of saddle and a 250-pound rider, you’re still well within a tolerable level for the horse."
In addition to the surface area of the bar,
the shape and angle of the tree should also
be evaluated. An English saddletree that’s
angled too narrow will sit high in the front
and slope to the back, putting pressure on
each side of the withers and rear. A tree of a
Western saddle that is too narrow will sit high
all the way down the back, putting more pressure
on the bottom of the bars. Often the bottom
edge of the bar will dig into the horse and
cause pain, says Nikkel. A tree that is too wide
will cause problems such as forward tipping,
which adds pressure on the wither area.
Check the tree’s fit prior to securing the
saddle onto the horses back. Analyze the fit
without using a blanket, says Bolster. To do
this, correctly position the saddle and then
slide your hand between the saddle and the
sides of your horse’s wither area. Feel for pressure points or gaps. Keep in mind that the
edges of the bar should also lift off the horse
a bit. If the edges have solid contact without weight in the saddle, they are likely to dig in
when the saddle is weighted down. Repeat the
process, this time sliding your hand down the
entire length of the bar. You should feel even
contact under your hand.
If you’re evaluating an English saddle, pay
attention to the panels that pad the saddle’s
underside. Uneven panels will unbalance the
rider and put excessive pressure on one side
of the horse’s back. Overstuffed or thin panels
also offer uneven contact and weight distribution
and may interfere with the horse’s spine.
Get clearance. The front of the saddle should rest above the horse’s withers and be completely free of contact. The space between
the panels or skirts on the bottom of the saddle
should also be wide enough as to not interfere
with the spine and its connective tissue. Double check this fit by tightening the cinch or girth, and then carefully check clearance while sitting and standing in your stirrups.
Spreading the weight-bearing surface
across the back is important, but it should not
extend too far back. English saddles should fit
between a horse’s wither area and over the rib
cage. Bars on a Western tree will extend past
the last rib, but there is much lower pressure per square inch under a Western tree than an
English one. Therefore, a correctly shaped bar
that extends onto the loin area is not a problem.
However, bars that don’t fit well can place
too much pressure on the loin and cause major
muscle problems for the horse.
The right rigging. Rigging are the 0-rings, D-rings, or plates that position the Western saddle’s cinch or the billets that hold the English saddle’s girth. Regardless of the style of saddle, the rigging must be symmetrical on both sides to prevent an uneven pull that could place more pressure on one side over the other. Reputable saddle makers use all sorts of measurements and devices to get it perfectly symmetrical. But be careful, warns Nikkel. "A rigging that still looks alright to the naked eye might still be off enough to cause problems."
In addition to being symmetrical, rigging
should also be positioned properly to evenly distribute and transfer the pull and pressure throughout the entire saddletree, advises Nikkel. Although rigging position can be a controversial topic, the important thing to remember is that very forward-rigging positions can put too much pressure on the front of the tree and onto the withers. "But how much is too
much depends on the saddle and horse," he
says. Most saddles that are rigged "full," with
the front rigging very forward, are also double
rigged with a back cinch. So if your saddle
has a back cinch or girth, put it to good use,
advises Nikkel. "In other words, tighten it;
don’t let it hang loose. That will absolutely do
no good and actually can be dangerous."
Of course, what fits the horse should also
fit the rider. Saddles should provide support,
security, safety, and comfort to the
rider, and promote communication between
the rider and horse. The important consideration is that the saddle helps the rider maintain proper alignment and balance, says Graves. Seat bones will point straight down and hip joints will be in line with the ankle.
Ideally, a tree should fit the horse and the
seat fit the rider, happily marrying the two
shapes together. If you find that your saddle
doesn’t fit, consider a custom-made saddle.
These are built based on the body style or
type of horse you ride. Some custom saddle
makers will request specific measurements of
the horses’ back to establish the right fit. And
don’t rely on saddle pads to fix a serious problem. "You can’t pad a tree to fit a horse," warns Graves. "If a saddle fits, a double folded Navajo wool blanket is all that you should need."
Bottom line: check your saddle by putting
it on your horse and giving it a test ride, says
Nikkel. Ask yourself, "does my horse seem
comfortable?" Horses don’t lie. They will often
tell you whether or not they are comfortable in
their movements and actions.
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