how to tell what size saddle i have

Apr eleven, 2016

Learning to fit a saddle is ane of the most important skills a horse possessor can learn. A properly fitted saddle is comfortable for both you and your equus caballus. If the saddle does non fit right, your horse tin develop sores or fifty-fifty lameness.

The nuts of saddle fitting are the same no matter what subject you ride. For simplicity'due south sake, we will discuss fitting a bones English all-purpose saddle and a Western stock seat saddle. You can use the principles of fit for both saddles to specific types of English saddles, such every bit a jumping saddle, dressage saddle or cutback saddle, as well as other types of Western saddles.

The Importance of Saddle Fit

Saddles aren't just for your comfort while riding — they human activity as the intermediary betwixt the rider and horse. When the saddle fits properly, information technology conveys subtle signals of weight change to the horse through his dorsum muscles and nerves. These signals assistance him empathise and conceptualize his rider's commands.

Because the saddle panels sit on either side of the equus caballus's spine and on the muscles, proper fit is essential. If you lot accept ever walked around in poorly plumbing fixtures shoes, you know how painful information technology tin be. The toes pinch, the heel slips, and before yous know it, y'all've got a blister and aching feet. Think of how much worse it is for your horse if the saddle is too pocket-size, pinching along his shoulder muscles and back. A saddle that's as well large volition sideslip around, causing painful back sores.

A well-fabricated saddle in good condition should terminal for many years, fifty-fifty decades. Y'all should check saddle fit, however, annually, simply ideally twice a twelvemonth. A equus caballus exercised consistently will maintain the aforementioned overall shape, but a horse worked inconsistently or on residual for a calendar month or two may modify shape, requiring some adaptations to the saddle or saddle pad for best saddle fit.

Older horses' trunk conditions tin can also alter rapidly, requiring adjustments to the saddle. Saddles tin can also stretch, shift or change over fourth dimension. Stitching can unravel, and padding can flatten or become stiff.

Next to the purchase price of your horse, your saddle is the second most expensive investment you will make. Take your fourth dimension to really bank check the fit of the saddle before investing in one. Learning how to properly fit a saddle is a key function of being a responsible and successful passenger.

If your saddle does non fit well, or your horse's body changes and your saddle no longer fits, practice your best to adjust the saddle. You can borrow a friend's saddle or merchandise your sometime ane in for a new i at many tack shops effectually the country. Whatever you practice, don't skimp on fit. Not merely volition a properly fitted saddle feel better, simply y'all will ride better, likewise.

How Saddles Are Constructed: Parts of a Saddle

Saddles are synthetic around a wooden or plastic tree. The tree forms a skeleton around which sheets of leather or manmade fabric are placed, shaped and molded to form the saddle itself. The tree is shaped like the alphabetic character "T" with the bars of the tree plumbing equipment over the horse's withers, or shoulders, and the long stem of the T running downwardly along either side of the horse's spine.

Horses, similar people, come in unlike shapes and sizes. Some horses have high or narrow withers; others are very broad with hardly any wither at all. Each shape requires a slightly different tree. Saddle trees are made in specific sizes to fit unlike shapes.

After the tree is formed, layers of sparse leather are glued over the tree and cut into shape. Western trees are formed with a saddle horn and wider confined. English copse lack the horn and tend to have narrower bars.

Once the leather is placed and shaped over the seat, padding may be added. English saddles have panels stuffed with foam or wool. Knee rolls — suede or leather patches stuffed with wool or cream — may be added to the flap that extends down the horses side behind the shoulder. Human knee rolls on English language saddles help to go along the rider'due south leg in position.

On a Western saddle, leather is added to the seat to course the fender, which fits between the rider's leg and the horse similar filling in a sandwich. The skirt, diverse straps and keepers are also added.

All saddles require a girth (English language) or cinch (Western), which is the strap that runs under the horse's belly and holds the saddle in place. Girths are interchangeable, and you tin unbuckle them and swap them out for another fashion or blazon if you like.

Both Western and English saddles as well crave a pad or blanket under the saddle to protect the equus caballus's back against rubs and to help go on your saddle make clean. Western blankets are foursquare or rectangular and made of wool or another thick, absorbable cloth. English saddle pads are shaped to the saddle and fabricated of acrylic, wool fleece or cotton fiber. White tends to be the preferred color for English saddle pads.

How to Measure a Equus caballus for a Saddle

Measuring a horse for a saddle is actually an art. There are steps you can take, but a master saddler has years of experience eyeing horses and choosing saddles that fit. Some tack shops have employees who will actually come to your barn and help you fit the saddle. If such a service is available, have advantage of it. Nothing beats experience when it comes to horsemanship.

Even if yous have the luxury of an good to help you fit your saddle, it'due south important to larn how to measure a horse for a saddle. To narrow down your choices, you lot will notwithstanding need some idea of the type, size and construction of the saddle y'all demand.

To measure for both Western and English saddles, evaluate your horse's conformation. Cross-tie your horse or have a helper stand him foursquare exterior. Take a step dorsum and browse your equus caballus from the side, back and front. Does your horse take high withers or normal withers? A long or brusque back? A swap, dip or another anatomical departure that needs compensation?

Choose the tree type first:

Narrow — Very loftier or narrow withered horses may need extra padding behind the saddle bars. This shoulder bridge pad helps the saddle fit better.
Medium — A horse with average withers ordinarily takes a medium or regular tree.
Wide — Horses with a block build or flat withers have a wide tree.
Extra Broad — Draft horses, draft crosses or horses congenital "big and broad" demand an extra-wide tree.
Flexible — Horses with big, well-developed shoulder muscles can be difficult to fit. These horses may do well with a flexible tree.

At present determine how well the saddle fits on the equus caballus. To test saddle fit, slide the saddle on without a pad. While you shouldn't ride without a pad or blanket, you exam saddle fit without one.

English language Saddles: Wither Test

Now, you lot will need to check the tree to see how well it fits on the withers:

Slide the saddle on from the withers to the horse's hindquarters.
Let the saddle rest naturally on the horses back without buckling the girth.
Slip your fingers in the expanse where the saddle tree clears the withers and take note of the space.

If your saddle is padded with constructed textile, or yous are trying a used saddle, yous should be able to slide ii or three fingers' width between the saddle and withers. If information technology'south a new, wool-blimp saddle, there can be a little more than room between the saddle and withers. As you ride, your weight compresses the wool and closes the gap.

English Saddles: Balance and Level Test

English language saddles should sit down fairly level along the topline or horse'southward dorsum. General, all-purpose and jumping saddles should grade a slight U-shape along the back. The dip in the saddle seat should sit balanced on the back.

Full general or all-purpose English saddles have pommels (forepart) and cantles (dorsum) nearly the same size. The cantle may be slightly higher. They should sit evenly on the back.

Walk around your horse and annotation if the saddle looks even on both sides. It should appear balanced and centered on the horse's dorsum.

Western Saddles: Wither Test

On a Western saddle, you can bear the same wither exam as on an English saddle. Slide the saddle into place, and then sideslip your fingers betwixt the gullet and the horse'south withers.

A good fit — Two to three fingers' width is just near right.
Too narrow — If you tin can fit your whole paw in between the withers and saddle gullet, the tree is also narrow.
Too wide — If the gullet touches your equus caballus'southward topline, or you can barely squeeze a finger in, the tree is too wide.

Western Saddles: Balance and Level Test

Equally with an English saddle, you should also examine a Western saddle for proper balance. After placing the saddle on your equus caballus's back, walk around and look at how it fits.

Does the saddle wait level? If non, try repositioning it or using shims. You tin also attempt dissimilar rigging positions.
Does the saddle look too loftier in front? The tree may exist too narrow.
Does the saddle look as if it'due south slumping forward or sagging in the front? The tree may be besides wide.

Tin Yous Utilize Pads to Correct Poor Saddle Fit?

Y'all can use pads to correct poor saddle fit, but pads shouldn't be your only line of defense. Pads tin can be a neat help with an aging horse whose saddle fit tends to modify rapidly.

Y'all can use foam safe inserts and other pads for horses developing sway backs, or aging horses whose shape is changing. Western riders tin can effort changing the rigging to adjust fit.

Saddle Fit for the Rider

Saddle fitting is complicated because yous accept not i, but two living beings to fit: a horse and rider. So far, we have discussed fitting the saddle to the horse. Let'south accept a look at saddle fit for the rider.

You determine correct rider saddle fit by the saddle's seat size and flap length. The saddle seat has to be in proportion to the equus caballus every bit well as the passenger.

Also brusk a seat makes the saddle hit at an odd spot on the dorsum, which can put the rider's center of rest as well far forward. A also-long seat can interfere with the hindquarter muscles and compromise your horse's performance. That is why both the rider and horse must be well matched in size and shape, as well as saddle to equus caballus and rider. It is a tricky business, which is part of the art of horsemanship.

To judge your seat size, start by measuring your thighbone.

Article of clothing your normal riding apparel.
Sit in a straight-dorsum chair without arms.
Measure out from the knee cap to the back of the buttocks.
Write down the number in inches.

Now, convert the inches into English seat sizes.

Under 16.5 inches — You probably demand a fifteen-inch seat size in an English saddle.
Between 16.5 and 18.5 inches — Look for a 16-inch saddle.
Betwixt 20 and 21.5 inches — Try a 17-inch saddle.
Over 21.5 inches — Try an xviii- or xix-inch seat size.

If you ride Western, you can utilize the aforementioned measurements with a slight adjustment. Western saddle seat sizes tend to run near one to 2 inches smaller than English sizes. If you look at the numbers above, and your thighbone is 20 inches, you should try a 17-inch English language saddle or 15-inch Western saddle seat size.

When in doubt, size upward rather than down in a saddle size. If you are betwixt numbers, go upward a size, too.

English Saddle Fit for the Rider

To mensurate the saddle seat size for English saddles:

Take a tape measure out and place one finish against the nail or button on the left front console of the saddle near the top.
Bring your tape measure to the high point on the heart of the cantle.

This measurement is the seat size.

English seat sizes for all-purpose saddles are generally noted equally follows:

Seat sizes xv to 17 inches — All-time for junior riders or smaller adults
Seat sizes 17 and 17.5 inches — Almost popular size for average superlative and weight adults
Seat sizes xviii and 19 inches — Best for larger adult riders or alpine riders

When you are sitting in a saddle that is too small, your buttocks will hit the cantle, or your crotch will hitting the pommel. Sitting centered during a sitting trot or canter is almost impossible because you lot will be halfway out of the saddle. If the saddle is also large, you will find yourself sliding or fluctuant around often to notice the centre of residue.

If you are testing a saddle, drop your stirrups and ride the sitting trot in an English language saddle. If y'all can stay centered and balanced without feeling as if you're swimming in the saddle or pinched, information technology's probably within a good range.

Padding and saddle construction can make a seat size feel unlike, fifty-fifty if the measurement is identical. Many European brands feel unlike from American or South American-synthetic saddles, such equally Argentine English saddles.

One way to become a feel for different saddles is to ride unlike horses in lessons, noting which saddles feel cracking and which ones are uncomfortable. Yous will soon develop a preference for brands, styles and fifty-fifty leather types on English saddles once you take had a chance to try them out.

Western Seat Sizes for the Passenger

Western saddles are generally sized smaller for riders than English language saddles. If you know your seat size in an English saddle, a good rule of pollex is to cull a Western saddle with a seat size two inches smaller than your typical English saddle size.

Sit in the Western saddle. In that location should exist about four inches between your body and the great of the saddle. Anything less than that may mean a likewise-small saddle, and a bigger gap means the saddle may be on the large size. Larger may be more than comfy for you.

Western riders with longer legs should choose a larger-size saddle. The fenders are scaled co-ordinate to the seat size, and a larger saddle will come with longer fenders, which have up your leg improve.

New Saddle Engineering

Scientific discipline and technology have brought about some astonishing advances in all areas of life, and saddles are no unlike. Saddles may have been around for hundreds of years, but advances in modern technology are irresolute how nosotros make and fit them.

Some English language saddles come with interchangeable gullets and adjustable copse. These saddles are built around a fiberglass or plastic tree instead of a traditional poplar or birch saddle tree. A special wrench, similar to an Allen wrench, is used to accommodate the tree to fit the equus caballus. These saddles are groovy for trainers or grooming barns where the same saddle must be used on many horses.

Another advancement among both Western and English saddles is the use of manmade fabrics to comprehend the saddle. Leather is durable and comfortable, a fourth dimension-honored material for both English and Western saddles. However, manmade fibers are easier to clean and can withstand rain and snow a lot improve than leather. They can be easier to break in for both horse and passenger, easier to wipe clean later on a trail ride and just as durable every bit leather.

Try riding in a constructed saddle to see how y'all similar it. They are non for anybody, but they can be great for competitive-trail or pleasure riders who don't desire to fuss with leather cleaning and conditioning.

Properly Fitted Saddles Make Riding Easier and More Comfortable

No thing your riding discipline, a properly fitted saddle makes your horse more comfortable. It enhances his natural gait or stride, making it easier for him to accomplish whatever y'all ask him to practice.

Not merely will your horse exist more at ease, yous volition be too, when your saddle fits well. Similar a comfortable pair of sneakers, a well broken in and cared-for saddle eases you lot into your ride and makes hours in the saddle a pleasance. Take your fourth dimension to find and fit a saddle for both you and your equus caballus. You will both be glad you did.

Keep Your Horse Fit and Healthy

Keeping your horse healthy and in overall good condition is role of existence a good rider and owner. Information technology will also help your saddle fit consistently as your horse maintains his weight and trunk condition.

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