By Nicole Fava ; Source: https://www.saddlebox.net/quick-tips-for-fitting-your-horses-saddle/

Whether you ride competitively or for leisure, your saddle will always be one of the most important items in your tack room.

It is generally quite easy to tell when a saddle does not fit you as the rider. You may experience pain, lack of balance, the constant struggle to maintain your riding position. Our horse, however, cannot communicate the specific points at which a saddle is causing him discomfort. It is our job to ensure proper saddle fit, allowing our horse to perform pain-free and to the best of his ability. Here are some quick tips to help with both English and western saddle fit!

English Saddle Fit

— Make sure the saddle is level from front to back. The pommel should not sit significantly higher than the cantle, and vice versa.

— Make sure you have enough wither clearance. You should be able to fit 2-3 fingers between the pommel of your saddle and the average horse’s withers.

— The padded panels under the saddle need to make even contact with the horse’s back. Most English saddles have wool or foam panels. If your saddle has wool panels, a saddle fitter can adjust them to fit your horse’s unique back shape. Some minor modifications can be made to saddles with foam panels.

— The billets, whether long or short, should always hang perpendicular to the ground.

— Make sure the saddle is the correct length. For English saddles, the base of the cantle should not extend past your horse’s last rib.

— Half pads can be used to improve the fit of an English saddle. For example, a riser pad with rear padding will help level out a saddle where the pommel sits slightly too high. However, a saddle should fit well with minimal padding.

Western Saddle Fit

— Proper western saddle placement entails the bars of the tree sitting right behind the horse’s shoulder blade.

— Ensure that the skirt of your saddle is parallel to the ground. If the skirt lifts at the back, the saddle is too wide for your horse. If the skirt lifts at the front, your saddle is too narrow.

— Make sure that you have enough wither clearance. As with English saddles, western saddles should also maintain 2-3 fingers’ worth of space between the fork and the horse’s withers, if not more!

— The bars of the tree should make even contact with your horse’s back. Unlike English saddles, the average western saddle is not adjustable by a saddle fitter. You cannot add or remove wool/foam to compensate for bridging or rocking. For this reason, western saddle fit can be tricker than English saddle fit, and you will need to pay extra attention to tree shape.

— Make sure your saddle isn’t too long for your horse’s back. This is a common problem, as we often put big western saddles on short-backed Quarter Horses! Though the end of the skirt does not bear the majority of the rider’s weight, you should ensure that it does not interfere with the movement of your horse’s hindquarters.

— Corrective pads can help improve the fit of a western saddle. For example, a pad with shoulder padding can help lift the front of a saddle that is slightly too wide, or one that falls into the dips behind your horse’s shoulders. However, finding the ideal tree width and shape for your horse should be your priority.

We would never want to run in shoes that didn’t fit, so we can’t expect our horse to do the same with a poor-fitting saddle! When in doubt, ask a saddle fitter to come evaluate your horse’s back and the fit of your saddle. Saddle fit can be tricky, but getting it right is bound to increase the comfort and performance of your horse.