One of the most common misconceptions of saddle fit is that if a rider goes out and purchases a beautiful, comfortable new saddle that they tried on a dummy horse at the shop, that it will fit. They did their homework and brought tracings of the horse. The saddle is the most comfortable for them that they ever sat in but guess what, they get the saddle home, ride the horse for a week or so and the horse's back becomes sore. Reason? That saddle was not made to fit that horse. You've not done a bad thing because the saddle doesn't fit exactly right. It really shouldn't unless you have had a saddle custom made to fit your horse specifically. This includes fitting it to your horse's "live" back not a dummy horse in a shop.

        The other option is to purchase the saddle that is closest to your horse's specifications and then have a professional saddle fitter come to your barn and adjust the panel's flocking to insure a proper fit.

        The young horse will go through many muscular and structural changes in their early stages. It is important to have a proper and comfortable saddle fit so they may develop to their potential in the discipline in which they are being trained. Seasonal changes may affect fit as well. In the off season, the horse may gain some weight and lose a little muscle. In the competition season, they will be more muscular and the fit will differ.

        Ideally, the saddle should be looked at and adjusted (if necessary) twice per year. This is debatable with some but, preventative measures will save you $$ in the long run. Horses that stay fit throughout the year and train at the same level will often need their saddles adjusted less frequently than for example, a dressage horse that is moving up the levels rapidly and changing its body. Especially as it uses its hind end more and lifts in front. As the horse's topline and hind end increase muscularly, it tends to fill the saddle up more. Also, as it gets stronger behind, the psoas (loins), gluteals (butt) and longissimus dorsi (back) develop, the saddle will sit differently at the cantle. These are areas that can in many cases be easily adjusted to accommodate the horse's changing musculature, as well as complimenting the rider's correct seat. If the pommel (front) or the cantle (rear) of the saddle changes the way it sits on the horse due to an increase or decrease in muscle mass and this is left unattended, the rider's position will change dramatically, possibly resulting in a drop in performance. A few things that may be recognized are that the horse develops a sore back, goes inverted, grinds his teeth, or the rider might start giving the illusion that he is water skiing with his legs out in front of him or he may find himself pitching forward.

        In the older horse, usually 16 years or above, the musculature can start to change or deteriorate rapidly. Of course this is not true in all cases. There are many horses that, when kept in consistent work, have good dietary habits and stay sound, go on competing to a ripe old age. The first notice of loss of muscle due to a pinching or ill fitting saddle might be in the trapezius, latissimus dorsi or spinalis dorsi (wither area). You may start to notice a hollow or flatness that previously wasn't noted. You may also notice an asymmetry as opposed to the rounded symmetrical appearance that was once exhibited. This hollow or asymmetry may allow the saddle to ride forward or allow the pommel to come very close to resting on the wither. The first thing a rider will want to do is pad the area in question. This may not be a bad decision but the saddle should fit properly before pads are added. Otherwise, we are trying to solve the problem by putting a Band-Aid on it instead of addressing the cause. Also, if the saddle is adjusted properly, the expense of a new pad might not be warranted. The front section of the panels and flaps can easily be reflocked and adjusted so that a proper fit is insured.

        Another thing to look for when you are evaluating your fit are the spinous processes. These are the bony prominences you will see along the top of the horse's spine. If the horse ages or is out of work for an amount of time, it will lose its topline. The tips of the spinous processes will give the illusion of a hunter's bump, scoliosis or a kyphosis (rise in spine). If the horse appears to have a sore back to go along with these symptoms, the first thing to rule out is ill-fitting tack. After that, if necessary, you might want to check on and rule out shoeing problems, hock problems or even more serious conditions such as EPM. If there is a loss of muscle in this area, we will see the cantle low and the rider will have his feet too far out in front of him. There will also be two very specific sore spots caused by pressure points under the saddle. In any case that appears to be serious or causing continual problems��CONTACT YOUR VET!

        If your saddle just needs reflocking, the beauty is that it can be performed right at your stable. The downtime is nil. When the flocking is compressed or the saddle you are using is foam filled, you might want to consider a complete reflock in which the seat and panels are separated and the panels are filled with new wool. This is generally completed back at the shop and followed up with a fitting.

        If the signs and symptoms are ignored or band-aided, they will result in severe problems that will equate to a loss of riding time. As stated earlier, padding may not be a bad choice, but keep in mind that, in many cases, it is a consumer choice and what looks like it might feel good to us, might not be the answer for your horse. More than once, the consumer has been reeled in by miraculous claims!

Quick Check��10 proven steps
Have your horse stand as square as you can.

Click on the button to the right that says "Ten Points" to review the 10 Steps In Proper Saddle Fit.

        In checking saddle fit correctly, the saddle fitter should take wither and back tracings for later comparison. They should check the saddle in a static state following all the steps above. Most importantly, to insure a correct fit, the fitter should encourage the rider to be on and make a dynamic assessment.

        When the horse is at rest, the back is in a totally different state than during work. What can be observed while the horse is in motion can be invaluable.

This article was written by Mike Scott, long time human and equine massage therapist. Mike is originally from Massachusetts but relocated to SC 3 years ago. Mike still travels frequently to MA. and FL for clinics, fittings and massage.

To contact Mike, email:  [email protected] or [email protected]

Telephone: (803) 424-1887

For more info on the MSA saddle fitting program, go to www.mastersaddlers.com