Saddle is Supportive arrangement for a rider or any cargo/load,

fixed firmly to an animal's back by a belt.

Now saddles come with variety of styles, intended for a

specific riding discipline

First, the horse you are evaluating should be standing squarely on

level ground. Then without a pad, place the saddle correctly on

the horse’s back. This should be 1” to 3” behind the back of the

shoulder blade for an English saddle, and slightly overlapping the

shoulder on a Western saddle. While a Western saddle tree is

longer and often overlaps the back of the shoulder blade by

several inches, a properly fitting one should still allow free

movement of the shoulder.

On an English saddle, lift up the flaps of the saddle

and look for the points of the tree. On most saddles

you can see what looks like a leather pocket. Inside

this pocket, under the leather, lie the points of the

saddle. This is the end of the front of the tree. The

Western tree is easier to locate since it is only hidden

by sheepskin underneath and leather on top.

Apply some pressure to simulate having a rider in the saddle.

Place a flat hand into the front of the tree. Run it from the top of

the tree angle to the bottom, checking for equally consistent

pressure. Check both sides of your horse because your horse

may be different on each side. An English tree has more give to

it, so a little bridging may go away when a rider is aboard. But a

Western saddle tree should have no give. If a Western bridges

without the rider, it will bridge with one. This will cause pain to

your horse as the tree displaces all a rider’s weight to the front

and back of the tree only.

On most English saddles, the cantle is designed to sit 1” - 2”

higher than the pommel. Most Western saddles are designed so

that the pommel and cantle are roughly even.

If the front is higher in either type of saddle, the tree may be too

narrow. Likewise, if the front is too low the tree may be too wide.

Whether a saddle sits a little high or low in front or back, a properly

fitting saddle should always have a level flat spot in the seat so

that the rider is not fighting the seat to stay balanced on their

horse.

With the saddle correctly placed on the horse's back, look for the

lowest point of the seat. In most cases, this is a level area centered

between the pommel (the front) and the cantle (the back). This is the

ideal position because it allows a rider to sit comfortably balanced

and effectively deliver seat and leg aids without shifting rider weight

to the front or back of the tree.

When the flat spot is too far back, or worse – there is no flat spot,

instead the seat looks like a wide ‘V’ – the rider tips back toward the

cantle, shifting all their weight to the back of the panels or bars. This

causes the horse to hollow his back. If the saddle's center is too far

forward, the rider slides toward the pommel and feels out of balance.

With no rider in the saddle you should be able to fit three fingers

into the gullet space between the bottom of the pommel and the

horse's withers without feeling cramped.

As long as the tree angle fits, if there isn't sufficient room, a saddle

fitter may be able to add flocking to an English saddle or shims to a

Western saddle to ensure that the saddle clears the horse's

withers.

Look down the gullet—the part that sits above the tree or panels—

from the front and from the rear, if you can. The gullet should clear

the entire length of the horse's spine by 2” - 3”.

With no pad, cinch up the saddle and check for

excessive movement side to side. Look at the

saddle from all angles to make sure the gullet

lines up with the topline of the horse. Horses may

be asymmetrical and so might a saddle. Closely

check to make sure any unevenness is not

causing an issue with this horse-saddle

combination.

The weight-bearing surface of a saddle should be

from 2" behind the shoulder blades to the point

where the last rib meets the spine. To find this point

(known as T18), locate the last rib and follow it up

to the spine. If the saddle sits behind this point, it

will rest on the lumbar region--the weakest part of a

horse's back--where it can cause injury.

Every horse is inherently honest. No horse ever lies about

saddle fit, so listen to him. He will tell you whether he is

comfortable by his movements and actions. This is the acid

test of saddle fitting.

A horse that moves freely, calmly, without hesitation or rushing

is probably wearing a saddle that fits him correctly. Most

horses show an immediate, dramatic change in disposition

and movement when an ill-fitting saddle is fixed or replaced

with one that fits well.

Source: http://www.saddlesthatfit.com/EleentsOfFit.htm

SaddleOnline, Inc.http://www.saddleonline.com/

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tom@saddleonline.com(800) 967-2335