How do I Know if it Fits?
The topic of discussion is determining whether your saddle fits. A very common question we are asked at the Cayuse Shop is how do I know if my saddle fits? The tricky part about deciphering saddle fitting is saddles that are too wide can leave the same indicators as saddles that are too narrow; i.e. white hairs. White hairs are your number one indicator that something about your saddle is not fitting. What we want to help you conclude is, is it because it is too wide or too narrow. Before we discuss wide versus narrow we need to make sure we are approaching saddle fit the same. When fitting western saddles you always want to fit with a pad because you will always ride with a pad. We recommend using at least a 3/4" pad for the best shock absorption and overall fit. The type of saddle pad and thickness will effect your saddle fit, thus it is important to fit with the pad you are going to ride with. Another key factor to saddle fitting is to girth the saddle down. This will help you to determine if the saddle is making the correct contact. Once the saddle is padded and girth we can begin to determine if the saddle fits, too wide or too narrow.
Though saddles that are too wide and too narrow can leave the same identifying marks there are a few definitive clues that will help you decide if your saddle is too wide or too narrow. One of the best clues to determine if your saddle is too wide is the saddle falls down in the front and/or pops up in the back. If this happens you'll find the saddle is pinching and you are unable to place your hand between the body and saddle pad. The contact can be snug but you should be able to feel where the tree is making contact in relation to the body of your horse. If you are not able to place your hand between the body, saddle pad and saddle you are probably dealing with a saddle that is too wide. As a result the saddle is dipping in the front and pinching the horse’s wither area. A direct result of this pinching can be white hairs, shorter strides and muscle atrophy. Saddles that dip down in the front have no body supporting the tree thus it allows the saddle to fall down on top of the withers and pinch. If you continue to go to a wider tree the saddle will continue to fall more and more. If you take a saddle with a narrower tree you will quickly see the saddle is no longer dipping in the front but in fact sitting right where you want. You will thus achieve the best contact points and weight distribution. The horse’s body determines the tree not the breed of horse. When the body design and tree design match, the correct contact points are being achieved your saddle will be fitting correctly.
Another common problem with saddles that are too wide is the saddle slips back. Saddles that are too wide are not making the correct contact on the body and as a result the saddle will slip back as you ride. The saddle will continue to slip until it can find contact which results in the saddle pinching the horse. If you then put a narrower tree on the horse the saddle will stay in place since you are now making the correct contact points on the body. What you are ultimately looking for is equal weight distribution from front to back, the saddle sitting level and equal contact throughout the tree. When the saddle fit is correct the saddle will give a level presentation.
As for a saddle that is too narrow there are two main factors. The most noticeable sign is that the saddle is sitting “perchy” meaning it will be higher in the front (pommel) verses the back (cantle). The saddle will never appear to give you the “sit” down look. The number two sign is that the saddle has no stability, the saddle will move forward towards the horse’s neck. When these two factors are combined you are too narrow. When feeling between the saddle, pad and horses body you will find there is too much space in the front with increased contact towards the back. The contact point will be too far back and thus the saddle moves forward.
Discovering if the saddle is too narrow or too wide is the first part of determining if your saddle fits. The next piece of the puzzle is determining what kind of saddle tree will best fit your horse. In today’s market there are many more determining factors to saddle fit. You must consider all the different size gullets and tree angles on the market. Your gullet and combination of bar have the determining factor if your saddle is going to fit. Next issue will be Western Saddle fitting – What’s the best tree for my horse?
