Archive for the ‘Saddles’ Category

Does saddle fitting leave you baffled?  It’s so frustrating trying to find a saddle that fits just right…especially a western saddle.  My friend Karen is putting together a Saddle fitting video series that I’m really excited about.

But before the video comes out, she is offering a free report that shows what to look for when buying a saddle.  So many people tell you to find a saddle that fits you, and then fit the horse.  But Karen Krueger explains how important it is to make sure to fit the horse first.

Karen explains that many horses that misbehave are really reacting to pain from either saddle or pain in their body from compensating.

I know when I don’t have my saddle in the exact right place on my horse, he lets me know!

But her free ebook is really great…and I recommend that you head over to her site and sign up to be on her notification list for the DVD’s and then get the free gift.

Just so you know, Karen is a certified Equine Body Worker and has seen so many horses with sore backs from ill fitting saddles.  And many of her clients didn’t know their saddles were crooked.  And what’s really interesting is Karen shows you that by taking pictures, you can see a whole lot more than with the naked eye in a store.

I really recommend her free book, Introduction To Saddle Fitting Guide and look for the shocking photos of her saddles!

Until next time…have a great one!

“Does Your Horse Buck? Rear? Bite When Saddled?

Then Your Saddle Probably Doesn’t Fit!”

A saddle that doesn’t fit can make a horse uncomfortable and can even hurt him.

It can give your horse back pain and stiffness and it can eventually lead to lower leg lameness.  Here are a few tips you can use to check the saddle you use on your own horse to make sure it isn’t causing any harm.

First, take a moment just to look at how the saddle fits your horse overall.  Look at it from the side and from the back and try to determine if it conforms to the shape of the horse’s back.  Since some horses are fat and wide and some are skinny and narrow, and since some have straight backs and some have sway backs you absolutely must be sure to use a saddle that drapes over and wraps around the horse without pressing down too much in any one spot.

In saddles, one size does not fit all.

Next, look at the front of the saddle.  It should be completely behind the shoulder blades.  If it is too far forward it will hamper your horse’s shoulder movement and this will probably cause head tossing and stumbling, and if not corrected could cause cinch sores or even scar tissue to form behind the shoulder blades.  Then take a look at the pommel.  There should be a big enough space under it so that you can put two or three fingers between it and the horse’s withers.  This applies english and western saddles.

So many times I have seen riders put their English saddle right up on top of the shoulder blades.  This is wrong.  That will inhibit the movement of the shoulders which you need to have when riding dressage or jumping.

Then check the seat to be sure that it is setting level from side to side.  And then look at the cantle.  It should be level with, or just a bit higher than the pommel.  Then check the panels under the saddle.  They should touch the horse all the way from front to back as much as possible.  Sometimes when you get into the saddle your weight will help the panels to snug up to the horse.  Then look at the saddle skirt.  It must not dig into the horse’s hip bones.

When fitting the saddle to the horses back…sweep your hand up under the saddle, without the pad, to feel for any bridging, or gaps under the saddle and the back of the horse.   Most sore backs come from a saddle that is too small or too narrow.

Having a saddle that’s too big can cause problems too by sitting down right on top of the withers.   One good thing to remember is that if a saddle is too narrow it will keep trying to tilt back.  If it is too wide it will tilt forward.

The shape of a horse’s back will change over time as it ages and gains or loses weight.  A good saddle maker can often modify your saddle to respond to these gradual changes so that it keeps fitting right but sometimes you just might need to get a new saddle.

Go Here to Find Good Used and NEW SADDLES

“Step by Step How To Fit A Saddle For Any Discipline”

I watched this film two or three times.  She shows you exactly how to fit the saddle and how each horse is physically different.

If you are looking for a new or used saddle, I found a great place to buy saddles.

Buy Used Saddles Here

“How to know if your saddle fits your horse”

With a good quality saddle and a variety of saddle pads, you should be able to ride many horses of the same physical type with a single saddle.

Such a saddle should comfortably clear a horse’s withers, allow for free movement of the shoulders, be the proper length and shape for its back, and be well balanced to provide good weight distribution.  Always check to see if  the tree is straight. You can tell when it is sitting on the rack…it will want tip sideways if  the tree is crooked.

If you ride horses of different breeds or significantly different sizes, then you’ll need to invest in multiple saddles.

Wondering whether your saddle fits your horse?

Below are 7 potential signs of a poorly fitting saddle. If you’re seeing any of these signs with your horse, you should take another look at how your saddle fits.

1. White hairs. White hairs showing up in the saddle area can be a sign of poor fit. Over time pressure points can cause the hairs to loose pigment.

2. Dry spots. When you take off your saddle and pad after a long ride, what you want to see is an even wet pattern across the horse’s back. Dry spots can be a sign of pressure points.

3. Sores or galls. In the saddle area, sores and galls can be a sign of several problems: a poorly fitting saddle, a poorly adjusted saddle, or poor quality cinches.

4. Rolling or rocking from side to side. A saddle that rolls to the side or rocks from side to side can be either a sign of poor fit or a sign of a rider who isn’t balanced in the saddle.

5. Tipping up in back. Tipping is generally a pretty straight forward sign of a poorly fitting saddle and is usually cause by saddle tree bars with the wrong rocker and twist (angles) to fit the back of the horse.

6. Hindered movement by the horse. Restricted horse movement is a more difficult sign to detect and usually takes a more advanced rider to notice the difference in the way a horse moves under different saddles. A saddle that restricts a horse’s shoulders will often impact how freely it moves out.

7. General crankiness under saddle. Many saddle problems are commonly misdiagnosed as behavior or attitude problems. Put yourself in your horse’s place. How happy are you when you’re wearing shoes that are one size too small?

Saddle fit isn’t an exact science. It takes some savvy to determine whether or not you have a good fit. These 7 Signs of a Poor Fit are a good first step in building your saddle fit savvy.

I know it can be a challenge to get a good fit for your horse. But I have found that each horse is slightly different in their back, and they really should have their own saddle. For a great selection of new and used saddles Click Here