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WESTERN
SADDLE FITTING FOR THE RIDER
You
should be able to comfortably sit between the
pommel (or fork) and the cantle of the saddle
without feeling as though you are being
"pushed forward" in the seat by the
cantle. On the other hand you wouldn't want the
seat so big that you feel as though you are not
supported properly.
An
important factor in properly fitting a saddle
for the rider is to make sure you can obtain
proper leg length with the saddle fenders. You
should be able to comfortably reach the stirrups
with your legs slightly bent. If they are too
long you are likely to feel insecure in the
saddle as well unbalanced while riding the
horse. This can result in injury should you fall
from the horse. Ensuring proper length makes it
easier to stay in the saddle should the horse
suddenly jump, run, or buck unexpectedly.
WESTERN
SADDLE FITTING FOR THE HORSE
Check
the fit of any western saddle by first placing
it on your horse's back without a pad, and look
at the overall picture: does it look too big or
too long for the horse? Too small? Any saddle
that immediately looks out of proportion
probably is not a good fit for any of several
reasons. Check the gullet to be sure it's not
resting on or too near the horse's withers, and
remember that your weight in the saddle will
settle it down at least 1/2 inch. The panels,
which are the fleece-covered portion underneath,
should smoothly match the angle of your horse's
shoulder. If you try to slip your hand under the
bars of the saddle from the front, you should
feel a uniform snugness from the top, near the
gullet, to the points of the tree which are
about halfway down the saddle. If the top feels
tight but there is room for your hand to slide
in an inch or two down, the tree is probably too
wide for your horse. On the other hand, if there
is space showing on the panels above your
horse's withers and it feels like a tight
squeeze a few inches down, the tree is probably
too narrow.
While
there is not complete uniformity in the
definitions of terms for tree size, most
manufacturers of western saddles will sell
saddles with semi-quarter or full-quarter horse
bars. Semi-quarter trees, also known as regular
or standard trees, will fit most stock-type
horses with fairly prominent withers and average
shoulders. Shorter, stockier horses with minimal
withers and very round shoulders often require
full-quarter, or wide, trees. These trees are
generally built the same as semi-quarter trees,
but with a wider gullet to accommodate a wider
shoulder. Some saddle-makers also make Arab
trees, which are typically built narrow in the
gullet to fit over a smaller spine, and are
flatter in the bars to better fit very
round-barreled horses.
The
saddle's front skirt should rest far enough back
that it does not interfere with the movement of
the shoulder, and the seat should be centered
and balanced. A saddle that tips up in front may
be positioned too far forward, or it may be too
narrow. If it tips up in back, it's probably too
wide. At the rear, the skirt should stop at
least two inches in front of the point of the
hip, to avoid rubbing as the horse moves
forward.
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