Why Rider Balance Affects Comfort and Performance

Kay Hastilow assessing a horse's conformation and back
during a saddle fitting appointment.

I am constantly amazed that riders (and often trainers) are oblivious it seems, to the importance of the balance of the saddle. If they are aware of this, there are some rather weird ideas as to how to see if the balance is correct. Apparently, you can ‘put a cotton reel on the seat and it should stay in the centre’. Oh yeah! This takes no account of how the horse reacts when the rider gets on.

He may drop his back, in which case the saddle, previously thought to be ‘level’ will be tipping back.  When he is actually working, he may well ‘lift his back’ into the saddle, and it would then be tipping forward. Funnily enough, both faults will make the rider tip forward as the rider attempts to prevent themselves from getting left behind, often bracing their lower back in an effort to stay upright. Sore backs (with the rider) commonly result from this. 

I find that the best way for a rider or trainer to see if the balance is correct is to ride the horse so that he is warmed up and going as you expect and then have someone take a film of this. You can freeze frame it on side views to see, does the saddle look level? Is it tipping back , so that the rider is tipping forward in an effort to stay upright? Is the saddle tipping ‘downhill’, with the rider probably sticking their legs out forward and bracing themselves to stay ‘in position’?

It is easy to put a temporary pad under the front or back of the saddle to try and balance it and ride with it like this to see if there is an improvement in the rider’s position. If the results are good, then contact your qualified saddle fitter to correct this for you. It might be necessary to use adjusting pads to get the result that you want, and I would suggest that trainers should have a multi adjustable pad, such as the Prolite thin multi adjuster pad with them when teaching, as correctly balancing the saddle will greatly improve their pupil’s position.

Visit Kay Hastilow's website to find out more - www.khsaddlery.co.uk - where you will find links to her expert series of educational films about all aspects of saddle fitting.