My two new videos, appropriately titled Saddle Fitting Know
How - For Riders and Trainers, follow a globally successful series of eight
videos for professional saddle fitters and those training for a career in
saddle fitting released in 2017. That series continues to sell around the world
today, to individuals, colleges and other organisations with involvement in
training saddle fitters.
I have spent more
than 50 years working with saddles and fitting them to horses and ponies.
Having now retired from actively fitting saddles, I am focused on
sharing what I’ve learnt to help develop knowledge and understanding of what
goes into achieving a correct saddle fit and feel that video enables me to do
that much more effectively than would be possible in a book. I have enjoyed the
project immensely and am delighted with early feedback from those who have
already bought the videos.
Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers is
available as two videos for unlimited download or streaming from my own Vimeo
On Demand page for a one-off charge of just £35 per video – that’s less than
the cost of a good quality saddlecloth!
World
–renowned Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter Kay Hastilow has launched an
informative 2-part video series distilling her 50 years of experience into what
is an unrivalled resource for all Riders and Trainers interested in Saddles and
Saddle Fitting.
Saddle
Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers is available as two videos for unlimited
download or streaming from Kay’s own Vimeo On Demand page for a one-off charge
of just £35 per video – less than the cost of a good quality saddlecloth!
The first video looks at Conformation and Movement of the
Horse, Types of Tree and their Influence, Different Panels and the Position of
Girth Straps.
The second video explains How to Assess a Saddle for
Soundness, Straightness and Safety, Recognising a Good Fit, the Balance of a
Saddle, When Saddles Move and finally, Rider Influences.
The content of these
videos allow for a huge amount of information on expert Saddle Fitting Know
How. The feed-back I have received to date has been extremely positive.
Obviously you like their use of clever graphics and clear explanations. This leads
me to believe that they are a ‘go-to’ resource, one that you’ll view again and
again.
Whilst you are here, do watch the short trailer below for my two-part video series specifically for Riders and Trainers ...
Kay Hastilow’s Saddle Fitting Know How For Riders and Trainers is a two
part video series, giving a fascinating, practical insight into saddles, correct fit and common problems.
It has given me great pleasure to see that now, in the UK,
the majority of caring horse owners get their saddle professionally
fitted.Many are also good at having the
fit checked on a regular basis, but often the thought stops there. Some will
also look at their girth, look at current research and make wise choices.
However many, perhaps too many will think that they don't really need to
consider this, nor the bridle, nor the bit or any other piece of the equipment that
we use on our horses. Let’s take a look at other factors that contribute to your
horse’s comfort.
Bridles have changed out of all recognition, some of the
designs carefully researched, with a lot of research & development (R&D) having taken place. Some less
so, and some positively awful. Old style bridles really don't fit modern horses
unless they have been made to measure.Arab horses, warmbloods and thoroughbreds have been used to develop the
horses that we ride now and of course, the shape of their heads have changed with
these different breed influences. If you are buying an ‘off the peg’ standard
bridle, you may well find that the headpiece is too short over the head and in
the throat, cheek pieces will be too long, browbands will be up to 2” (5cm) too
short, nosebands too small around the face but too long in the head parts. These
are the sizes used 50 or 100 years ago, which some of the manufacturers, who
rarely if ever look at a horse, have continued to make, believing that they will
be a good fit.
The thing is to look for research, good, repeatable and
repeated research, not just a snapshot of some of the research undertaken, as
it’s possible to make this show what ever you want. You need to ask what
protocols were followed to assess the value of the claims made for products.
I saw a horse recently that wouldn’t turn left, was throwing
saddle and rider left and was being very naughty. It had a modern continental bridle
on that was strapped up as tight as the owner could do it as he had little
control of the horse when jumping. A good rider by the way, and a good horse. In
hand the horse moved straight and there were no obvious signs of lameness or
gait asymmetry (a vet was in attendance). I changed the bridle to a conventional
bridle with a high ring grackle noseband. Certainly not a perfect fit but much
better than the modern bridle and within 20 metres the horse had relaxed and
stopped fighting his rider. Within 15 minutes he was as soft as you could wish.
The saddle still moved a little left, but nowhere near as badly. I found a way
to keep it straight by altering the way the girth straps were used whilst the
vet investigates to see if she can find any underlying problems. Meanwhile, he
is doing really well in his high-grade jumping classes and is a much happier
horse.
Nosebands!! PLEASE stop using flash nosebands. If you look
at current research with regard to the TMJ (tempero-mandibular joint) and the nerves in the face, you will
see that flash nosebands inflict high pressures in all of the wrong places.
Research by Fairfax Saddles showed that the best nosebands to use were a drop
(yes, that surprised me as well), the high ring grackle or a cavesson, in that
order. Good, solid research. It’s worth listening to.
Girths come in many shapes and sizes. One even has elastic
bands (vacuum cleaner type) within its construction! There are some excellent
options available with solid research to back up their design, but some are
apparent copies of these girths, with their purchasers failing to appreciate
that although they are similar in shape, key components of the successfully
tested design have been missed out. You haven’t bought ‘a copy’ of this or that
girth. You have bought an inferior product in many ways.
Many of you will know that I detest the use of elastic in
girths. One thing that we know about horses is that they like the saddle to be
stable as they find it easier to maintain their own and your balance with a stable
platform between the two participants. It is therefore unhelpful to add elastic
to a girth, especially at one end only. The latter will just encourage the
saddle to move away from the elasticated side, so making the saddle unstable.
Both sides with elastic risk destabilizing the saddle completely, unless of
course you have tightened the girth up so much that the elastic is at maximum
stretch. In that case, the girth will have been over-tightened anyway, so what
is the point of the elastic? If you watch a horse breathing after exercise you
will note that almost all of the rib expansion, such as it is, takes place further
back from the girth and that expansion in the girth area is miniscule. You
really aren’t helping the horse with this in any way. Most of all, with girths
think of any unintended consequences that could come about because of the girth
that you use.
Girth sleeves. Great for keeping the girth clean but in many
cases, these are made from synthetic
fleece which can heat up and cause a rash on the skin. If made of real
sheepskin they can make the horse sweat more than usual in this area and these
can be harder to keep clean.The synthetic fleece sleeves also tend to twist around making pressure
points. I have found a stretchy towelling sleeve the best of those that I have
tried over the years.
Whilst you are here, do watch the short trailer below for my two-part video series specifically for Riders and Trainer
Kay Hastilow’s Saddle Fitting Know How For Riders and Trainers is a two
part video series, giving a fascinating, practical insight into saddles, correct fit and common problems.
Q.What is the difference between a saddler and
a saddle fitter?
A.A Qualified
saddler is a skilled craftsman who can sit at a bench and make saddles, bridles
or other items of leatherwork. A saddler (referred to in the trade as a bench
saddler) might have absolutely no knowledge of how a saddle should fit,
nor recognise good or bad fit.
A saddle fitter understands how the saddle should fit, will
understand which tree, panel design and girth strap arrangement is needed for
each individual horse and why, and how well the saddle fits for the rider.
However, they might have no bench skills and so not be able to make, nor to
adjust an existing saddle to fit the horse.
The finest saddle fitters have both the skills of a saddler
and a saddle fitter. Ideally, they will also be horsemen and be able to ride,
but this is not always the case.
Q. Why is good saddle
fit important?
A. We need the saddle
to give us security, balance and position and all of this will help the horse
to perform to the best of his ability, be it in competition or out hacking. If his
saddle is uncomfortable (or in some cases downright painful), we shouldn’t be
surprised if our horse is less than enthusiastic or blatantly naughty when we
ride him.
Q. What should we
look for in a good saddle fitter?
A. The Society of Master Saddlers has been training and
assessing saddle fitters to Qualified Saddle Fitter (QSF) qualification since
1995, so has more experience in this field than other qualification awarding
bodies. If the fitter is good, you may well have to wait up to six weeks for a
visit, but he or she will be worth waiting for.
Q. Where can you find
out about good saddle fitters?
A. The Society of Master Saddlers website has all of the
qualified fitters listed by county. There are symbols to show what
qualifications each holds, so that you can see if the fitter is also a
qualified saddler. Whilst there are other fitters, both with or without
qualifications out there, the SMS QSF gives you an assurance that the fitter
knows what is what, and you have the Society to turn to if you have any
problems.
Q. How often should I
get my saddle fitted?
A. It rather depends on the age and breed of your horse and
the work that they are doing. Young horses especially, from being backed at three
to being in a regular routine by the age of six to nine, can change a great
deal in a very short space of time. I have seen horses change by more than a
width fitting in a matter of weeks. For this age group, every three to four months
is ideal. Older horses can change dramatically as well, so four to six months
for them.
A middle-aged horse with a regular stable routine and in
regular work will need checking once every six months, but if the horse has
changes to his routine, such as eventers, hunters, or horses kept in during the
winter but turned out to grass 24/7 in the summer, they will need more regular
visits.
Of course, ANY horse showing discomfort or changes in their
way of going should have the saddle checked as soon as possible.
Q. What should I look
for in a good saddle fit?
A. Ask the horse! He should not go to the back of the stable
when you walk in with the saddle. The saddle should just slide into place on
the horse’s back and want to stay in the right position. When ridden in, the
saddle should be level so that you do not need to lean forward to maintain your
balance. It should be stable, not lifting or bouncing at the back. There should
be sufficient clearance to the top and sides of the spine right through the
length of the saddle so that there is no pressure from the saddle anywhere in this
area. Note, we do not say 2/3/4 fingers, as this can be very misleading. The
tree of the saddle (shorter than the panel) should not go beyond T18 (the
position of the last rib), although it is okay if the panel extends beyond here
by an inch or so. The panel should be smooth and giving, not hard and lumpy.
There should be an even contact between the saddle and the horse’s back.
Q. How can I tell if
my saddle needs checked?
A. If your horse does not seem happy to be tacked up, or is
not going as freely and as well as normal, this might indicate discomfort. If
you are finding it difficult to sit still or in balance, or you feel as if you
are going to be tipped forward or back, this will indicate that the saddle is
out of balance. Get a friend to film you riding and look to see if you are
riding in a good position, legs in the right place and that you are upright.
It is good practice to measure your horse’s girth each week,
especially when the grass starts coming through, or in the middle of winter. Measure
in centimetres (all weight tapes have this measurement, and it will be the same
whichever tape you use, whereas the weights shown will differ) A gain or loss of
5 cm. is roughly equivalent to 40 kg. weight change, which can totally alter
the way the saddle is fitting. A 3 cm. change will signify the need to get the
saddle fitter in to check.
Q. What affects
saddle fit?
A. This
could be a long list!
Putting the saddle too far forward.
(My pet bug bear)
Using very thick numnahs or pads with
a saddle fitted using something thinner.
Different girths.
Using different girth straps (say 1
& 2 rather than 1 & 3)
Uneven stirrup leathers.
Weight gain or loss. (time of year)
Change in the type or level of work.
A different rider.
Lameness.
Injury.
Crooked riders.
Riders carrying an injury.
I could go
on…….
Whilst you're here...
Can you answer these Saddle Fitting Questions? Every rider and trainer should be able to answer ... can you? Watch Saddle Fitting Know How for Riders & Trainers now!
Kay Hastilow’s Saddle Fitting Know How For Riders and Trainers is a two
part video series, giving a fascinating, practical insight into saddles, correct fit and common problems.
Available to stream and download anytime, each video costs just £35 and together, will provide a
reference source that you’ll want to re-visit time and time again. Watch the short trailer above.
I have spent more
than 50 years working with saddles and fitting them to horses and ponies.
Having now retired from actively fitting saddles, I am focused on
sharing what I’ve learnt to help develop knowledge and understanding of what
goes into achieving a correct saddle fit and feel that video enables me to do
that much more effectively than would be possible in a book. I have enjoyed the
project immensely and am delighted with early feedback from those who have
already bought the videos.
The content of these
videos allow for a huge amount of information on expert Saddle Fitting Know
How. The feed-back I have received to date has been extremely positive.
Obviously you like their use of clever graphics and clear explanations. This leads
me to believe that they are a ‘go-to’ resource, one that you’ll view again and
again.
