Busting Myths 5 - Contact Of The Saddle

 

There are many myths that have been going around with regards to saddlery and the use thereof. In this series of posts, I endeavour to show most of them are without foundations and can, in some cases, be the opposite of the actual facts.

 

Pictured right is author Kay Hastilow, Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter.

 

When a saddle fitter fits a saddle to a horse you will see them run their hands between the horse and the saddle’s bearing area. This is to check that the pressures are even throughout its length and that there are no hollows or tight spots (which would be adjusted before continuing on to riding in the saddle). You will notice that this is done before girthing up and getting a rider on board and we do not check here again once the rider is seated in the saddle.

It annoys saddle fitters intensely when a riding instructor or friend feels down the front of the saddle with the rider on board and pronounces that ‘the saddle is too tight. Look – I can’t get my hand through here!’ I would be extremely worried if they could as the front of the saddle beneath the tree points (in common with the rest of the panel) should be supporting and distributing the weight and pressures evenly from the rider and saddle. If you can run your hand down under the tree point area with a rider on then the panel isn’t doing its intended job and the saddle must be being supported somewhere else, in this case usually by the stirrup bars and girth webs which is already the area of highest pressure from the saddle. This can increase the pressures to such an extent that the horse’s comfort and ability to perform will be severely compromised.

Sometimes we see horses with prominent shoulders and if the saddle is of a straighter cut, say VSD or dressage it will look as if the saddle is buried in the back of the shoulder, but this not the case. The saddle could well be resting on the rib cage and comfortably padded by the panels as we wish, but the protruding shoulders give a false impression. So long as the shoulders aren’t restricted by the saddle in movement, this is perfectly acceptable.

SMS Qualified Saddle fitters strive to get an even pressure throughout the bearing area of the saddle and the proof that we achieve this is in much of the research work using the Pliance pressure testing system to a strict protocol. There is far more to correctly fitting a saddle than many people realise, so if your fitter is SMS qualified and is working in a thorough and professional manner, please believe them when they say that the fit is as it should be.

 

Understanding more about saddles and saddle fitting, has the potential to help you improve your horse's comfort, performance and also long-term soundness and you can now do that whenever fits into your busy lifestyle.

With online training now credibly established as 'the new normal', Kay's highly acclaimed and informative 2-part video series continues to sell around the world since its launch in 2019. Aptly titled Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers, the two videos distil her 50 years of experience into over an hour of what is an unrivalled go-to resource for all Riders and Trainers interested in saddles and saddle fitting.
Watch a brief trailer and buy securely online for unlimited streaming or downloading to your device at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow