Why Saddle Fitting is Not a Magical Cure for Chronic Issues in the Horse

For this post Kay Hastilow welcomes Guest Blogger Rachael Argo, who like Kay, is a Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter. Originally from Scotland, Rachael now lives and works in Portugal.

This is an article I have been debating about writing for some time. After more than 20 years of saddle fitting, I have seen so many horses set up for failure by owners who have chosen the wrong route and ended up with chronically lame or injured horses. 

These horses’ working lives have been cut short needlessly for various reasons, some of which include lack of knowledge, not having access to a team of professionals who are familiar with equine rehabilitation, not following good advice from knowledgeable professionals, wanting to ride at all costs, being in too much of a hurry and not ensuring the horse was ready and fit to ride, costs and sadly sometimes just not wanting the hassle of rehabilitating their horse.

I cannot count the number of times I have been called out to assess saddle fit on horses because they have problems. Perhaps the horse’s performance has diminished, he has behavioural issues, the rider is slipping to one side and so on.

In most cases there I have found that poor saddle fit has played a part in the overall issues. In most cases there are also other issues underlying, for example, pain, mental distress from pain, arthritis in joints, soft tissue injury, poor hoof balance, teeth problems, poor bridle fit and bitting, riding techniques that are detrimental to the horse, use of gadgets like draw reins, pessoas etc. The easy part to alter is the saddle and bridle fit and the bit. These can be changed quickly to more appropriate tack that halts the cycle of re-injury that occurs each time the horse wears the tack.

HOWEVER this is where it gets more challenging. Once the offending tack has been changed to more suitable tack the owner often believes that all is now good, the problem will now magically disappear and the horse can resume not just normal work but actually increase the work because that is what the owner wants.

WRONG. WRONG. I say this over and over.

I cannot emphasise enough just how false this idea is. I can, and have, repeated this statement hundreds of times and yet I still have clients that it is not getting through to.

It is common to find horses that have had poorly fitted tack for a year, two years, ten years. A horse cannot have poorly fitted tack for any length of time without sustaining chronic injury and a resulting alteration of his gaits ie he will adapt his movement to try and minimise the damage to his body. It is not a big jump for rational people to make the connection that this change in gait will affect the horse’s whole body, his muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones. To simplify this concept the horse now has excess wear and tear on his whole body, he is suffering from chronic long term pain and injury. So WHY is he immediately expected to get back to full work and be sound????

If an athlete had been running for a year in badly fitting shoes and had gradually lost their speed and endurance and started to have pain and injuries, you would not simply give them new shoes and expect them to immediately to go back to running and to perform at a higher level than before with only a couple of days off and one physiotherapy or osteopathy treatment. You would expect months of careful and slow rehabilitation to re-educate the body. The ‘wrong’ muscles would need to diminish and the right muscles would have to be slowly built up. All of the soft tissue would need time to adapt to a new way of moving and be allowed to develop to support the joints. All of that is assuming that a long time of moving unevenly or in a less than optimal way had not caused skeletal damage. If there was bone damage, then a whole different approach would need to be taken. In all cases a thorough medical assessment would have to be undertaken to see exactly what damage was apparent before a successful rehabilitation programme could be developed.

So why is it different for horses? Why is it a common belief that changing the saddle will fix all of the problems with just a session or two of complimentary therapy treatment? And when it does not solve the complex plethora of problems and the horse starts to lose performance or the saddle slips to one side the saddle fitter is summoned to ‘fix’ the saddle because it ‘doesn’t fit’. And when they ask the question ‘Did you get your vet to come and do a work up to check for pain and lameness?’ the answer is usually ‘no’.

My best guess as to why this happens is that owners cannot believe the horse could have profound and far reaching injuries because they are not on three legs or bucking riders off.  The horse has learned to ‘cope’ with the chronic pain and injury because he has to and it is his nature as a prey animal. It is also that the rider can see the saddle and bridle. They are tangible objects and often changes in the horse come after a saddle fit therefore the saddle or bridle must be to blame.

Most times we already have the information that the horse has always thrown a saddle to one side or not picked up one canter lead or not been able to bend one way. The situation gets worse after the saddle is changed because the horse is being asked to change his entire way of going. He has to carry the rider in a different place, a different balance, and he is simply not equipped to do so at that moment. Because he is a horse and they are generally very accommodating animals, they will often try for their riders. In some cases the horse may feel better straight away because the saddle is no longer pinching so he may go a bit better initially. Often the owner will misread the situation and take this as a sign that they can increase the horse’s work. Over a short time the horse will start to break under the strain. The first sign for the rider is often the saddle starting to slip more to one side. It is not the first sign of issues but it is often the first one the rider notices. (Recent research from Centaur Biomechanics and from S Dyson and D Pollard - The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram - has correlated saddle slip with hindlimb lameness) At this point the rider will do the 1+1 = 256. The saddle was changed, the horse is losing performance or saddle is slipping therefore the saddle fit is to blame.

How lovely it would be for all of us if a simple change of saddle could not only enhance the rider’s ability and make the horse feel better but it could miraculously undo all of the damage that has been done to the horse over the last year, five years etc. Sadly this is not true. The saddle fit is the first step to breaking the repeating cycle of damage. It is the first step on a long road of rehabilitating the horse. I always recommend that the horse be assessed by a vet and a qualified professional in whichever other modality the owner chooses to help the rehabilitation process.

Ideally the saddle should not go back on the horse until all of the rehab assessments and work are done. In some cases I will fit a saddle sooner than is ideal but with the caveat that the horse needs careful treatment and reintroduction to work. This is only in the case that I am a long way away from the client and know I cannot get back in the shorter term. In some cases I will refuse the saddle fit if the horse is obviously lame, thin, in pain etc. In other cases the horse does not appear to be too badly off and work is needed to help build up muscle and straighten the movement. When I hear the work has not only been resumed with no rehab involved, but has been increased and now the horse is really struggling, my heart sinks. In this case I will refuse to refit the saddle until the horse has been assessed and cleared for work by the vet. It will not make me popular but all equestrian professionals should be advocating for the horse and have a duty of care to tell the owner what the horse needs them to hear, not necessarily what the owner wants to hear. It is difficult for professionals to risk losing clients because they have to make money to live, but short term gain will be offset by long term loss if the horse becomes unfit to work.

So the next time your saddle slips or you are questioning why your horse is losing performance it is worth considering the bigger picture. Nothing happens in isolation and saddles can only go where the horse and rider put them. They cannot move on their own. Saddle fit issues can sometimes be the problem but more often they are an indicator of a much more complex problem. You need a team to get to the root cause and help formulate a plan to keep your horse healthy and sound.

 

 

Kay Hatilow Delivers Course at North American Saddle School in Maryland

As both a Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter, Kay Hastilow lectures around the globe and recently accepted an invitation to join the team delivering a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course for Advanced Saddle Fitting at the North American Saddle School in Clear Springs, Maryland. The topic was ‘Pain In The Ridden Horse’.

Kay reported after the busy programme; “I had a fantastic time helping to deliver this CPD for advanced saddle fitting, where the topic was 'Pain in the ridden horse'. 

“Sue Dyson very kindly allowed me to share her work 'Pain ethograms in the ridden horse' with the group, highlighting areas that are of particular relevance to saddle fitting.  It was well received; we all learned a lot and a vote of thanks was sent to Sue for her generosity in allowing us to share this work.

“Annette Gavin, the school's founder and partner, highly qualified in both knowledge and experience, spoke on various subjects relating to pain in the horse, discussing areas that can be affected, problems that can arise from conformation defects, injury, illness and of course, poorly fitting tack. We also had an excellent talk from Moira Nasbaum, a very experienced equine veterinarian who is a very engaging speaker.

“With Amber Markley, the other partner in the school, three horses were brought out for the candidates to study and comment on their confirmation,  along with possible problems that could arise from this. The school has a round pen and above it, a balcony where you can get an aerial view of the top of the horse. This shows asymmetry in quarters, hips, development either side of the spine, shoulders, neck and head.  Very illuminating.

Many other topics were covered including Social Licence to ride our horses and this led to lively discussion. The appreciative candidates (pictured above) certainly had plenty to think about on their journey home.

It was a real pleasure to be involved in such an informative and interesting course. Thank you N.A.S.S.”

 

Saddle Versus Back Length; Is It Such A Problem?

I am constantly being contacted by riders who have been told by a no doubt well-meaning expert in the ‘horse’s backs’ department, that their saddle is too long for the horse, will be causing the horse harm, and that they must buy a 16 ½” to keep within the T18 boundary. As often as not the rider is – well let’s just say 5’6” and 11 stone. Not big by anyone’s standard and probably considered to be a healthy height to weight ratio, yet for them to ride in most 16 ½” saddles would be extremely uncomfortable.

Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter Kay Hastilow looks at the reality around this increasingly discussed issue...

Perhaps you think that a rider should just put up with this, if it’s for the good of their horse, but is it beneficial? If the rider’s weight is concentrated over a smaller area, it will concentrate those pressures considerably and that certainly will cause pain and damage. In addition, If the rider is uncomfortable in the saddle, they will be constantly moving as they attempt to find somewhere to sit.

Let’s ignore for the moment that such excessive movement could well lead to rubs, bruising and sores and think beyond this. A horse is constantly trying to balance both themselves and you, the rider. Anyone that has ever backed a young horse will know how they move like a dyslexic spider initially as they try to balance both themselves and this strange thing on their back. Okay, they get it sorted, strengthen up and cope, but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t still re-balancing both of you. Every time the rider moves about trying to find a sweet spot, they are unbalancing the horse. He then must correct, repeatedly. This is unbelievably tiring as anyone who has ever carried a badly balanced, decent sized rucksack for any length of time can testify.

The position of T18 marked with tape

So, T18. Why is it considered to be the furthest back that a saddle can go? This is the point at which the last rib comes off the thoracic vertebra (pictured left) and is therefore considered (probably correctly) to be the last strong area of the back with regard to supporting weight. Beyond this are usually six lumbar vertebrae, which are not supported by the rib cage therefore unsupported beyond their length down the horse’s sides.

Let’s think initially about the saddle itself. Although the shape of the tree should conform to the shape of the horse’s back it is possible to make the seat much flatter, if necessary, by rasping down the cantle and webbing up tighter during manufacture. This will give you more area to sit on comfortably. You can also get broader seated trees which, provided the horse’s back can support that width, will give you yet more room.  Likewise, flaps can be cut longer and further forward to accommodate the rider’s legs. Especially useful for our taller riders who will otherwise find themselves sitting on the very back of the saddle whilst trying to find somewhere for their legs to go.

The balance of the saddle, always very important, is even more so with these horses as the rider will tend to be quite far back in the saddle, so tipping back, even slightly, could well lead to problems in the lumbar area. Please remember that a horse dynamic (moving), in this case ridden, will be a totally different shape than static so that a saddle that appears to be in balance static (I saw an eminent professor establishing this with a cotton reel once!) can change totally once the horse works. They don’t always lift either. Some lift, some drop and some stay the same. Because of this, no saddle fit where the horse is not ridden in that particular saddle is of any value whatsoever. It can all change in a moment with movement.   

Tree does not extend beyond T18

So far so good, but two very important factors have not yet been considered. The first is that the length of the saddle overall is not all completely weight bearing as, beyond the parameters of the tree there is little real downward pressure (Tree pictured right does not extend beyond T18). The panel will fold away from the back without the tree to keep the downward force. In many saddles, the area beyond the tree parameters at the back can extend for another 5cm, yet this area really is causing no trouble to the horse whatsoever (Saddle pictured below depicts this).

Panel can extend beyond tree and T18

Another factor to consider is that these horse experts rarely if ever see the horse ridden, and yet we know that just a slight change in outline when dynamic (moving) as opposed to static can lead to the area available to take a saddle increasing by up to 5 cm! 2 whole inches! Using laser measuring equipment we marked a horse at the point of the shoulder and just down from the vertebrae at T 18 and measured when standing and again when just encouraged into a more ridden outline. I think all were surprised at just how much different these measurements were - a full 5 cm initially and, with further measuring in other situations, this was repeated and repeatable; we even gained another 3.5 cm with a 23-year-old horse with a considerably dipped back. We really didn’t expect that.

So, what is taking place for this to happen? Certainly, the back itself isn’t lengthening – the thoracic vertebrae are tightly joined, and I doubt that you would get more that 1 cm in any circumstance, but the dorsal spinous processes? That’s a different matter and one can believe that these open as the horse ‘lifts his back’ as he works.

Now, as is self- evident I am no scientist, but I am very observant. I hope that you are as well and, having read this think ‘well, I could try that. Just use a tape measure with the horse relaxed and again with it more in an outline’.  You can also mark T18 with some tape, put your saddle on (neatly cut numnah so that you can see, not a huge saddle square) and you will probably be covering the tape. Then go and ride the horse and have someone film you. Almost certainly you will clearly see the tape.

Now that we know that the static horse is shorter in the back than the dynamic horse we can allow for a longer saddle, especially as we are aware that beyond the actual tree there is unlikely to be much pressure and we can therefore fit a saddle that is suitable for both horse and rider. In fact, in conversation with other saddle fitters, it seems that many of us believe it is better for the horse to have a saddle that, even considering the above information, is still a touch too long, but in which the rider is comfortable.

Fit with thought, fit with care but always fit with knowledge.

Like many riders and trainers, you've probably thought at some point that understanding more about saddles and saddle fitting would have the potential to help you improve your horse's comfort, performance and also long-term soundness - and not only are you right, you can now do that online, whenever and wherever fits into your busy lifestyle.

With online learning and training now much  more familiar to us all, 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. They contain a wealth of information that will be of practical relevance to everyone serious about improving their riding, competing with more success or at a higher level and for those whose career is focused on training riders to develop their horses correctly.
Watch a brief trailer and buy securely online for unlimited streaming or downloading to your device at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow

If you are working as a saddle fitter or in training for a career in saddle fitting, Kay's 8-part video series titled Fitting Saddles: The Essential Guide will support your learning and help you develop a more in-depth knowledge of the subject and include invaluable insights into running a successful business as an SMS qualified saddle fitter.

Watch a trailer and invest in one or more of the series that together form a definitive resource to enhance your understanding of saddles and saddle fitting.
Buy securely online for unlimited streaming or downloading to your device at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/fittingsaddles

'With Adjustable Saddles Available I Shouldn't Need A Saddle Fitter'

Over the last few years adjustable saddles have really come of age and a large percentage of saddles sold these days are adjustable in some way, shape or form.  

Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter Kay Hastilow looks at the reality around this increasingly discussed question...

 

There are many different methods of adjusting saddles, including tree squeezers, click bits on the tree points and a multitude of adjustable bars, this latter, when done correctly being the most common and successful in my opinion. Surely then this is all you need? Choose the saddle that you like, make sure it’s the right width fitting (easier said than done) and away you go! Where is the problem with this? No need for a saddle fitter and they are always so hard to get hold of anyway. They are always so busy! (I wonder why?) Here are some reasons explaining why fitting your own saddles isn’t such a good idea.

The first problem is that not all adjustable saddles will fit all horses. Some horses, such as but not exclusively, those with high, long withers (think thoroughbreds amongst others) need more support down the front of the tree points, which themselves will need to be longer, therefore needing a longer bar. Conversely, use a tree with long points and a long bar on a cob with a broad back and it is likely that there will be excess pressure either side of the back behind the shoulders. Also, the points may well stick out and catch the rider’s leg as they don’t follow the curved shape of his back. These shaped equines need a shorter bar, preferably more open at the head. In other words it’s more like an upside down U rather than a V.

Using a tree with short points on the more angular high withered horse means that the panel is not supported beyond the point ends. As a result, the saddle is ultimately supported by the rib cage of the horse. Although there is muscle and fascia above the ribs,  muscle works by expanding and contracting but cannot, of itself support weight. This is easy to prove for yourself. Make your thigh muscles as tight and rigid as you can. Press your thumb into it. See? It sinks into the muscle, doesn’t it?  

It's also the case that in high withered horses, the rib cage starts considerably lower down the horse’s sides than in a cob type and the muscle there can no more support the saddle and rider than the muscle in your thigh can support your finger. This is why the currently popular short tree points on many saddles need to be so much narrower than anything that I have fitted for many years. These tree points will put direct pressure through the muscle causing atrophy and scarring. Also, these saddles usually drop onto the wither so several pads are needed to get clearance. Err… close contact so that you can feel the horse – with loads of pads? This doesn’t equate for me but perhaps you see it differently?

Having decided on the type of saddle that you think will suit your horse, what width bar do you need? You might take a guess and you might be right but in my experience the more common problem is that too wide a bar is used. Thinking that wider is better for the horse is so totally wrong, as Russell Mackechnie-Guire’s work undertaken for The Society of Master Saddlers has proved. A bar that is too wide just causes all the weight to concentrate under the front third of the saddle, resulting in huge areas of excess pressure, often leading to white hairs, if not open saddle sores, behind the shoulders as well as restricting the movement of the horse. No, the muscle will not develop here if you allow space for it. The excess pressures will in fact cause the opposite effect, as many have found to their cost.

Having seen the importance of the length of the tree points, you now feel able to order the right saddle. He’s a thoroughbred so long tree points. Check. But hold on a minute? Is his back level or is he a bit uphill or downhill? Does he change when ridden? This will dictate the depth of rear gusset that he needs, so now you will at least need a friend to film you riding to see this - but hold on! Horses don’t always go the same in one saddle as another, so might be different in the adjustable saddle that you are going to buy….  Have to take a guess then.

This is the same in reverse for cobs. You might well need little to no rear gusset or a fairly deep one. Suddenly this isn’t looking just so easy is it?

Tree shape is next. Flat in the back or curvy? Something in-between? Tree types for each, both with long and short points. Mmm.

What about girth straps? Well everyone knows that you use the first and third don’t they? Not necessarily so with adjustable saddles. Many have several strap positions so that the saddle fitter can find the optimum girthing arrangement for you and your horse. With many, the first strap is attached to the tree points, a point strap. This is to help position the girth straps vertically with a forward girth groove. In this case a point strap is a preferred option, as otherwise, the saddle moving forward onto the shoulders will restrict movement and be uncomfortable for the horse. However, if the point strap isn’t needed, using it will tend to hold the saddle too far back and is likely to pull the front of the saddle too low on the withers.

For saddles with five strap position options the equivalent of 1 and 3 is 2 and 3. The fittings that you can fit straps to at the back are for when point straps are being used to prevent the back of the saddle lifting, or where an active horse tends to bounce the saddle at the back (so long as the front is fitted correctly and isn’t too wide). Another use is to help keep the saddle straight when either the horse’s action or an unbalanced rider tends to take the saddle over to one side. This usually calls for slight and skilful flocking adjustment as well, not something that the owner should be trying.   

Talking of flocking adjustment, this is one of the things that saddle fitters will usually have to do when fitting even an adjustable, as often the saddle will need a touch of wool here or there so as to get the balance, contact and straightness correct. Those who have had the misfortune to see a badly flocked and lumpy saddle will realise that it’s very easy to get flocking very wrong.

It is because a saddle fitter will be aware of all of the questions above plus many others and have answers to these that it is still necessary to have your saddle professionally fitted. One of the leading manufacturers of adjustable saddles will only sell through qualified saddle fitters so that their end user will get the very best out of their saddles.  And you know how busy saddle fitters are? Much of our work is sorting things out when someone has gone the DIY route. Often this has caused the horse pain or discomfort and often the saddle has to be replaced as you have bought something unsuitable. This can become a very expensive cost cutting exercise!

Like many riders and trainers, you've probably thought at some point that understanding more about saddles and saddle fitting would have the potential to help you improve your horse's comfort, performance and also long-term soundness - and not only are you right, you can now do that online, whenever and wherever fits into your busy lifestyle.

With online learning and training now much  more familiar to us all, 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. They contain a wealth of information that will be of practical relevance to everyone serious about improving their riding, competing with more success or at a higher level and for those whose career is focused on training riders to develop their horses correctly.
Watch a brief trailer and buy securely online for unlimited streaming or downloading to your device at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow

If you are working as a saddle fitter or in training for a career in saddle fitting, Kay's 8-part video series titled Fitting Saddles: The Essential Guide will support your learning and help you develop a more in-depth knowledge of the subject and include invaluable insights into running a successful business as an SMS qualified saddle fitter.

Watch a trailer and invest in one or more of the series that together form a definitive resource to enhance your understanding of saddles and saddle fitting.
Buy securely online for unlimited streaming or downloading to your device at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/fittingsaddles