My Saddle is Adjustable - 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

 

'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

 

Busting Myths 15 - "I want an adjustable saddle because it will fit any horse that I buy"

 

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.

 

 

The arrival of adjustable saddles that really work has been a boon to saddle fitters and owners alike.

For the saddle fitter it means that they no longer have to hold so many saddles of one style because, although the different seat sizes and colours are still needed, we no longer need to hold all of the different width fittings. This enables us, as fitters, to hold more lines of saddles, greatly increasing the choice available for you.

Having an adjustable saddle does not mean that it can be made to fit any horse that you ever own – far from it, for within the saddle styles there are still options for different shaped trees to suit, say a high withered thoroughbred or a round cob. The former tends to have longer tree points and more shape to the tree and a deeper cut panel to enable you to keep the saddle clear of the spine, whereas for a cob or flat backed type of horse you have a flatter tree, often with shorter tree points and less depth and area to the panel.

The ‘fun’ starts when someone buys an adjustable saddle for a TB type of horse, changes to a flatter backed horse and blithely believes that, as the saddle is adjustable it can be made to fit the new neddy.  No chance - it just can’t be done successfully. If you change the bar to the correct width the saddle will bounce and rock. The other way round, flat tree on a horse with a decent wither will just collapse down onto the spine unless you put in a bar two width fittings too narrow. This may stop the saddle from going too low but will be doing untold damage to the muscles behind the shoulder, not to mention that it will be very uncomfortable for the horse. You can’t really expect your new acquisition to go well or behave himself for you. He simply isn’t able to.

You may think, in view of the above that you could buy the flatter treed saddle and use pads with it but all that will achieve is an ill-fitting, unstable saddle with pads – hardly more comfortable or much of an improvement  from the horse’s point of view as although it may look okay to you, the pressures and forces will not be being evenly dispersed throughout the saddle. Pads have their place and can be very helpful, but this is not such a case.

Having an adjustable saddle will mean that, as your horse changes shape be it through work, the time of year or for any other reason, you can adjust the width fitting to achieve an excellent fit year- round. Most horses will go up or down a width fitting throughout the year so if your saddle fitter shows you how to check which bar is correct you can have two or three bars and keep the fit right. Please make sure that you do check the bar and don’t just imagine that your horse needs something wider as I so often see. I refer to the excellent post from Dr Russell McKechnie-Guire on his research into the problems caused by the use of a saddle that is too wide. Logic will tell you that this will be better for the horse. Scientific research will tell you that this is wrong!

Of course, you can change the bar yourself, but it is still necessary to have the saddle professionally checked twice a year as the change of bar can affect the flocking and panel contact.

If you buy another horse of a similar type and shape your saddle fitter can almost certainly alter it successfully to fit the new addition, although they may well advise having the saddle stripped and re-flocked so that the flocking can settle to the new shape. It’s rather like borrowing someone’s shoes. They might be the right size, but I doubt that they will be comfortable as they will have gone to the shape of the previous owner’s feet. None the less, a visit from the QSF, perhaps a new bar or two and a re-flock is still going to be far cheaper than replacing the saddle, plus you will know the saddle and that it has moulded to you. Always an advantage I find.

So, there you have it. Adjustable saddles are great. The fit to your horse can easily be monitored and adjusted and it might be possible to change the saddle to fit a new horse. Might, but not definite. Fingers crossed eh?

 

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 online, whenever and wherever fits into your busy lifestyle.

With online learning and training 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. 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