Busting Myths 7 - Measuring D to D To Find Width Fitting

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 left is author Kay Hastilow, Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter.

For saddlers this is possibly the most annoying myth out there as such a measurement is totally without any meaning. Saddle Ds are not put in one specific place on all saddles – so much depends on the length of the tree points, the position of the side rails and stirrup bars and the cut of the flaps and throat. (That rounded bit at the front of the pommel.) In a tree with short points and side rails set on a bit higher, the stirrup bars will be put on higher than on a tree with lower side rails. (Ever wondered why, when you swap your stirrups onto another saddle they feel too long or too short? This is your answer.) Add to this the fact that in most bench made saddles the Ds are positioned by eye and you can see that this is a totally unreliable measurement.

With some mass-produced machine / laser cut saddles the position will be pre marked and more reliable, but this will only be for that one model of saddle. Take for instance the Kent and Masters dressage against their cob saddle.  Totally different trees, totally different positioning of the Ds.

There is also the consideration of what you count as Ds for this purpose, as many saddles have two sets at the front – the top ones are called drop fall staples (there are some different ones, but these are the most common) and below these you will sometimes see another set of Ds attached between the flap and the panel, and these are stapled onto the tree with a staple gun. They are there for you to hang a flask, a pair of wire cutters or anything else that you want to carry on your horse but NOT for fixing a breastplate to! The drop falls are on a bifurcated nail which goes right through the tree and opens out on the underside so that the bifurcations are between the tree and the panel. Very strong and suitable for breastplates.  The others stapled to the tree are just not up to that job and will come off at the first strong pull.

If you measure from D to D it doesn’t give you a width (which are measured in angles) and nor is it likely to tell you if that saddle will fit your horse. It doesn’t take into consideration the shape of the head U (which has many variations in its shape), V or keyhole. It is essential that the tree shape here is correct for your horse. Nor does it consider the length of the tree points, nor the shape and depth of the panel. All of these will have a huge influence on how that saddle fits your horse.

Some saddles will have the size marked on them, either stamped onto the sweat flap or marked on the stirrup bars, but please bear in mind that this is the size of the saddle when manufactured and it may well have been altered since then, so not a great deal of help.  I know that riders would love to have an easy way to work out if a saddle that is for sale somewhere might fit their horse – sorry, but I cannot suggest anything for this. However please be aware that a properly trained saddle fitter not tied to any particular brand (Society of Master Saddlers Qualified or Master Saddle Fitter is the best qualification in my opinion) will have spent a minimum of three years training to take their assessment and will have far more understanding of what is involved, yet even they, with their years of experience, would struggle to tell if a saddle might fit from a D to D measurement!

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 learning and 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. 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

D's on Saddles De-Mystified

Most modern saddles will come with two D’s each side at the front of the saddle. Why two? What is the difference? What should they be used for? Master Saddler and Master Saddler Fitter Kay Hastilow explains ...

The topmost D is what saddlers call a drop fall staple. This D is attached by a strong bifurcated nail which goes right through the tree of the saddle, opening out both ways on the underside of the tree. The lower D is held on with a piece of leather doubled around it, which is then stapled to the tree lower down. 

Please remember that the position of both D’s is relative to the shape of tree, flap and panel. They will be higher on a tree with short tree points, lower on a deep tree with long points. Therefore, we don’t use measurements between D’s as any form of width assessment. It could be totally different with one tree /saddle type to another. 

So, why do we need two D’s each side? Which should be used for what? The first and primary use is to attach some form of breastplate to help prevent the saddle from moving back. IT IS ESSENTIAL that such breastplates are attached to the drop fall staple, the higher one that goes right through the tree. If there is any pull at all on this, the drop fall should hold it, whereas the D on a leather wrap, which is stapled to the tree, is likely to pull out at the first hint of pressure. These latter types were originally used for attaching flasks and wire cutters whilst out hunting but, of course, most people wouldn’t have such a use for them these days. However, many carry front mounted saddle bags, spare lead ropes, hand holds and other gadgets and these D’s are ideal for this job. 

 

A word of warning. If you really need the breastplate to hold your saddle in place you would be well advised to also use added restraints in the form of cord loops, which slide onto the stirrup bar in front of the stirrup leather. The loop should line up with the drop fall staple in length, the breastplate fixing straps attached to both D and loop.  This will mean that whatever force is put onto the saddle, the straps should hold. I have seen the drop fall staples on their own pull out when a very fit, lean horse was going up a steep hill. Very unpleasant for the rider. Not very nice for the horse either!

Some saddles will have D’s at the back, behind the flap and usually on the off side. These were for sandwich cases but are nowadays used for saddle bags and other bits and bobs. Not all saddles will have them, and most that do have them on the off side only although you will occasionally see 2 on each side. These were probably put on at the client’s request at the time of making, or added for a specific use at a later date. These D’s are stapled to the tree with a wrap of leather and are therefore not very strong. 

I am enjoying writing these posts and like reading your responses. Do any of you have specific queries, or want something explained? Please let me know and, if possible I will endeavour to write a post on that topic.

Find out more information on all things Saddle Fitting from Kay Hastilow’s series of expert videos available onhttp://www.khsaddlery.co.uk/educational.html and join in the conversation on facebook