Does your saddle fit your Horse??
Is your horse trying to tell you something? Is he girthy when you cinch up the saddle? Does he cringe when you approach with the saddle? Has he started bucking or changed his behaviour when ridden? If so, there is a good chance your saddle is the culprit.
Several common signs of a poor fit —
the saddle rocks when placed on his back without a rider
The cantle bounces up and down when riding
There is no space between the wither and saddle
The underside of the saddle is bumpy with knots in the flocking
The horse is bucking when ridden
So how do to find the perfect fit?
Take your time! Saddle shopping should not be rushed. The saddle is a critical piece of equipment that allows for communication between rider and horse.
Find a reputable saddle fitter to check the saddle fit. Follow up with an annual check up.
Take a tracing of your horses back to create a gage to use when looking at prospective saddles. Here you can see Patty Barnett, a skilled saddle fitter measuring the back of this horse to create a tracing for the owner to take to saddle shops.
Many times the saddle needs to be re-flocked and fit to each individual. Here Patty is pounding the flocking to fit the saddle to the horses back. For more information as to how to find the correct fit for your horse, contact Patty at saddledr@aol.com. Also check out her web site at www.eastcrowsaddlery.com.
Your horse will be forever grateful!