Short Course On Proper Saddle Placement
Short Course On Proper Saddle Placement Obviously, the placement of the saddle itself is the main culprit in too-forward saddles. People tend to put saddles too far forward and forget to look at the shoulder area when tacking up. A saddle should rest on the top of the back muscles that run along either side of the spine and sit behind
Saddle too far forward
Correct placement
Saddle too far forward
Correct placement
the shoulder muscles (see white tape on photos). A properly placed, fitted saddle causes no pressure on the backbone, withers and shoulder blades. Look at your saddle on the horse. The front points of the tree should sit behind the horse’s shoulder blade. Soft leather flaps, such as on a jumping saddle, can extend slightly onto the shoulder blade, as they will flex with his movements, but you don’t want anything that will restrict the horse’s shoulder movement or cause pressure on his withers or shoulders. Properly placed, your saddle should appear level and balanced on the horse’s back. (A saddle is “level” when the cantle is slightly higher than the pommel. A cantle that is too low can also direct the flaps onto the shoulders.) You should be able to place about three fingers between the pommel of the saddle and the horse’s withers when no rider is mounted. Be sure your saddle pad is also pulled up into the saddle gullet, otherwise it may tighten as the saddle sinks down when the rider mounts, causing pressure on the horse’s withers and spine. The gullet of a saddle is purposely designed to not touch the back so that no weight is directly on the horse’s spine. Note: In this story, we’re presuming your saddle fits properly. If you’re unsure that your saddle fits properly, get professional help immediately, such as from the Master Saddlers Association at 301/570-3100 or consult your local tack shop for the name of a local saddle-fit expert. If your saddle is too narrow, it almost appears to “perch” too high on a horse’s back when no one’s in it. When a rider mounts, the saddle’s points will pinch the horse even when it’s properly positioned. A saddle that’s too wide for the horse sits down on the withers with inadequate clearance under the pommel. When a rider mounts, it puts pressure on the withers and spine and will slide around. The angle of the horse’s shoulder should follow the angle of the forks of the tree. Some English saddles allow for the head plate (a metal part of the fork angle) to be adjusted, and some let you change them yourself (see February 2001 Wintec synthetic saddle). The two angles should run parallel and allow for adequate shoulder movement under the front of the saddle. In addition, the panels of your saddle should fit consistently against your horse with no pressure points or bridging (gaps between horse and saddle).
Saddle too far forward
Correct placement
Saddle too far forward
Correct placement
the shoulder muscles (see white tape on photos). A properly placed, fitted saddle causes no pressure on the backbone, withers and shoulder blades. Look at your saddle on the horse. The front points of the tree should sit behind the horse’s shoulder blade. Soft leather flaps, such as on a jumping saddle, can extend slightly onto the shoulder blade, as they will flex with his movements, but you don’t want anything that will restrict the horse’s shoulder movement or cause pressure on his withers or shoulders. Properly placed, your saddle should appear level and balanced on the horse’s back. (A saddle is “level” when the cantle is slightly higher than the pommel. A cantle that is too low can also direct the flaps onto the shoulders.) You should be able to place about three fingers between the pommel of the saddle and the horse’s withers when no rider is mounted. Be sure your saddle pad is also pulled up into the saddle gullet, otherwise it may tighten as the saddle sinks down when the rider mounts, causing pressure on the horse’s withers and spine. The gullet of a saddle is purposely designed to not touch the back so that no weight is directly on the horse’s spine. Note: In this story, we’re presuming your saddle fits properly. If you’re unsure that your saddle fits properly, get professional help immediately, such as from the Master Saddlers Association at 301/570-3100 or consult your local tack shop for the name of a local saddle-fit expert. If your saddle is too narrow, it almost appears to “perch” too high on a horse’s back when no one’s in it. When a rider mounts, the saddle’s points will pinch the horse even when it’s properly positioned. A saddle that’s too wide for the horse sits down on the withers with inadequate clearance under the pommel. When a rider mounts, it puts pressure on the withers and spine and will slide around. The angle of the horse’s shoulder should follow the angle of the forks of the tree. Some English saddles allow for the head plate (a metal part of the fork angle) to be adjusted, and some let you change them yourself (see February 2001 Wintec synthetic saddle). The two angles should run parallel and allow for adequate shoulder movement under the front of the saddle. In addition, the panels of your saddle should fit consistently against your horse with no pressure points or bridging (gaps between horse and saddle).
