Whether you’ve decided to buy a new saddle either through buying a new horse, changing discipline or your horse is showing signs of discomfort, let me take you through the process of what to take into consideration when making your purchase.

Does saddle fit matter? Yes ! Have you ever walked for a long time around the shops in ill-fitting shoes that left you with very sore feet? You forget about the enjoyment of having bought something new but remember the pain you were in. The same goes for a saddle – it is important to choose wisely as a good one selected now and well maintained will last a lifetime.

It’s easy enough to diagnose a saddle-fit problem if the horse has open sores, white hairs or muscle atrophy but he can still be in pain even when there are no outward signs. Is your horse for example showing any of the following?
• Puts his ears back when you bring out the saddle
• Fidgets when being mounted
• Rushing or refusing jumps
• Unable to round his back or neck
• Excessive shying
• Reluctant to canter

Many riders make the mistake of interpreting behaviour problems as an unwillingness to perform. If your horse develops such a problem, first look for a physical cause.

What to consider when buying your saddle

1. You first need to decide what type of riding you will do e.g. dressage, jumping, showing or general riding.
2. Several points of a horse’s anatomy must be considered when choosing a saddle. This includes the size and shape of the withers, the shape and length of his back, slope of the shoulders, shape of rib cage and his condition. A saddle that fits properly clears the withers and spine. The tree must sit far enough behind the shoulders so that they can move freely. A saddle that’s too narrow will pinch his shoulders and/or the side of the withers causing pain. If your saddle is too wide, the rider’s weight will push the saddle into direct contact with the horse’s spine. Unfortunately, there is no standard with regard to width fittings and hence it is advisable to get a saddle fitter to come and take a template which can then be used to obtain the correct width.
3. When putting on a saddle, riders frequently place them too far forward. If the points of the saddle tree dig into the shoulder blades, the horse is unwilling to stride out. It also places the rider out of position with their weight falling near the cantle and hence unable to balance properly.
4. The sitting area of a saddle consists of the seat and the twist. The seat size is determined by the length of the riders’ thigh bones and size of buttocks! The twist is the area of the saddle from the pommel to the centre of the saddle and is important in terms of rider comfort. The length should also not extend beyond the horse’s 18th rib otherwise bruising of the lumbar area is almost certain.

When you get your saddle home
When you have chosen a few saddles to try, which correspond to the type, length and width you require you can then place them on the horse who will be standing on a level surface. Place the saddle on his back and then slide back ensuring the front edge is well behind the back edge of the horse’s shoulder blade. Then take a step back and have a good look.

• The saddle should be level, not tipping forwards or backwards
• The tree size and shape must conform to the horse’s shape being neither too narrow or too wide
• The lowest point should be in the middle of the saddle
• There should be space between the underside of the pommel and the horse’s withers. This may well be 3 fingers or in the case of a close contact saddle may be 1. Just ensure there is sufficient clearance when the rider is on board. You should also be able to run 3 fingers width along the entire length of the gullet so that it clears the spine.
• Slide your hand all the way down between the pommel and the horse’s shoulder to ensure the saddle does not pinch. Also run your hand along the length and breadth of the panel to ensure it’s touching in all parts and that it does not bridge in the middle.

The Ridden Test
After getting down to a shortlist following the above guidelines, the saddles need then to be ridden in. A saddle always must be ridden in when trying them out. One that looked perfectly fine whilst static may not be when ridden in and needs to be disqualified.

The rider should get on from a mounting block and then include walk, trot and canter on both reins. At rising trot, notice must be made of how the saddle moves under the rear panel, both up and down and laterally. If the saddle is to be used for jumping, then the horse must be seen over a fence or two.

Attention must be paid to how the horse moves and how he behaves. Does he drop his back, flatten his ears, move with short steps or any other indication of discomfort. If he is happy, he will stride out boldly, lift his back and respond to your aids.

After your Purchase
Remember that horses often change shape and you must therefore keep an eye out for these changes. Changing shape will occur with the young horse who is developing, a horse which is coming back into work, a horse bought in poor condition who will put on weight and develop muscle etc Ensure to have your saddle checked regularly by an experienced saddler.

Make sure the flocking stays soft and smooth. Any lumps and unevenness must be corrected by your saddler, so as to prevent any undue pressure on your horse’s back.

Take care to store your saddle in the best possible way and regularly use a leather cleaner to improve its longevity. Check the stitching, especially the girth straps to ensure your safety.