Saddle Fitting

Saddle fitting in some respects is a matter of opinion where many fitters have different views on how a saddle should fit. There are a few basics that if you can follow, will give you a basic understanding of saddle fitting and what to look for when fitting your horse saddle.

Measuring your Horse

There are many ways to measure your horse for a saddle. It is important to remember, all saddle fitters will have a particular method of measuring that they prefer and that’s ok. We all have a different opinion and respect that there are many ways to get to the same answer.

Another important note is that like clothing, a standard “size” is not universal. So for instance, your horse may be a “medium” in one brand’s conversion but in another brand your horse may measure a “wide” in their brand.

When we talk about “measuring” your horse for a saddle there a few factors we take into consideration. The main aspects are the gullet size and panel length/seat size.

The gullet of the saddle refers to the section at the front of the saddle below the pommel and inside the saddle. As pictured here.

The gullet size is important in measuring your horse for the correct fitting saddle as this part impacts many muscles, nerves and mobility of the horse’s shoulders that they use to move forward. The gullet needs to be at the right angle to allow movement through the scapula which impacts the horse’s movement without pinching or pressing. Either pressing or pinching can have a significant impact on the horses performance leading to eventual soreness and unwillingness.

A popular and inexpensive tool called a gullet gauge can give you an estimated measurement of your horse. The gullet gauge designed by Bates Saddles shows a broad range of all sizes from narrow all the way up to 4XW. This is easily used by laying flat on your horses wither where the gullet of your saddle would fit. The ideal spot is if you can find where the scapula ends on your horse and sit 2 fingers length behind this. Make sure both sides of the gullet gauge are lying flushed to give an accurate measurement. This will then fall into the size your horses gullet should be.

It is important to remember that this is only an approximation of size and depending on the type of saddle, it may vary slightly. But this gullet gauge will give you the basic knowledge on what gullet size should be used in your horse saddle.

Measuring your horse for a saddle also depends on panel length/seat size. The panel refers to the part of the saddle underneath that actually touches the horses back. The channel of the saddle will divide the two panels. Different types of saddles will have different panel lengths and shapes. It will also be slightly different from brand to brand and within brand. For example, a Bates Inova Dressage Saddle has a longer and fuller panel than a Bates Show Saddle which has a more compact back panel.

The length of the panel will ideally sit behind the horses shoulder and protrude past the horses 18^th rib. If the panel goes past this point, it will sit on the horses loins where weight is not easily distributed and causes the horse to become uncomfortable.

When referring to the panel length of a western saddle or half breed we look at the weight bearing of the seat as the skirt is not weight bearing to the horse.

When having your saddle fitted, the right panel length is often determined by sight due to the many brands and measurements that differ.

Other things to look out for are the length of the flaps. The flaps should not exceed past the elbow of the horse.

Tips and Tricks

Sometimes we don’t have all the equipment we need on and have to make do!! Here are a couple of handy tricks that might help you with your saddle fitting.

Don’t have a gullet gauge handy? Ok we can get an approximate size by using a home made device.

Get yourself a wire coat hanger or a piece of bendable wire and place it over the wither of your horse where the gullet would sit and mould it to the shape of your horse. Then take this and draw it on a piece of paper which will be much easier to see visually the size. A tip is to make sure after doing the measurement, draw the shape it has made straight away as many times, if you wait until you take it back to the house from the stables, you will have bent it out of place!!

If you have measured your horse and can see that the gullet you have in your saddle is too wide there a few things you can do if changing the gullet size is not available at this point of time.

Grab yourself a half pad or riser which will give the saddle a lift and take up some of the space needed. Sometimes you can use a thicker saddle pad or even two saddle pads together. There are many risers out there but below are a couple of the better ones that we have found work well. Here

If the balance of the saddle is correct, use a half pad that will give an overall lift. If you find the saddle is tipping forward use a front riser that has an elevated lift at the front like the Wintec pads here

You can also get a back riser pad that will lift and balance the back end of the saddle.

It is a good idea to use a towel on the parts of the saddle you are experimenting with lifting before you go out and buy a new riser just to see if this will fix your problem.

What to look for

There are a few things we look for when checking if our saddle is the best fit for our horse.

First is the balance of the saddle. When girthed up, the saddle should sit evenly on the horses back. If you can imagine a tennis ball rolled into the seat area, it should fall into what we call the sweet spot where the riders weight has the most pressure in the seat. If an imaginary line was drawn across the top of the saddle horizontally, the saddle should not look thrown forward, or tipping backwards with the front elevated past the cantles horizon.

We then want to check the clearance of the saddle. This refers to the space in between the gullet channel and horses wither. A normal clearance on average is around 3 fingers between the horse and saddle.

We then look at the angle of the gullet which needs to be parallel to the horses body. The gullet should follow the natural shape of the horse down so it does not interfere with the horses natural movement.

Parts of the saddle

Frequently asked questions

How do I tell if my saddle has a changeable gullet?

See if you can find a brand on your saddle and use our site horsesaddles.com.au saddle index to find some information. If you can find a serial number on your saddle you can try and get in contact with the manufacturers of the saddle to do a trace.

Saddles with a changeable gullet system often have a flap at the front that can be pulled back. If you can see a metal plate inside, this is most likely a gullet that can be removed and changed.

Some brands such as Kieffer saddles have what they called an exclusive tree that are changed via a cold press machine. Older style Kieffer saddles do not have this system so it is important to trace it’s heritage to see if your saddle can be pressed.

2. Where is the serial number on my saddle?

Most serial numbers are stamped under the flap of the saddle.

3.What information does the serial number on my saddle say about the saddle?

Serial numbers on all saddles are read differently but most will follow a format that tells whoever is looking at it

Brand

Model

Year of manufacturing

Size

Individual number on production line

4. Can I change the size of my saddles gullet myself?

Although many brands market their saddles as “easy” to change, some can be tricky and require a little bit of muscle or just simply the knack of knowing how to get it in place. Get in touch with a saddlery who will be able to change your saddle for you in store.

Still have questions? Contact a qualified saddle fitter. We recommend the saddle fitters at this saddlery as all the team are qualified and can provide on the spot advice. Visit here-