SADDLE FITTING BLOG
Equine Wither Soreness: What Can it Mean?
It is important when you are having your horse and saddle evaluated to bring any relevant vet or body worker reports to the fitting, as these can help your saddle fitter pinpoint any issue.
Top 5 Saddle Fitting Mistakes
These top 5 saddle fitting errors might be the cause of a behavior or training issue your horse might be having.
The Equine Spine – Let’s Talk Tension!
There are many ways a saddle can create the incorrect type of tension in the equine back. When the saddle pressure is relieved off of the spine, we see great improvements.
In a Tight Spot! – Where Should My Girth/Cinch Go?
This post discusses girth placement. I stress how important the rigging or billets are in your English or Western saddle since this is how the saddle attaches to the horse and therefore it is crucial that it is aligned correctly and you have an appropriate cinch or girth for your horse.
Saddle Pads Part 3 – Dust Patterns Decoded
We decode what a dust pattern is actually saying to a saddle fitter.
Video Series – Clip 2: Gullet Width and the Equine Spine
In this video post, we go over gullet width and the equine spine.
Saddle Pads: Part 2 – To Sheepskin or not to Sheepskin
We delve into some surprising findings about the wonderful sheepskin and its benefits for horse and rider.
Saddle Damage Part 2 – Saddle Pads: Grading on the Curve
Saddle pads may not technically be part of the saddle, but they are instrumental in the saddling process and need to be properly evaluated and fitted.
Saddle Damage Part 1 – Myths of Muscle Atrophy
One of the most common and incorrect evaluations of damage to the equine loin from saddle fit is muscle atrophy.
Tree Angle: Part 1 – Too Wide
One of the most common issues that I run into in saddle fitting is that the angle of the tree (across several different models, styles and disciplines) is too wide.
Male and Female Saddles? Part 2: “Twist and Shout”
What is the twist? In the saddle world it can be categorized two different ways. The “twist” as it refers to the horse is the angle of tree as it lays on the horse’s back. But the twist we are talking about today is the twist for the rider, or the width of the saddle between the user inner thigh of the rider.
Male and Female Saddles?
This post outlines the basic differences in the male and female pelvis and how it relates to the saddle.
The Importance of Gullet Width
In the course of fitting and selling saddles a very common question that I get is about the width of the gullet or the space between the panels for the horse’s spine.
Western Saddle – Tree Angle
Tree angle is a factor in saddle fitting across every discipline and is something that needs to fit properly for the comfort of the horse.
Why Does My Saddle Slide Forward Over the Shoulder?
One of the issues that come up a lot in fitting saddles, and more specifically dressage saddles, is saddles sliding forward.
Payton and Ollie Help Explain Tree Angle!
I get a lot of questions about tree width and tree angle when I am explaining saddle fit.
Dust Patterns
A dust pattern is the dirt or sweat that naturally comes up when a horse is ridden without a saddle pad. Whenever we do a saddle fitting it is extremely important (if possible) to have the horse ridden before and after the fitting to see how the saddle fits and to get a dust/sweat pattern.