Have you got the best fit for you horse? Use this guide to see if you need our help don't hesitate to call for our advice.
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Q2: Does your horse move freely under saddle or are your transitions poor/noticeably deteriorated?
Q3: Does your saddle move around whilst riding, lifts at the back and meets you as you sit?
Q4: Does your saddle move from side to side or one side?
Q6: Does your horse have bald patches/scuff marks at the back of the saddle area?
Q8: Has your horse's behaviour changed or deteriorated when being tacked up?
Q1: Do you have clearance (room between the wither and the saddle pommel) of at least 2 fingers when mounted?
A1: If no, you should have, your saddle could be too wide for your horse or the flocking in you saddle may have settled and require topping up to re balance and give you clearance
Q2: Does your horse move freely under saddle or are your transitions poor/noticeably deteriorated?
A2: If transitions deteriorate this can sometimes be a sign that your horse is uncomfortable with either the saddle or the riders balance e.g. if a saddle or rider is too far back often the canter transition is the first to suffer as we're asking the horse to strike off from behind but the horse is in effect blocked through poor rider balance or saddle fit
Q3: Does your saddle move around whilst riding, lifts at the back and meets you as you sit?
A3: If yes this could be because your saddle is too wide for your horse or if the flocking has settled it may require topping up in order to rebalance and stabilise the saddle
Q4: Does your saddle move from side to side or one side?
A4: Movement from side to side can be indicative of many things, some of the common problems are: The horse is uneven in development therefore the saddle needs stabilising at one side. The rider's stronger side means they pull the saddle over to one side - more lessons required!! Or the saddle is too wide allowing too much movement or even too narrow the saddle is not able to sit around the horse's body correctly therefore the movement of the horse underneath creates movement in the saddle.
Q5: Do you feel in the centre of the saddle when riding? Are you tipped forward or back. If you look in a mirror does your ankle hip and shoulder line up?
A5: If the rider is out of balance then the horse's movement and balance can be hindered and their transitions poor. If you are tipped forward this means the horse is carrying you over his shoulder area, if this area is blocked the horse will find it harder to come off its forehand. If you are tipped back the horse is carrying you more towards its loin area and in affect you are blocking the horse's engine and impulsion.
Q6: Does your horse have bald patches/scuff marks at the back of the saddle area?
A6: This is usually indicative of too much movement in the saddle, either because the saddle is too wide and therefore pivots at the front our because the flocking in the saddle requires adjust to stabilise the saddle on the horse's back. Watch out for numnahs & pads with rough edging these can also cause scuffing.
Q7: If you run your hand along your horse's back can you feel a dip / imprint where the back of the saddle sits?
A7: Horses often get hollows in this area when a saddle is too narrow a fit, or if the riders weight is not distributed evenly causing the balance to tip back and the rider to sit too far back.
Q8: Has your horse's behaviour changed or deteriorated when being tacked up?
A8: This is maybe a sign that your horse is unhappy and relates being tacked up or ridden with a level of discomfort. Although behaviour like this may be a habit inherited from previous history changes in temperament are usually triggered by a certain cause or factor.
Still unsure? Give us a call to book an appointment with one of our Qualified Saddle Fitters
