Balance is key when it comes to saddle fitting. If your saddle is out of balance then potentially So are You and So is Your Horse.
When trying to demonstrate saddle balance we will often ask clients to ‘Imagine a marble’ on the saddle seat and ideally we want the marble to stay in the middle, so the contact through the panel (the underside of the saddle) is even and you are in the best place for your horse to carry you. (Image 1)
If the marble were to roll backwards then the saddle tips backwards and it is likely to put you behind the movement, cause you to scrunch through the middle and shift your lower leg forward and your weight to the back of the seat and therefore the contact through the saddle panel will be heavier at the back, think old hunting style or brace position (Image 2)
Equally if the marble were to roll forward then the saddle is likely to tip you forward, encouraging your shoulders and hips to lean forward and your lower leg to go back, which is certainly not the safest position when jumping, ejection is more likely! The saddle contact will be heavier to the front, creating tightness behind the shoulder (Image 3)
Being out of place makes it more difficult for your horse to balance and work correctly. In the long term this could have a negative effect on both of you, especially if you both start to compensate considerably in order to stabilise yourselves and over time this may create discomfort or pain for you and your horse.
Remember it’s always worth getting your saddle checked if you feel your position or balanced has changed or if your horse’s performance has deteriorated. We recommend annual saddle checks at minimum.