re: saddle fit & english vs. western

[marvelous@telus.net]

There are 3 primary ways to get a good saddle fit.

 

1. Find yourself a trustworthy saddle maker/fitter that can help you get a suitable saddle to start with and help you keep it fitting through the horses changing shape.  This could include customizing a saddle that is close in fit and meets your other requirements.

2. Get one of the new treeless or semi treeless saddles that absolutely must fit at the shoulder angle and length.. but drastically reduce the concerns over bridging and restriction of movement.

3. Educate yourself in what primary points to look for and get a saddle or pad with an adjustability option, that you can alter yourself.

 

The saddle should fit without a thick pad to cushion it... a thick pad changes the saddles angle of fit, raises the riders lowest point of gravity and defeats the purpose.

 

Western saddles generally have a greater usable bearing surface over the bars & less wither "pinching" tendencies, but that is only if the fit is excellent.  The drawbacks are that there is less give than an English saddle and with many of the gaited and Arab-y built breeds, their back is just too short and multi-curved to accommodate the length of the average skirts and bars.

 

English saddles CAN cause a lot of pinching behind the withers, resulting in loss of blood flow to the muscles that allow the horse a free movement from front to back.  In time this could result in muscle damage to the point where the horse can no longer physically utilize his hind end efficiently.  This is why it is vital to have English saddles restuffed, and/or re-fitted & generally checked over by a person in the know (annually). 

The plus is that for a well-fitting English saddle, it allows a horse greater freedom of movement with a degree of "give".

 

Another important point to note when buying your new saddle is the angle of the rigging.  If the saddle fits well, but the rigging is continually "pulling" it out of place, it sort of defeats the ideal.

 

Although brand name saddles are more "out there" and known to the average purchaser, with a custom saddle you should be getting attention to detail that the big guys can't provide. 

 

Dana