Standard & Therapeutic Saddle Fitting:

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To read more about fitting theory, read on…

Today we have two main schools of thought on saddle fitting: one standard, the other therapeutic. Which one is right for you? The answer depends on whether or not you expect your horse's back to change. If you do not expect your horse's back to change, then the standard fit will serve you well. If you expect your horse to change for one of many reasons, then the therapeutic fit is probably going to deliver the best result over the long run.

The Standard Fit

The standard fit is a good solid fit that has been developed primarily by two organizations: The Society of Master Saddlers in England (http://www.mastersaddlers.co.uk) and the Master Saddlers Association founded by Gene Freeze of County Saddlery (http://www.mastersaddlers.com/points.htm). This method is best known as a list of fitting prerequisites that you may have seen on the internet or in an equine magazine. The list has evolved over the years and today has 10 important criteria, in condensed form below.

The 10 points should be checked with the saddle sitting directly on the horse's back and with the horse squared up.

• One: Position Of The Saddle
  This step is intended to avoid the common mistake of placing the saddle so far forward that it sits up too high over the whither and rolls the rider back, forcing the legs forward, and ruining the riding position. Begin with the saddle placed up near the whither and then give it several good, solid tugs until it finds its resting place.
• Two: Angle Of The Tree Points
  This check is intended to prevent use of a tree that will either pinch behind the shoulder or sit down too low on the whithers and spine. The angle formed by the underside of the pommel as it runs out to the points of the tree (sitting in little pockets under the stirrup bars) should be perfectly parallel to the horses back—or darn close. Most professionals will accept a ten degree difference.
• Three: Panel Pressure and Contact
  The underside of the saddle should meet the horse's back with equal pressure from pommel to cantle.
• Four: Pommel To Cantle Relationship
  The cantle should be higher than the pommel though the exact relationship will vary from model to model.
• Five: Level Seat
  The spot on the seat in the center of the saddle should be level.
• Six: Wither Clearance
  The pommel and the whole channel under the saddle may not touch the horse's spine. We like to see 1.5-two inches under the pommel.
• Seven: Channel Clearance/Gullet Width
  Be sure to continue the inspection above five to seven inches back from the pommel under the saddle and all the way to the cantle area.
• Eight: Saddle Stability
  No rocking!
• Nine: Seat Length
  Put your hand on your horse's whirl in front of the hip and let your hand slide forward. You will feel your horse's last rib. The saddle should never go past the last rib.
• Ten: Horse Response
  Your horse should look and act like a happy camper during the fitting, saddling, and ride under saddle.

Is the standard fit the right choice for your horse?

The standard fit is a great beginning and has raised the Saddle Fitting IQ of thousands of people. Yet, it has not been without its critics among researchers during the last ten to fifteen years. Among their concerns are:

• the insistence on the use of thin saddle pads,
• overflocking of the panels that can render them hard and asymmetrical
• the consistent practice of flocking saddles crooked to fit crooked horses, which "locks" their muscles into a crooked shape and prevents the development of even muscle tone on both sides of the horse
• the inability of young or underdeveloped horses to grow muscle under a tree that fits them while they are in this underdeveloped condition.

The Therapeutic Fit

Roughly ten to fifteen years ago, a number saddlers and saddle fitters began to gravitate toward new approaches in saddling. They include Kay Humphries, Barry Swain, Carol Brett, Lesley Taylor, Heather Moffet and others. In the intervening years, their findings have been corroborated by independent scientists at universities around the world.They do not call themselves "therapeutic," but for the sake of simplicity we consider their work under this umbrella. The findings of their research and saddle solutions share similarities and are summarized here:

• the horse’s back can and will change rapidly, even in a mature horse,
• muscle can be lost due to trees that are too narrow and panels that are too hard,
• muscle can be lost due to exaggerated “close contact” and narrow twists,
• muscles must be allowed to flex and relax completely for growth to occur,
• wider and wider trees encourage muscle growth,
• generous pommels are a must,
• thicker, elastic pads are more comfortable and encourage larger movement,
• billeting systems can be better balanced than they were in the past, and can be altered on older saddles to achieve better balance.

If you would like to learn more about equine physiology, saddling, and saddle history, we recommend browsing our links section for excellent resources.