english saddle: true saddle measuring

english saddles are much harder to find information on. they are just so different in their configuration, from a western saddle, its not even funny. what you know about western saddles, does not apply to English. its a whole different beast. based on my limited knowledge of English saddles, and what i have learned from saddle makers, is what you will get in this video. if you want to learn more in depth information on english saddles, please look up saddle making, as i have, specifically for the english saddle. anybody can measure a saddle, and saddle a horse, but it takes a saddle makers knowledge and skill to actually fit and measure your saddle correctly. if your going to ride your horse, you better know what your sitting in, or risk damaging your horse, through no fault of his own. never take my word for it. look it up for yourself. my basic knowledge might be more than most, but its sad when horseman cant even measure their own gear correctly. we need to do better.
angle on an english saddle are 86 degrees for narrow, 90 degrees for regular, and 94 degrees for wide. this is just a general idea, as all saddles are not the same.

[@Shewolfen]

great info. $5? what a steal! nice job restoring it.

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

thanks so much! It was at a tack sale, and nobody wanted it so it was priced to get rid of! i have 3 English saddles that way, one was actually free. one of the best saddles i found, to be honest. i can use it to train other horses, and if something happens to it, i wont really loose anything. its worth more now that its all restored at cleaned up.

[@Shewolfen]

@@wa-kentaurians3050 nice restore! I just picked up 2 English and a western. I will be restoring thanks for the inspiration

[@olivialynnbenavides]

Thank you. I really appreciate the education and I’m going to subscribe to your channel now

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

Thank you very much!

[@jessicat7345]

I love your humour 😂

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

Thank you.

[@4animus]

What I want to know and haven't been able to find out is-how do I know what seat size would be best for my body..

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

That is a great question. There is actually a saddle seat calculator for that! Typically, you can find out the size saddle you will need, by measuring your thigh from the back of your knee, to the back of your bum. Once you have that measurement, you will be able to find a saddle seat that will accommodate your bone structures. If that doesn't work, you can use a saddle seat calculator. This will take into consideration your height, weight, and thigh circumference at its widest point. From there, you will get a calculated estimate, for what sized saddle you will need. Here is a link. Generally with a Google search, you will also be able to find other saddle that are size equivalents. For instance if a rider needs a 17" English seat, they will also ride in a 15" western seat. The reason the measurements are different, is because the saddle trees are designed completely different, and used in completely different ways. Here is a link. Maybe you can get some good use out of this information. windswepthorse.com/Saddle-Seat-Calculator_ep_44-1.html

[@1Lord.J.C]

Omg searched numerous sites but no specific answer. I still can't find a straight answer! How to messure a saddle tree????

[@that1fiddleplayer814]

Unfortunately there isn't one. To measure a tree in all its aspects properly, you need to know how to make a saddle tree. You will need to know, about the rock, flair, twist, and cap, and angles at which they are put together. There isn't a measurement for these, when the saddle tree is already inside a saddle. The flees, flocking, padding, and leather cover it up, and all will change how the saddle fits. The best way to know if a saddle is going to fit, is to put it on your horse, because only the saddle tree makers use measurements for cap, flair, twist, and rock, on every saddle bar of the trees they make.

[@ronhope3970]

Normally use a flexicurve or a gullet guage. depending on the saddle could also have an adjustable gullet bar which is simply taken out and swapped for the correct profile of your horse

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

Yes, that will give you a gullet measurement, but you still have the back gullet, twist, and flare, which create just as many saddle fitting issues as the gullet can. You can measure some points on a saddle tree, but not all of them. Since English saddles are flocked and padded, so unless you remove everything, you really can't measure most of these points.

[@basichomesteadingandsurviv3699]

If you want to measure a saddle tree, you will need to measure a Gullet width, back gullet width, rate of twist, rate of flair, seat size, and bar length. You can't measure all of those points when it's covered in saddle leather and padding. Do you want to measure a saddle tree, or do you just want to measure the 2 saddle gullets?

[@shannonslade2843]

Isnt there a way to actually measure it with a ruler because I feel like the fist way is not very useful

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

Unfortunately there is not. Because the gullet is padded, there is no way to access the saddle tree, from the gullet points. Each saddle is flocked differently, some with more, or less padding, but the gullet width, is always based on the saddle tree, and a wide tree, may look narrow depending on how it is flocked. If the flocking is made with foam it will compress more than one with wool felt, so even that wont help you very much. Best way to find out it the gullet width by manufacture information, or by putting it on the horse, and check for pressure points or pinching. I have stuck my fist in so many different saddle gullets, that I can get a basic idea of how a saddle will fit my horse, by the angle at which it sits my fits, and the amount of space I have above it, as well as to the sides, but I have been on a lot of horses, and repaired a lot of saddles to gain this information.

[@catherinenyberg2493]

Don’t measure by fist or buttons Measure across from the Bottom of the tree to the bottom of the other tree.

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

I don't measure by using a fist. A true gullet measurement is to use a ruler. Gullet width and gullet hight, are 2 different measurements. I use my fist to get a good estimate on a saddle, when a ruler isn't available, and when you know the width of your hand, and have measured as many saddles as I have, you can easily estimate gullet height, width, and seat size, by your hand, but that estimate comes by experience, and again, it's an estimate, not a true "measurement."

[@lisaherman9381]

Wrong way to measure gullet

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

You are correct, and in this video I talk about why. Unfortunately, you can't measure a gullet on an English saddle, because an English saddle's tree bars, are flocked and padded. Gullet width is based on the space between the saddle bars, and you can't measure that space, when it's filled in with flocking. The only way to measure an English tree gullet, is to do it, when all the padding and flocking is removed. I use my fist to help me eye ball the saddle tree angles, gullet hight, and general width, but it's definitely not a gullet measurement. Since I've fit saddles so much, and find them in random places that never seem to have a measuring tape handy, I've learned to use my fist as a general guesstimate. It's not a measurement, but for someone as highly experienced at fitting saddles, and repairing them, it is a good general estimate, in a pinch.

[@user-oz8ze]

It still looks like it’s worth $5 the shape and quality looks AWFUL😂

[@wa-kentaurians3050]

it is a cheap saddle, but it fits my horse, and the tree is sound. it will work for training other horses to saddle, and beginners riders. If it breaks Im not out a lot of money, and that is better than nothing. Man, you should have seen it, before I restored it! It looked really bad! its way better now, and its a great kicker!