Proper Saddle Fit

www.art2ride.com - Click here to see more from Art2Ride
This video is about Proper Saddle Fit

[@elizabethbryson882]

This is one of the best demonstrations I've ever seen - in 40 yrs of working with horses.

[@marich91]

I must say after 1 year of constant degradation of the work with my horse, I had it checked by a saddle fitter, realised my saddle was inadapted in nearly every way, changed it for a smaller-seated, wider-gulleted special high-whither saddle and in litterally 2 work sessions I had a different horse :) Even better : since then he's remained constant in he work and keeps progressing! Spending a bit of money on a saddle-fit check is clearly less expensive than ruining your horse's back and having to (try to) "repair" it! :) I wish the whoooole world could see such a video! Thanks for all your videos, they made me rethink my whole line of work and I've never had such progress with my horse in 4 years than I had these last 12 months, you are a really, really great teacher :) Greetings from Belgium!

[@farbschlacht]

The best saddle fit video I've seen so far. Every rider should have this basic knowledge, but most riders trust their saddler and don't recognize that a wrong model was sold to them. Thanks again for a wonderful video!

[@allysonmarie3823]

Incredibly informational video!! Other videos fall short and could use a lesson in anatomy as they only worry about the withers and the gullet being wide enough. Never explaining the how, why, and where. This videos needs more views!

[@ArttoRide]

My frustration in dealing with "saddle fitters" whose knowledge base was very small and not very helpful led me to find a true Certified Master Saddler that had the horse's best interest at heart. Your question about riding bareback is this: Saddles were designed to keep a riders weight off of the spine of the horse and to disperse this weight over a larger area than just your buttocks (riding bareback does neither). A properly fitted saddle is your horse's best friend and yours also.

[@ArttoRide]

I learned about fitting saddles with Jochen Schleese who has devoted the last 25 years of his life to protecting horse's from the damage that is caused by ill fitting saddles. His interest is personal since his own championship horse was retired do to the damage from an improperly made/fitted saddle. My story is personal also, having an ill fitting saddle that didn't do any apparent long term damage but was definitely restricting my horse's movement and causing behavioral issues.

[@haileyf9071]

I checked all of these on my horse and I figured out why I was getting behavioral problems.. thank you so much for helping me realize what I was doing wrong !! :)

[@zitaharper5206]

Excellent, this lady knows what she's talking about.

[@WCDressage]

Best clinic I have ever attended. Thanks Will and Karen for coming to Ohio.

[@ssandraar]

thank you for this video!! Everything about saddle-fitting was a blur before i saw this :)

[@ArttoRide]

Hello David, This is in response to your question about treeless saddles. You are right in being concerned about the ability of a treeless saddle to stay off of these negative reflex points. The main purpose of a saddle is to distribute the rider's weight over the largest area without impinging on these sensitive areas. This is difficult to do if there is no rigidity to the saddle (no tree). A PROPER fitting saddle (with tree) is one of the best interfaces for horse and rider.

[@1827Beethoven]

Absolutely fantastic, if I was ever lucky enough to have my own horse I would definitely make sure I could afford a good saddle to be fitted to ensure he/she was comfortable.

[@aletiaartemis8530]

Love this! Just invaluable clarity and demonstrable linkage to anatomy for horses. Thank you so much for this. It really is a wonderful education and resource.

[@hallerentz4588]

Wow, what a wonderful resource! I will share this with as many people as possible. Crazy how we overlook some of the most important things with regards to saddle fitting. I just bought a new saddle and my horse who used to buck at the canter, no longer bucks at the canter. I will check everything again while referencing this video.

[@12345KATETHEGREAT]

its hard to find a nice saddle these days, especially since many english saddles have very narrow gullets. I personally love schleese, I have a custom made and fitted cross country schleese that is just heaven for me and my horse

[@thatbitchonthehorse5303]

Brilliant, thank you!

[@RaijaRafn]

Love this video! I will forever look differently on saddles now, thank you!!

[@appleblossombeau]

Fantastic demonstration I've learned so much. Many thanks for posting this :)

[@Azile2000]

Thank you for this. It was very clear and informative. I really appreciate all the training and horse care information Art2ride supplies.

[@spooks77]

This was very well explained and easily visualised thx for uploading!

[@elybellysmellyely]

Thank you so much for putting this up! It's a great, informative video! Probably the best saddle fitting video I've come across. Definitely a great help! :)

[@equsnarnd]

Where is the clip of the horse being ridden in the two different saddles? Seeing that would be more profound than listening to all this though all this is very good.

[@ArttoRide]

Equs Narnd All of our videos are listed on our websites at: www.art2ridesaddlery.com and www.art2ride.com

[@theresaluchsinger4488]

Great learning video! thanks so much!

[@ArttoRide]

When we do a saddle fitting we don't have a pad on because we do a dust pattern (which is we ride with no pad so we can see the pattern in the dust of where the saddle is lying). Once the fitting is done though we recommend using saddle pads to protect the saddle.

[@carolineoja6243]

Very well done ,excellent informative video , thank you 👍

[@lyra279]

Thank you , this has helped me a lot !

[@GoodRedBlackRatio]

Wow, this was a great video! Everything was explained very clearly! Thanks for the post, I'm sure this will help a lot of riders.

[@inzalo]

Very informative video...I'm off now to check the fit of my saddles 😀

[@jmilphoto]

Very informative - thank you!!

[@Nicole39859057]

very interesting lesson!

[@romibettisonphotography5396]

Thank you SO much for your in depth reply! I will definitely look at those websites you linked and I will look into Jochen Schleesse.. That helped a lot and answered lots of questions! Many thanks, Romi :)

[@superrajraj]

Great info

[@TaiMizuki]

Great video, very informative and educational, thanks for sharing. This will certainly help me decide better on a saddle for my pony.

[@Maryse928]

Very informative and easy to understand.

[@KristinLynnCiscos19]

This is soo helpful, best video i've seen about saddle fit! Thanks

[@ruthboaz4784]

Thank- you ! awesome information I have a CWD saddle that has gone back 5 times and caused a major injury to my horse due to not being fitted correctly

[@lauraadams5012]

Fantastic video! This cleared up alot for me. I just bought a new mare. Completly switched from big warmblood to stocky reigning bred quarter horse and I am at a loss as to how to fit her

[@arnieramsbottom704]

Excellent

[@5nicole4]

nice video! very usefull thanks

[@ArttoRide]

The best thing would be a picture from the side and from the horse's head looking at the shoulder so I can see how the saddle fits over the wither area.

[@jackwing1949]

exellent thank you.

[@romibettisonphotography5396]

Hi, very informative video :D really enjoyed watching it.. where did you learn about fitting saddles correctly Karen? What is your view on riding bareback? Is that better for your horse? Or should you only ride bareback when your horse's back has developed enough to handle the sitting trot?

[@bentaylor8064]

Great Video :)

[@DavidGarnett1990]

Super video, really explained alot very clearly. Do the same principles apply to treeless saddles? I've been wondering about mine lately as it has no solid parts to it but i wonder if it would still affect these negative reflex points you talk about. Cracking video :)

[@elizabethchilders4593]

That horse seems to be a bit inpatient lol.. but either way, good video and has some nice things to know/learn in here! Thanks for sharing!

[@featheredfoothillfarm]

Thank you for this and sharing your knowledge. Been struggling with finding a first saddle for a Friesian/Percheron cross that is new to me and her back is very similar to the horse in the video - what is the breed? Just curious. Would I be correct to assume that this horse probably would never be a good fit for a Western style saddle due to how short the back is. I plan to ride in both English and Western, but I am about to give up on the search for a wide but short Western saddle as I don't want to impede her shoulder movement. Plenty of time to contemplate as she is just now being started under saddle and riding.

[@aprilgarcia685]

i like your vedos

[@Carina_Slettvold]

What about saddle pads? would you recommend using them?

[@ArttoRide]

The air panels are different in the way you evaluate them since air will move away from pressure. Best to compare the tree angle to the shoulder angle - there is a video art2ridesaddlery(dot)com/saddle-fit-process/ tips 8 & 9 that should help answer the question. If your horse is stretching/moving well then this is a good sign that all is well..

[@TheLexifer]

Hi.. I have a question. Does the seat size have any revelance to the position that the saddle fits on the horse? As an example, the length of the saddle that was shown 1st... if it was a shorter seat, would it have made a difference?

[@ArttoRide]

If we are to ride we must learn how to develop a horse properly and teach it to engage it's back and lift the rider, increasing the strength of the topline muscles and the horse's athleticism. This can be difficult to do bareback. A properly fitted and balanced saddle allows the rider to keep their own correct posture (healthy for you) and easier for you to engage your core and be responsible for your own "self carriage" instead of being "dead" weight on the horse's back.

[@Robertv911]

Hi! I have a Wintec jump saddle with the cair system. I tried it on with the widest gullet bar (xx-wide) but the cair panels still touches the triangle area. However, the pressure is soft and even all the way and the horse stretches really well with the saddle on. Can this be a problem?

[@helenlight3744]

hello karen can you say please if you have stirrup leathers non stretch black leather not bulky that you recommend for use with these dressage saddles and also could you do another video on the pro's and cons of the different types of girth straps and other more detailed aspects of these saddles i hope to have one of these saddles in the near future and i simply dont have enough info to make an informed decision as there is no-one here in england i would hate to go wrong when ordering

[@ArttoRide]

helen light Schleese has stirrup leathers that are made of the french calfskin sewn around a strap inside so they don’t stretch. I’m not sure about the question about the girth straps, I assume they mean billets. The only detail about the billets is that the back billet is on a v-webbing system that allows a person to adjust the back billet. On horses with sloping shoulders and forward girth areas (saddle runs over the shoulder) the back billet may need to be crossed so that the billet placement if further forward and lines up with the girth area....

[@leahkeith3130]

ArttoRide when adding a saddle pad/half pad would that effect the shoulder movement? On saddle #1 would it make it even worse for the shoulder?

[@ArttoRide]

Leah Langdon If you add any extra pads or shims it will affect how the saddle fits depending on their thickness. The only way adding more thickness is beneficial is if the tree angle is correct but the tree is too wide. If you add shims to the front of the saddle because the saddle is too low in front it will lift the saddle in the front and the rider will feel better but if the angle is too wide for the horse’s shoulder angle then it will still inhibit the horse’s movement. The most important aspect of the tree angle is that it match the shoulder angle. I don’t know if you have watched these videos art2ridesaddlery.com/saddle-fit-process/ but it will help you to understand. When you think of a tree gullet you must think of the width of the tree along with the angle.

[@ArttoRide]

There has been independent research done recently on the treeless saddles which would most simulate riding bareback. The results were not very encouraging and showed the problems with focal pressure (no disbursement of the rider's weight) and undue pressure on the horse's spine. I would suggest you educate yourself about saddle fit, you are your horse's best advocate and invest in a truly adjustable saddle that the correct fit can be maintained throughout your horse's career.

[@ArttoRide]

For you to keep your own spine aligned properly you need a proper "interface" between you and your horse. Bareback is less painful than an ill fitting saddle though. An ill fitting saddle can be a torture device at the worst and at the least restrict the horse's movement. Our biggest responsibility is our horses comfort and well being.

[@ArttoRide]

The best answer is to watch the videos on the art2ridesaddlery(dot)com/saddle-fit-process which will give you an excellent idea of what great saddle fit is. Our definite recommendation would be to contact the Schleese headquarters schleese(dot)com and set up an onsite appointment with them. Saddlefit is too important to guess at and these saddles are the best on the market because of their high quality and adjustability. Good luck!!

[@nyomidiaz8944]

Hi art to ride. My horse seems to be roach back, I think, because his back seems to be elevated, but he has had no work long and low. He's been abused, and trained in another discipline of riding called chara. It's basically the Mexican culture style of riding. And the saddles are very very poor. They never fitted him. You can touch his withers and he will shake. His ears aren't pinned but always seem to be back pointing towards his withers and back. I The main reason I am sending this message is because he has a cinching problem. His fine with the saddle on his back, but once the cinch touches his underside, he would back up, and if he feels restricted in any way by you or the rope, he will just explode and flip backwards matter what's behind him. I usually back him up then cinch back him up repeat. The saddle we are using is Wintec and the right gullet for him. I think it's not the saddle so much anymore. It can be, but I'm not to sure what it is. His withers his back, have an idea but not sure if it's right. I only know that he was abused, but I don't know how much he was abused, or how severely. Even if it's just a surcingle he will still pull back and try to flip. Another problem he came with was pulling whenever he was crossed tied, getting very nervous between cross ties. I think the owners before us abused, him trying to piaffe him. He knows how to piaffe. I don't know how to piaffe him theyll. Anyways, when we are on his back he does great, but I unfortunately do not have the time to ride him. I'm training this other away back horse of mine. So hope you can help! His not mine his my dads. I tried to fix the cinch problem, it got a little better, but he still has the problem. Thanks for reading! Hope you can help!

[@ArttoRide]

Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainer: Chelsea MacPhail I'm not entirely sure what your question is but I can provide some general advice based on your information! If he's still shaking when you touch his withers then I would not worry about riding or trying to address the cinch problem until you can touch his back without him flinching or shaking. Since you don't have much time to work with him I'd just let him have time turned out for a while - maybe all winter? Then if you or someone else decides to start working him you could use lunge work (without a surcingle) and work in hand to help him start stretching. When you start work again I would avoid the cross ties and tack him up in a stall or if he doesn't have one have someone hold him while you brush and put the bridle on in his paddock. While he's currently doing ok undersaddle it sounds like his situation was quite terrible and giving him a redo and starting over may be really helpful for him. I'd focus on helping him feel comfortable in his back by using the stretching work for now and if you have a good vet/chiropractor/massage therapist for him they may be able to help get him more comfortable as well. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[@nyomidiaz8944]

Thank you! Very helpful! I didn't know why I didn't think about that, we have been turning him out for the past months, so I guess its time to start working him again. And a massage I guess would work too. I will work with him in hand, thanks to you for reminding me of the tools I can still use on him without a saddle. So that's the end of it, thank you for helping me!

[@ArttoRide]

We have established a non-profit foundation HIPPOH (Horse Industry Professionals Protecting Our Horses) to help educate horse owners so they can be truly be their horse's best advocate hippohfoundation(dot)org and I have saddlefitting videos by Jochen Schleese on my website at art2ridesaddlery(dot)com . Thank you for your question and for your concern about your horse's well being. Best Regards, Karen

[@moniquesmith5501]

karen i have watched this many times found it really helpful. question does a long billeted saddle stabilize a saddle more ( from sliding forward or lifting in the cantle region) versus and short billeted saddle and what about crossing the billets on a long billeted saddle will this help stabilize? Monique

[@ArttoRide]

Monique Smith A short billeted saddle is better at helping to stabilize the saddle from side to side. The higher the girth is to the saddle the more stability it will provide - especially on the very low withered broad horses. The advantage of crossing the billets is that it can help a saddle from sliding over the shoulders by lining up the girth and billets better (again watch the videos) and if it has a v-webbing system then yes it can help stabilize the cantle but you would never want the back of the saddle to be “glued” to the horse’s back. Remember we are trying to encourage the horse to lift up through the back and if there is a lot of pressure towards the lumbar region they won’t be so inclined. It is difficult to cover all of the variables of saddle fitting but I applaud you for putting some thought into it. Our horses rely on us to look out for their comfort and a bad fitting saddle can make riding a torture or a pleasure, at the very least it can compromise their ability to perform. Hope my answer is helpful!

[@moniquesmith5501]

Thank you Monique

[@ArttoRide]

If you would like to schedule a saddle fitting please contact us at: [phone].

[@ArttoRide]

If you want to send us a picture of your saddle to ksavage613(at)gmail(dot)com I will take a look at it.