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A couple of weeks ago I attended a two-day, 16-hour introduction to saddle-fitting course put on by the U.K.-based Society of Master Saddlers. The timing was impeccable, as I’ve recently begun questioning my own saddle’s fit as my young horse’s body shape changes. During the course I learned not only the basics of determining a good- vs. an ill-fitting saddle, but also what a true science saddle fit is. Here are some of my favorite take-homes and coolest facts from the weekend:
1. Naturally, you don’t want a saddle to sit any further back on a horse’s spine than the T18 vertebrae (T17 in some Arabians)–this is the point of junction for the last rib. If the cantle rests beyond T18, the horse’s kidneys and other internal organs bear the brunt of your weight, and that’s setting your horse up for a host of discomfort. One saddle fitter in attenda
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re: The Coolest Things I Learned About Saddle Fit
Each horse is an individual and what one horse likes, another will not. That said, I have found that most horses tend to like Balance International saddles. Their design is based on the biomechanics of the moving horse, as opposed to conventional saddl
re: The Coolest Things I Learned About Saddle Fit
Well, OK Alexandra, so, how do the less fortunate among us, who lack a high tech pressure evaluation tool evaluate saddle fit?
Since your article failed to offer anything, here is something you might try.
First, visually assess fit, there
re: The Coolest Things I Learned About Saddle Fit
Hi Steve, thanks for that advice. Look for articles from the saddle fitting course to roll out in the coming weeks with practical advice from the actual experts, not me :).
re: The Coolest Things I Learned About Saddle Fit
Interesting article but I dare say a lot missing. Was there any discussion about the fact that the horses back changes during movement, &/or the biomechanics of movement? Fitting a stationary horse is not all that should be involved as
re: The Coolest Things I Learned About Saddle Fit
Oops, sorry Alexandra; failed "reading comprehension" on the article title.
Well, now you know about the "low-tek" pressure test system, too, altho I will agree that the Pliance has a huge "cool" factor. Bet they’re
re: The Coolest Things I Learned About Saddle Fit
Susan Kauffman’s comment is right on target.
re: The Coolest Things I Learned About Saddle Fit
This is an introduction to saddle fitting, not an entire course. The basics Alexandra mentioned are just that: basics. I attended the entire course in the UK in 2003, and can say from experience that it is extremely detailed and demanding. When y