Proper saddle fit is important to the comfort of both horse and rider. | Photo: Alexandra Beckstett/The Horse

What is good saddle fit? Simply put, it involves a saddle–English or Western–that spreads weight evenly on the longissimus dorsi muscles along either side of the spine. This well-fit saddle has clearance over the withers and doesn’t impede movement of the scapulas (shoulder blades). This saddle puts the rider’s weight in concert with the horse’s center of balance.

Proper saddle fit is important to the comfort of both horse and rider. An ill-fitting saddle can result in a sore-backed horse, an uncomfortable seat for the rider, or both. The problem is, one size doesn’t fit all. Yet, says Jeremiah Watt, a private saddle maker and clinician from Coalinga, Calif., it is impractical to have a saddle made for each horse you plan to ride.

“If you have a saddle made for a specific horse,” he says, “it had better be a valuable horse that takes you to the pay window every time in roping or whatever else you might be involved in. If that horse colics and dies or can’t be ridden for another reason, you can be stuck with an expensive saddle that you can’t use