Saddle Tree Width: Stick to the Correct Fit for Your Horse

High-tech measurements support master saddlers’ tree width standards.
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Saddle Tree Width: Stick to the Correct Fit for Your Horse
It is essential that regular saddle fitting assessments are carred out throughout the year to ensure correct saddle fit is achieved, said MacKechnie-Guire. | Photo: Alexandra Beckstett/The Horse
Despite good intentions, fitting a horse with a wider saddle tree won’t free him up for better movement, according to a study based on high-tech data readings.

Some professionals aim to counter the effects of equine back changes during exercise by using a saddle with a tree that’s wider than that recommended in the Society of Master Saddlers Industry Guidelines, said Russell MacKechnie-Guire, of Centaur Biomechanics and The Royal Veterinary College, in Hatfield, U.K.

New research, however, indicates that correct fit is best for the horse.

“There is evidence that a horse’s back changes its epaxial muscle (those that run along the sides of the spine) dimensions within a short period of exercise when ridden in a correctly fitted saddle, so some saddle fitters (and others) fit the saddle according to these changes,” MacKechnie-Guire said. “But findings from our latest experiment using multiple measuring systems indicate that it is best to fit to the correct width based on the Society of Master Saddlers Industry Guidelines for each individual horse

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Passionate about horses and science from the time she was riding her first Shetland Pony in Texas, Christa Lesté-Lasserre writes about scientific research that contributes to a better understanding of all equids. After undergrad studies in science, journalism, and literature, she received a master’s degree in creative writing. Now based in France, she aims to present the most fascinating aspect of equine science: the story it creates. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

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