The Importance of Correct Saddle Fitting For Rider and Horse

Category: Business

An appropriately fitted saddle can be easily compared to properly fitting athletic footwear for humans and horses. In actuality, both the horse and the rider benefit from correct saddle fitting. When we ride, we are joined to our horse by the saddle on his back. The skin, which has thousands of nerve endings, the epaxial muscles, the spinal vertebrae, and the point where the ribs and vertebrae meet, makeup that area anatomically. Due to an unfit saddle, all these organs of the horse are affected, which in turn hampers its performance. Try to buy all purpose saddles for your horse's best comfort and performance. What signs indicate a bad saddle fit? A horse may experience pain, performance challenges, and temperament issues if a saddle does not fit them properly. Some more problems that can be pointed out are: ● Obvious sores ● White hairs under the saddle ● Swelling under the saddle ● Sensitivity to grooming or palpation of the saddle area ● Being "cold-backed" ● Resistance to work ● Tail swishing ● Not riding straight ● A generally negative attitude ● Difficulty with collection These performance issues are all indications of saddle fitting problems. Indicators of a Properly Fitted Saddle A correctly fitted saddle can significantly improve both your own comfort and performance as well as that of your horse. Naturally, we would all prefer to have the cash available to purchase a unique saddle for each horse and rider combination. However, this is frequently not possible, and a saddle is frequently switched between a number of different horses. Therefore, it is vital to evaluate how the saddle fits the horse and, if necessary, make adjustments. For proper saddle fitting, keep the following in mind: ● Structure: Carefully check each saddle for asymmetry or structural flaws. Pressure spots on your horse's back will result from twisted trees or asymmetrical panels. ● Position: The most important factor in saddle fit is position. The saddle is typically positioned too far forward on most riders, covering the scapula. [Place the saddle on the horse's withers, a little bit forward. When the saddle reaches the resting position determined by the horse's conformation, which is well behind the shoulder blade, depress the pommel and slide the saddle backward until it stops. You can make use of jumping saddles that have a close contact design and a flatter seat to allow greater freedom of movement for the rider when in the jumping position. ● Panel and Bars: The saddle's panels are the part that touches the horse's back. The panels will only make contact with the back in front and in the back if the saddle is positioned too far forward, leaving the central area to "float." These contact locations will experience pressure as a result. The panels' angle needs to permit even contact along the back. The gullet of the saddle, which should span either side of the horse's spine by 1-2 inches, is intended to relieve pressure from the spine. The spine should not be directly touched by any part of the saddle. Western saddles come with bars. The bars must be sufficiently curved and flared to accommodate the shape of the horse's back. Get the best panel and bars from Ascot Saddlery Flemington. ● Tree: The saddle's internal framework is known as the tree. Although traditionally composed of wood, trees can today be manufactured with a variety of modern, high-tech materials. Additionally, they could be fixed or movable. The tree should NOT apply ANY pressure on the withers as it crosses over them. It ought to fit without a pad supporting it. ● Saddle seat: When viewed from the side, the saddle seat should be level. Remember that the rider's comfort is just as important as the saddle's! Improper balance can happen if the rider's fit is not right. If the saddle accessories and gullets don't fit the horse right, it will result in pressure points being created on the horse's back by the rider. In addition, trying to correct for bad balance or being in an awkward position may cause pain for the rider. So once we find the right fit, we are all set? No! Horses can pull a fast one when we think we have the saddle fitted properly. Their bodies alter. That perfectly fitting saddle might not fit as well as it once did when they get more muscle and lose fat as a result of our training. As your horse matures throughout the course of the year, it is crucial to reassess your saddle fit. You might need to have your saddle reflocked or possibly a new saddle for this. To ensure that your horse can offer you his best performance, these are nevertheless modest investments that are easily available at Ascot Saddlery. Saddle fit evaluation requires patience and a keen eye. But once we are aware of the problem areas, we can make the necessary adjustments. If you have recently brought a horse, learn more about saddle fit from a saddlery near me.