~ Western Saddle Fitting~
By Cindy Edwards and Jeye Johnson

When we think of western saddles, we think of style, fancy tooling, and pretty conchos. But the fact is we should consider the tree within and how well it fits our horse first. The ability for the saddle to properly fit the horses back and accommodate the rider, resides with the tree hidden inside the saddle itself. After all, the tree is really the basis of the saddle.

People rarely buy trees. Most of us have never even seen a saddle tree for that matter. People buy saddles that simply have trees in them. When saddle shopping, most of us usually see a saddle that looks good, then jump into the seat to see how it feels for us. Of course, the saddle should be comfortable, but it is equally, if not more important, to provide the same comfort for your equine partner.

After the horse, the saddle should be your number one investment. Many people spend thousands and thousands of dollars on their horse, but cut corners and pinch pennies when purchasing a saddle. Saddles are an investment that can make or break the performance of a champion.

The saddle tree should accommodate the necessary movements required to perform for both horse and rider. The tree consists of five major parts: swell, cantle, seat, horn and bars. The top half of the tree belongs to the rider and the bottom half belongs to the horse Think about the critical functions of a saddle tree:

1. The tree is the base structure upon which the saddle is made.
2. The tree is the strength factor within the saddle.
3. The tree is the critical point of contact to the horse’s back and, through its fit determines how well it allows the horse to perform.
4. Properly fitted, the tree distributes the weight of the rider and evenly disperses pressure to help prevent back soreness.

Ill fitting saddles can lead to soreness which can cause all types of behavioral and performance problems. Poor saddle fit can limit or restrict virtually every physical move a horse makes in competition including acceleration, lateral flexion, and collection. Saddle soreness can affect the horse’s posture and limit speed. A horse with back pain will often hollow his back, shorten his stride, and carry his head abnormally high which limits his ability to run, stop, and turn. Soreness from poor saddle fit can also be reflected by an overall nervous behavior, irritability, bucking or refusal to perform. These symptoms often get misdiagnosed as training issues. As a result, many riders reach for more severe equipment and intense training methods, which only makes the problem worse. A horse is an animal of reaction. Most horses take the path of least resistance and when a horse displays behavioral issues, it generally stems from pain or lack of training. If a horse used to work and now he doesn’t, he is most likely in pain.

Physical and behavioral signs that may indicate an improper saddle fit:

1. Dry spots are a sign of an ill-fitting saddle. Ruffled hair and small dry spots are the most detrimental to your horse. Larger dry spots are not always harmful. Large dry spots, although not perfect, does not necessarily mean soreness will occur and should be judged on an individual basis.
2. Uneven sweat patterns under the saddle along with ruffled hair or white hairs that begin to appear are visual signs that the tree is too tight in a certain area. These indicators are usually noticed at the shoulder or wither area, but the tree can also be too tight in other areas as well, so be sure to examine the whole back when evaluating saddle fit.
3. A change in the way the horse carries his head or stands when he is saddled. Does he stand with his back hollowed out and hocks stretched out behind him as opposed to how he would stand or travel when not saddled?
4. Irritability or flinching when saddling and tightening the cinch.
5. Refusing or resisting the hind feet to be picked up when saddled.
6. Change in conformation and the atrophy of muscle mass along the horse’s withers or spine.

Five common problems related to improper saddle fit which can cause pain, soreness, and lead to sub par performance:

1. Bridging – This occurs when the saddle digs into the shoulder and the loin with little or no contact along the middle of the back, creating soreness in the shoulder and loin areas.
2. Rocking- This occurs when the saddle tree’s bars have too much “belly” which keeps the saddle from fitting flat down on the back. In this case the pressure is isolated to the mid section of the horse’s back.
3. Too Narrow – A tree that is too narrow is simply too tight and causes too much pressure on the horse’s back, which can be very painful to the horse.
4. Too Wide – A tree that is too wide will collapse in the front and may also cause the gullet to bottom out on the horse’s withers. A saddle that is too wide may also cause only the top edges of the bar to contact the horse’s back. This may allow the saddle to drop down so low that the spine can be damaged as the withers come in contact with the gullet.
5. Too Steep- When the angle of the bars are too steep, the tree will ride on the bottom edge of the bar. This can cause soreness throughout the back due to pressure in a very concentrated area and it also has a tendency to cause the saddle to roll.

Again, the purpose of the saddle is to aid the horse and rider by helping them perform their job. If the tree does not fit properly, the saddle can restrict the horse’s performance.

It mainly comes down to staying out of the horse’s way. A saddle tree that fits correctly does not interfere with the natural movement of the horse’s shoulder, back and loin. It is also important that the saddle be placed in the proper position on the horse’s back. When the saddle sets clear of the horse’s shoulder, he is free to move as nature intended. When you put pressure on the scapula and then ask for the horse to perform, the horse has to compensate. In other words, the horse has to change the natural way they move in order to work around the pressure. Any time a horse lengthens or shortens its stride, problems can arise. Soreness can cause the horse to resist or refuse to perform and can even lead to major joint and ligament damage due to unnatural gait.

Since 1998, Martin Saddlery has been working to achieve a better fit for the horse. The AXIS™ tree by Martin is designed and constructed in-house. By having the ability to produce saddle trees in-house, Martin can control the entire process from start to finish. The new AXIS™ saddle tree is a result of Martin’s on going efforts to improve saddle quality and performance.

Martin Saddlery understands the intense athletic maneuvers required of a performance horse and the negative effects an ill-fitting saddle can have on their performance. That is why Martin has dedicated years of research and development towards designing saddle trees that fit today’s athletic horses without hindering their natural range of motion. Through precise angles of alignment, flared bar tips and stirrup fender cut outs, Martin’s AXIS™ saddle trees help horses perform to their top potential.

Martin Saddlery has worked with top professionals and trainers in all disciplines of western riding including Sherri Cervi, Kory Koontz, Clinton Anderson, Matt Gaines, Terra Bynum, Don Murphy and many more.

“Our goal to better fit the horse is ongoing. We breed better horses today than we did 20 years ago and through genetics we will continue to breed for increased athleticism and performance. In doing so, the conformation of our horses is forever evolving. At Martin Saddlery, we continue to dedicate time and resources researching ways to improve saddle tree design to better accommodate today’s equine athletes. We are truly excited with the improvements we have made. After all, the saddle is really only as good as the tree upon which it is built” – Brian Peterson, Martin Saddlery.

For more information on Martin saddles, please visit their website at martinsaddlery.com or come visit us at Shaw’s Saddlery so we can assist you in finding the right saddle for you and your equine partner.

Click here for a coupon for a FREE ESP Pad with the purchase of any Martin Saddle.