How to Fit a Saddle

Posted by: articles-petsforsale

One of the most important safety factors of riding is that you have the right equipment, which is carefully selected, fits the horse well and is maintained to a high standard.  Accidents can occur when equipment fails as a result of neglect or misuse, or when the components and the process of manufacture is below an acceptable standard.  An obvious safeguard is to purchase from established saddlers and are committed to maintaining high standards in respect of materials and workmanship.  Nonetheless, the responsibility for safety belongs as much to the consumer as it does to the manufacturer and/or retailer.

The Saddle

The saddle and its mountings including the leathers, stirrup irons and girth are items of equipment which, if cared for, will last almost a lifetime.  But there are points of potential failure which need to be checked regularly.

On the saddle itself the most vulnerable area is concerned with the girth straps and their attachment.  The stitching securing the girth straps to the webs passing round or over the tree will wear or perish in time and will need to be replaced.  Girth straps, however good the quality of the leather, are also subject to wear.  When the holes stretch - and the leather is in danger of splitting between the holes - new straps should be fitted. (The girth straps on cheap saddles, are frequently of poor quality and their attachment to the tree (sometimes only by tacks) may be so insecure as to be unsafe.

The so-called "safety" catch on stirrup bars should at all times be kept in the open position.  A closed catch can prevent the leather being freed in the event of a fall and may result in the rider being dragged.

Buckles

"A Stitch in Time" is a good maxim to observe when it comes to girths, leathers and bridles too, but when purchasing any of those items the buckles, and in the case of the bridle the hook stud fastenings, deserve particular scrutiny.

Avoid the buckle which is obviously poorly finished with the edges left sharp and the tongues loose and perhaps bent. The former cut into the leather and the latter are likely to prove unreliable. Replace bent or loose hook studs immediately.

Stirrup Leathers

Stirrup leathers receive the most wear at the point where they turn through the eye of the stirrup iron.  It is for this reason that stirrup leathers are made with the tougher "grain" side (the outside) facing inwards, since the dressing etc. makes it more resistant to friction.  A wise precaution is to have leathers shortened every so often so as to move the point of contact with the iron.  A better insurance is to replace leathers regularly with best quality new ones.

Stirrup Irons

Buy stirrup irons made from stainless steel, nickel ones are cheaper but are liable to bend or break.  If using a conventional pattern iron choose a heavy one big enough to slip off the foot in an emergency but not so big as to allow the whole foot to pass through and become trapped.  Always wear boots or heavy shoes rather than flat-soled footwear.

Regular cleaning with a glycerine-based soap and reliable "leather food" preparation is essential if equipment is to be kept soft, supple and serviceable.

When leather is neglected or is subjected to constant immersion in water (particularly hot water) or dried over heat, it becomes brittle and will snap in use.

Saddle Safety

The fitting of saddlery is as important an aspect of safety as its proper maintenance. Saddles (and bridles, also) which for any reason cause the horse discomfort and inhibit his movement can create an unnecessary stress situation which inevitably leads to a lowering of the safety threshold.  To ride safely it is always best to have a new saddle fitted by a reputable saddler and to consult him about any subsequent adjustments to the fitting.

It's impossible to fit all horses with one saddle - even with a host of different saddle pads. There's just too much variation in the physical shape of the different horse breeds.  However, it is possible to fit most horses of a particular physical type with one well-designed saddle.
With a suitable quality saddle and a variety of saddle pads, you should be able to ride many horses of the same physical type.  Such a saddle should comfortably clear a horse's withers, allow for free movement of the shoulders, be the proper length and shape for its back, and be well balanced to provide good weight distribution. That's proper saddle fit.
Multiple saddles will be necessary if you ride horses of different breeds or significantly different sizes, or if you ride horses that deviate from the norm for their physical type (i.e. a narrow, high withered Quarter Horse).

That’s how you clean you tack, if you’re looking to buy a new saddle check our horse accessories classifieds or look up horses for sale if you’re actually looking to purchase a horse.