Looking to get a new saddle for your horse? How do you know which saddle to choose? Did you know many behavioral problems in horses are actually caused by a bad fitting saddle? Think about it – no horse should be forced to ride when they are in pain caused by a bad fitting saddle.
What should you do? If you have never purchased a saddle before and if it’s possible, contact an experienced horse trainer or horse riding instructor. They can explain the different parts of a western or english saddle so that you know where to start when looking for a saddle for your horse.
Say you’ve found a western saddle you like. A basic test you can do to make sure it’s the right saddle for your horse is to place the saddle on your horse using a good saddle pad. The saddle pad is just as important as the saddle.
Place your hand under the pommel. On a western saddle, the pommel is the part of the saddle in the front where the horn is. You should be able to fit 3 or 4 fingers under the pommel. If you cannot fit your fingers under the pommel, the saddle tree is too wide which causes the saddle to sit too low. This could potentially cause skeletal damage to your horses back.
If you can fit your whole fist under the saddle, the tree is too narrow and the saddle is too high which may pinch your horses withers.
Western Saddle For A Horse
