The Art Of Fitting Equestrian Saddles Correctly

You will have to select quite a few items of equipment as you get ready to go horse riding

. Some of the items you may select without too much forethought, but others will take some deliberation. Equestrian saddles are quite complex pieces of equipment and must be chosen carefully, as an ill fitting saddle will make the whole experience uncomfortable not only for you, but also for the horse itself.

Horse saddles have been designed and perfected over many years and there are very good reasons for their rather unusual shape. You should buy and configure your saddle according to the type of riding that you have in mind, but above all you must make sure that you test the fitment of the saddle on your horse. If you are rather new to all this, please get an experienced rider or expert to help you set it all up.

Fundamentally, the saddle is built around what is called a "tree," which is essentially a frame upon which the rest of the item is attached. Traditionally, the tree is wooden, but it can also be fibreglass these days. In most cases it will be covered with leather. There are some distinctive features including the pommels and cantles, which also help to elevate the seat to the correct position for full control. Your legs will rest against the saddle flap and the saddle must always be securely fastened about the horse, of course.

Get somebody to help you when you first sit in an English saddle, so that you can see if it is mounted correctly. With somebody sitting in place, you need to see that the weight is perfectly balanced and that you have space between the horse's withers and the bottom of the pommel. When you insert a couple of fingers into this space you will be able to tell if it is okay or not. The other thing you need to notice is that the saddle does not stop the horse from moving its shoulders correctly.

When the saddle is fitted correctly, it should not be too snug along the horse's back and you should allow for movement appropriately. If the saddle is too long it will be uncomfortable and could even bruise the horse, so once again make sure that your measurements are taken correctly before you even "road test" the saddle in the real world. Make sure that you have an agreement with the seller of the saddle, so that you can be sure that it works for you before finalising the purchase.

In recent years, Wintec saddles have risen to become very popular due to their innovative design and construction. The latest generation, called the Equileather range, features a new synthetic material which is very similar in feel and performance to leather, hard wearing with high performance. A further innovation now allows the gullet at the head of the saddle to be opened and the gullet to be changed to an appropriate size. There are six different choices and this innovation allows the saddle to be custom fitted to the horse's wither.

by: Nick Morgan

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