How to assess your saddle fit

Checking your riding saddle fits properly is essential to the wellbeing of both horse and rider.

You can’t expect the perfect fit that you would get from a bespoke saddle when you buy pre-loved, but you can get something that best meets the needs of the horse-rider pairing.
Every horse is unique, so accessorie such as half pad with shims may help improve saddle balance and comfort.

A poorly-fitted saddle can result in pressure points or hinder movement, which can affect your horse’s locomotion.

This blog takes you through all the essential guidelines you need to assess to ensure your saddle fits properly: static assessment, gait analysis and specific recommendations for buying a used saddle. 

• Saddle position
• Gait analysis
• Our specialist Marie is here to help!

Your guide to checking the saddle position

Here’s our simple, step-by-step guide to check your saddle fits properly.

NB: please do not use a pad and please ensure the girth straps are fitted correctly.

First of all, you must position the saddle on the horse’s back properly.
Place the saddle slightly forward on your horse’s withers, then gently slide it backwards. The saddle should naturally sit behind the scapula (shoulder blade).

Step 1: Check the withers

Let’s move onto the position of the withers.
You should have 2-3 finger wither clearance if you have the right gullet size.

Wither clearance guidelines 

If you can fit fewer than 2-3 fingers, that means the gullet is too wide.
If you can fit more than 3 fingers into the opening, that means the saddle’s gullet is too narrow.

Step 2: Check panel contact

To check your saddle‘s panel contact on your horse’s back, lift the flap and run your hand along the edge of the panel.
The panels should fit snugly on your horse’s back. You should feel a smooth and even contact.

An easy way to tell if it’s in the right place is to check that the back of the saddle doesn’t go past the last rib.

How to find your horse’s last rib

It’s easy to feel by hand. You need to find the last rib on your horse then gently push it up their back.

Step 3: Check the shoulders

Run your hand between the knee roll and horse to ensure your horse can move their shoulders freely.

There should be panel contact to maintain saddle balance, however you should be able to run your hand underneath the panel to check for blockages. The panel should sit gently on your hand.

Step 4: Check saddle balance

Now you’ve gone through the essential steps involved in checking your saddle, let’s make sure your saddle is correctly balanced on your horse’s back.

Here are a few tips to help:

The top of the pommel and cantle should sit level.

If you have a used saddle that hasn’t been tailor-made for your horse, you can correct any slight imbalance using a half pad with shims.

If you require support, please feel free to contact our specialist for help checking your saddle. You can email photos such as the ones below to contact@selles-occasions.com

Here are a few examples:

As soon as you’ve completed these steps and your saddle ticks all the boxes, it’s time to move onto gait analysis.

Gait analysis

Now you’ve checked your saddle meets the above guidelines, it’s time to test it in the three basic gaits.

Observation of the saddle in movement

You’ll be able to see how your horse behaves with your future saddle in the three gaits.

Look out for certain signs during your trial.

What to look out for:

There are several indicators to look out for in terms of the horse, rider and saddle:

NB: these are general indicators. You must take your horse’s behaviour during prior sessions into account.

Horse response:

Your horse should move as they usually do. You may even notice an improvement in their locomotion.

Rider response:

Ask yourself the right questions: How do you feel in the saddle? Do you feel comfortable during your ride? Do you feel well-balanced in the saddle?

NB: When you change your saddle, it can take a little while to adapt, so don’t worry about any little niggles as they’ll soon iron themselves out.

Saddle response

• Longitudinal stability: the saddle shouldn’t bounce on the horse’s back.
• Position on the back: does it stay put or does it slip forwards or backwards during your session?

If you have any questions, contact your specialist for help to decide if what you’re seeing is normal, acceptable or if it’s best to choose another model!

Our specialist Marie is here to help!

A used saddle isn’t something you buy on impulse!
That’s where our specialist Marie comes in. She takes the time to get to know your horse-rider pairing.

She uses any photos, trial videos and information you send in to help guide your search for pre-loved saddles.
Then you have a 15-day trial period to find the perfect saddle.
You can send photos and videos of you testing out the saddles to Marie too.

Browse our used saddles by discipline:

At the end of the day, saddle fitting isn’t something you leave to chance.
Whether it’s new or used, a saddle must respect your horse’s biomechanics, provide the rider with functional balance and stay in place in the three basic gaits.

That’s what makes it so important to conduct a comprehensive trial and analyse the horse’s response, the rider’s posture and the dynamic performance of the saddle itself.

You too can set the standards with second-hand tack! 🙂