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* The definition of a well-fitting saddle is one which follows the profile of the horse's back, distributes the rider's weight over as wide an area as possible, and does not interfere with the horse's movement. It must also help you to ride in a correct and comfortable position; if your saddle puts you out off balance, your horse will suffer. * A horse should only be ridden if he is sound and free from any signs of pain and discomfort. Obviously, this applies to the areas which bear the weight of the saddle and rider, but saddle fit can be affected by other problems. For instance, if a horse has a problem in his hock he may carry himself awkwardly to try and relieve the discomfort, thus unbalancing his rider's weight and creating pressure points that, strictly speaking, are not the fault of the saddle. Run your hands along the horse's back to check for signs of soreness or tightness, keeping your touch firm but consistent. If someone suddenly dug their fingers in to your back, you would object! The most vulnerable areas are just below the withers, where the points of a tree which is too narrow dig in, and at the back of the saddle. The most common problem found is a tree which is too narrow. * Put the saddle on the horse, without a pad or saddlecloth. Make sure it is far enough back not to interfere with the movements of the horse's shoulder-the top of the shoulder blade rotates back up to three inches with every stride. Tighten the girth gently and gradually; you should finish by being able to fit the flat of your fingers between the girth and the horse's side, and his skin should not be pinched or wrinkled. * The tree must be the correct width and profile for the horse's back. To get a picture of your horse's shape, buy an architect's flexcurve (an aid for drawing curved lines) from a stationer's. Place it over the horse's wither behind the shoulder where the front arch of the saddle rests, and mould it to his shape. Draw inside it on a piece off paper and use the resultant shape to gauge correct saddle width. * The saddle should follow the shape of the horse's back so that as wide an area as possible of the underneath is in contact. * When you are on board, there must be adequate clearance of the withers and all along the gullet. The textbook advice is that there should bee three fingers' width between the withers and the front arch, but there is some leeway. Certainly there must be one finger's clearance when you stand in the stirrups. You need more leeway if you are going to jump than if your horse always keep four feet on the ground. * The saddle should sit central, not tip to one side. Remember that a lopsided rider can pull the saddle over, so get someone to check that you sit square. * There is bound to be some movement, but it should not be obvious. If the saddle bounces up and down or swings side to side, you have a problem. * Check the saddle with the rider on board, before the horse starts work, and during and after work, in all gaits, on both reins. * When you look at your saddle from the side, it should be level and the deepest part of the seat should be in the center. If it looks as if it is going uphill or downhill, you will be tipped out of balance. * If you want to use a certain type of padding, tell your saddle fitter. Most say that a thin pad is better than a thick one, as the latter can make a correctly fitting saddle too tight. Pads cannot turn a badly fitting saddle in to one which fits well, though research data on some of the newest pads seems to show that they can help give a better bearing surface and weight load. * Ideally, every horse should have his own saddle. This is obviously impossible in many circumstances, and many riders prefer riding in one design or type off saddle and are reluctant to accept that it may not suit all horses-an attitude that is not always in the horse's best interest. Treeless saddles are a newer invention which can provide a potential solution for riders who need to use the same saddle on multiple horses Regardless saddle fit should be checked on each and every horse.
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