Clients expect equine veterinarians performing lameness exams to evaluate their horse’s gait and symmetry, make a diagnosis, and develop a rehabilitation plan. But how often do clients ask their veterinarian to look at the whole package, including saddle, bridle, bit, and rider impact on the horse?
At the 2024 AAEP Convention, Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, DACVSMR, FRCVS, a sports medicine practitioner and accomplished dressage rider, discussed this topic during her presentation titled “How to Perform a Ridden Exam/Saddle Fit in Lameness Workup.”
The Elements of Saddle Fit
Saddles are built on a tree that disperses the rider’s weight evenly across the horse’s back. The rib cage is the actual weight-bearing area for the saddle (and rider), with the last rib marking the last weight-bearing site. An English saddle has panels that distribute weight along the back and cover the ridged areas on the tree’s underside. Riders often use a pad is used to keep the leather panels clean. Clayton stressed the importance of the saddle having sufficient clearance of the scapula so the horse can protract the forelimbs; as the top of the scapula moves, it only slightly passes beneath the saddle.
The weight-bearing parts of a Western saddle run between the pommel and the horse’s last rib. The rider’s weight sits over the rib cage in front of the cantle. Leather might extend beyond the cantle, but its main function is to hold ropes or other gear; this doesn’t place pressure on the horse’s back. The tree on a Western saddle does not have panels and is usually lined with a thin layer of sheepskin. Instead of panels, riders use thick saddle pads or blankets to dampen the weight of saddle and rider.
Clayton described some other important elements of saddle fit:
- The height and width of the pommel should match the shape of the horse.
- The arch and slope of the tree must accommodate a horse’s withers.
- The contour of the saddle should parallel the horse’s side. Place a flat hand between the saddle and the horse’s side; you should feel even pressure at all points.
- You must check the gullet clearance with a rider mounted. It should be high enough for three or four fingers to fit between it and the spine along the entire length. With no rider mounted, you should be able to see right through the saddle from withers to caudal.
- The gullet width is important, since a gullet that’s too narrow can injure the withers. You should be able to fit two fingers between the inner surface of the saddle and the side of the horse to ensure the pommel doesn’t rub against the withers. The gullet should be equally wide all the way through the back.
Common Saddle Fit Issues
In an English saddle, the rider’s weight is dispersed equally along the length of the panels. Ideally, the panels should have even contact with the entirety of the back. Problems with saddle fit often relate to bridging and rocking created by poor panel contact. The saddle will rock if the panels take a banana shape, causing them to make contact in the middle of the back and then curve away in both cranial and caudal directions.
Bridging occurs when the panels are loaded cranially and caudally but unloaded in the middle. A mounted rider often flattens the tree, so this problem, which is common with narrow trees, can be difficult to detect. Clayton recommends looking at sweat and dirt patterns on the pad after the horse is ridden to see what areas of the pad lack contact with the back.
If a tree is narrow and the pommel sits high at the withers, the saddle tips backward and the rider’s legs fly forward into a chair seat. This rider has difficulty rising at the trot. If a tree is wide with the pommel low, especially if in contact with the dorsal spinal processes, the saddle tips forward, concentrating the rider’s weight at the front of the saddle.
Signs of Poor Saddle Fit
Both rider and horse must be comfortable in the saddle to optimize performance. A comfortable horse has relaxed ears and focused eyes. The muscles around the eyes and muzzle are relaxed. The head is held close to vertical, the head and neck are still, and the tail is relaxed. The comfortable horse moves with a good rhythm at all gaits. Horses will often give behavioral indications that something is bothering them or inflicting pain.
Signs of poor saddle fit are often evident upon thorough inspection. Remove the saddle by lifting directly up rather than dragging it off the horse’s back. Look for swelling, lumps, or muscle atrophy. Look for dry areas and rubbed or ruffled hair. Look for hypertrophic muscles in one area and/or atrophy of muscles in other areas.
Final Thoughts
A good saddle fit is just as important to a horse’s performance as its skill level and soundness. It is worth a veterinarian’s time to be as thorough as possible when looking at all the details that might affect a horse’s comfort.
Related Reading
- Horse Owners Share Management Approaches for Kissing Spines
- The Evolution and Application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram
- Approach to Horses with Poor Performance
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