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Western saddle fit

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saddle fit
3K views 23 replies 8 participants last post by  tinyliny 
#1 ·
So I don't think this saddle fits, but have been told by both vet and farrier it does. We don't have a saddle fitter in our area I'm still looking. But what does anyone think about this, I think it's to small
 

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#4 ·
lol..... I cannot get my monitor upside down :lol::lol:

The best way to tell is with the Saddle on your Horse without a pad and the pic needs to show farther down on the front to see how all of the bar contacts your horse.


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#7 ·
He's the most important thing in my life tiny, I think he's pretty amazing. He has a lot of training issues we are working on, and we found out a couple years back he has a retained testicle . He went though a lot of abuse and was awful when I first got him, but years later and a lot of work he's something else ☺ . I'll get the picture with no pad tomorrow
 
#13 ·
First saddle is waaaaay too wide.

Second saddle appears to be too wide, as well.

If they're both FQHB, I'd say he probably needs regular QH bars instead.
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#14 ·
set it a couple inches further forward.

either those saddles are all bent, or your horse is real different from his right to his left side.

the second saddle is better. can't tell if it offers enough cleareance, as the photo doesn't show that well.

the first saddle appears to be a torture trap, while the second, possible usable. just cant see so well. it does seem to have a rather down hill cant to it, which is usually indicative of being too wide in front.
 
#15 ·
ugh. Ok, well first saddle will go to the stock sale then... I'll get a picture of it in our wider mare first to see if it fits her. What I have is all we can have, luckily I normally ride him bareback. I will readjust and take pictures of secound saddle again, I belive he may have been standing off. I was trying to do all this with a foal trying to gain on of our attention
 
#16 ·
Neither saddle is a good fit on this horse. A little wide up front but a poor fit elsewhere. The bars may have too much rocker for the shape of his back or they are too narrow and are popping both saddles up at the back. The leather saddle is too long for the back. I'm going by bar length, not the skirts. Can I see a pic of his back? Do you know of anyone who owns a saddle built for Arabs you might be able to try? Or a tree with semi qh bars?
 
#17 ·
I agree with The Arab Tree suggestion or even a Medium Gaited Tree.

You need a Saddle with a lot of flair in the leading edge of the bars of the Tree for those big shoulders.

Neither of those Saddles pictured are a decent fit.

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#18 ·
So I don't think this saddle fits, but have been told by both vet and farrier it does.
Wow, really? They both told you that saddle fits?

My non-horsey husband could tell you that both of those saddles don't fit!

I could let it slide with the farrier, as their expertise are feet and not saddle fit, but a vet should know better.

Agree with what has been said so far in that the trees are too wide, which is why they are setting down hill.

Here is some saddle fitting information to get you started.
THE SADDLE
Factors That Affect Tree Fit

This video is for English saddle fit, but it still raises some very good points about saddle fit in general and understanding your horse's back.
https://youtu.be/Ffsz53UwLF0
 
#19 ·
I doubt most vets study saddle fit, so they have no particular qualifications based on being a vet. Most farriers have experience with horses outside of shoeing, but I've met a number of 'experienced riders' who believed a saddle is a saddle is a saddle.

The old Circle Y Mojave "Arabian Saddle" we have has a standard QHB tree (a "D" in the Steele listing) - between semi and full. Some "Arabian saddles" are simply saddles with rounded skirts.

Here is a list of the 10 most common saddle trees from the largest maker of western saddle trees:

Steele Saddle Tree LLC - Fit To The Horse
 
#20 ·
I doubt most vets study saddle fit, so they have no particular qualifications based on being a vet. Most farriers have experience with horses outside of shoeing, but I've met a number of 'experienced riders' who believed a saddle is a saddle is a saddle.
I say that a vet should know better (I'm talking about an equine vet ... not your general small-town "all animals" vet) because if you bring a horse to them with pain or behavioral problems, they should be able to diagnose back pain if its there, and one area to rule out is an ill-fitting saddle.

I don't expect them to be a saddle fitter. But I do expect them to know basics on if a saddle fits or not.
 
#22 ·
Ok new saddle

This is a friendsmall saddle. Comparing these pics to the others I think this looks much better. What does anyone else think. I can buy this saddle if it does
 

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