what kind of tree?

What kind of saddle/tree do I need that will fit an appalossa?

It depends on the horse and how their confirmation is. (do you have a picture?)

Also - western or english saddle?

Sorry, these are the only two pictures I have of her right now.... and they were taken from my phone so their not that great.

I just got her about a week ago... but ill hopefully get around to getting more pictures of her soon


And it would be western.

Western saddles typically come in 3 widths- narrow/high withered for gaited horses and some arabs, semi-quarterhorse (most horses will fit here - 6.5 inches wide) and full quarterhorse bars (7 inch).

Without actually measuring, and never seeing your horse, I would say semi-quarterhorse bars would work, unless she's a lot wider than what she looks. JMO though.

http://www.your-guide-to-gifts-for-h...addle-fit.html

Thank you!!!

Saddle measurements are referred to in two ways, gullet width and bar spread. The gullet is measured in the front of the saddle from one side to the other taken under the swell and is used to determine how the saddle fits over the withers. The bars run on either side of the your horse's back from the front of the saddle to the rear and refer to the angle that they lay along your horse's spine.

Typical gullet widths for a full size horse run form about 6 1/2" to about 7 1/2" (there are some saddles that run smaller and larger). Bars are classified as; semi QH, QH, full QH, Arab, and gaited. Since there is no standardization in the tree making industry, QH bars in one saddle may be semi QH in another.

The best way to measure a horse if you've never done it before is to take the horse to a saddle shop and let them do it. Ask a LOT of questions.

If that is not possible, then go to a hardware store and buy two 2 1/2' pieces of either 12 or 14 gage house wire (the kind they use when they wire your home). Form the first one over your horse's withers and the second one over the middle of his back. Carefully remove the wire and trace them on some heavy cardboard and cutout the shapes you traced. Take the cardboard cutouts to the saddle shop and have them fit a saddle to them.

A poorly fitting saddle can cause a good deal of harm to your horse and is responsible for many behavioral problems that riders have.

Good luck with your saddle hunt!

Btw, judging only by the pics of your horse I agree with kickshaw and would start with a 6 1/2 or 6 3/4 gullet and semi qh bars.

http://www.western-saddle-guide.com/...seat-size.html

Though this is not the right page. This site has TONS of information on it when talking about saddles.

Hope this helps, its one of my FAVORITE sites when I have questions.

That is a great site. Try this one too: http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/howshoulifit.html

Thanks so much guys!!!
I was thinking semi quarter to begin with but I wanted to double check.....ive always had standard bred horses so the whole owning a horse thing is still somewhat new. I've always ridden but never my own horses so I don't know much about saddles.
I know how to measure the gullet and all that but not the horse...

So, now that I know how to, im going to do my best!!

So thanks a bunch guys!!!