Why use a saddle fitter?

There are a number of reasons a person will use a saddle fitter. The two main reasons are to be sure your existing saddle fits your horse and when purchasing a new or used saddle, it fits you and your horse.

 

Signs of a poorly fit saddle that can be resolved by correct saddle fitting:

For the rider:

• achy hips and knees

• groin/crotch pain

• lower back pain and stiffness

• sitting in chair seat or hollowing your back

• struggling to find balance and bracing against your horse

• the need to shift your weight constantly to find comfort

• chafing

• lower leg instability

 

For the saddle:

• moving forward or backward

• slipping to one side

• sitting too high in the front

• sitting too high in the back

• feeling unbalanced

• requiring a tight girth, breastplate, or a crupper to stop it from moving

 

For the horse:

• fidgeting or refusing to stand still when being saddled

• putting his ears back or biting at you when being saddled

• having a choppy, short stride under saddle or rushing for no reason

• hollowing his/her back (inverting) during flatwork or jumping

• bucking or refusing when you ask for canter or after jumps

• picking up the wrong lead 

• refusing to extend or constantly tripping for no reason

• feeling stiffer in one direction than the other

• muscle atrophy or inability to develop new muscles

• inability to lift and round back

• refusing jumps

• toe dragging

• head nodding

• tail swishing

• having a poor work attitude

• lack of engagement

• lameness including kissing spine, hock and stifle issues, tendon issues, back soreness

 

By giving your horse and saddle a thorough evaluation, both static (no rider) and dynamic (rider)
many of these issues can be solved and avoided.

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