I like to practice what I call “The Golden Rule of Horsemanship.”  It began as a child when my first riding instructor stated frankly that if I wanted my horse to take care of me, I had to take care of him.  This instructor taught me to be extremely sensitive to the needs of the horse, and aroused in me the awareness that horses are living, moving, feeling creatures, and not machines; they have days when they’re sore and don’t want to move just like we do.  And there are times when a good nuzzle is better than any amount of cookies.  So in my lifelong love of horses the “Golden Rule” has been my first priority:  If I was a horse, how would I want to be treated?  Taking a moment to put myself in my horse’s shoes has helped foster a harmonious working relationship.

So how does this relate to saddle fitting?  It all boils down to comfort for the horse.  We all know by now that in order to do his job well, the horse must be ridden in a properly fitting saddle.  What many of us fail to realize is that not only should the saddle fit comfortably, the rest of your tack should be comfortable as well.

Your girth should have a broad enough surface area to avoid pinching and constricting the skin.  It should be smooth and should breathe well enough so that the heart girth doesn’t overheat.  It should also be double elastic at the buckles to allow the rib cage to fully expand.  And, believe it or not, having rollers on the buckles makes it more comfortable for the horse because they allow for a gentler tightening of the girth.  As a rule, the broader the surface area the more comfortable the girth will be, and a “contour” girth is a little more ergonomic and “horse-friendly,” especially for those horses whose conformation places the heart girth in an awkward spot.  Neoprene girths tend to run hot and do not breathe, so they are not high on my list of favorite girths.  Some horses are sensitive to neoprene (I have one such horse), and the discomfort experienced by the wrong girth can cause behavior issues at the very least.  Leather is far preferable to neoprene, but should be padded leather or ridden with a girth cover to offer the most comfort.  Leather should be cleaned and conditioned regularly to avoid getting hard and cracked.  Synthetic cloth girths are economical and easy to care for, and many are made with a highly breathable material that makes them “cooler.”

Saddle pads are also commonly overlooked when it comes to comfort.  Ultimately, you should not need a complicated padding configuration if your saddle fits well, and adding extra “cushion” to a well-fitting saddle can cause your saddle to not fit properly anymore.  Ultimately, your saddle pad should have plenty of wither clearance and a wide enough channel so as to allow airflow along the spine.  There should be no friction caused by seams or stitching (haven’t you been driven crazy by itchy scratchy tags in clothing?  It makes moving most uncomfortable!).    If your pad sits on your horse’s wither it can cause nerve damage from the excessive friction, not to mention cause or exacerbate tension as the horse moves, which ultimately can cause or perpetuate lameness issues.  Your saddle pad should be longer than your saddle – if your saddle ends on the edge of your pad, think about the pressure of that seam digging into your horse’s back – OUCH!

And let’s not forget the rest of your tack!  Your bridle should be clean and well-conditioned so as to be plenty supple, as the grime that builds up from horse sweat can cause chafing.  Bridles that have padded crown pieces with the caveson strap going over the crown have become very popular of late, because the design helps to eliminate pinching of the poll.  The noseband should NOT be cranked tight, nor should the flash (should you need one at all – that’s an entirely different issue)…you should be able to EASILY get  3 fingers between it and the horse, and the placement of the noseband itself should not be too high nor too low (approximately 1-2” below the cheekbone).  Your bit, too, should be clean with no sharp edges, as these can cause bruising and abrasions in the horse’s sensitive mouth.  The bit should be sized properly, and should not be suspended too high or too low.

Finally, you should also be comfortable when it comes to your saddle, as the rider’s discomfort can have a direct effect on the horse’s comfort (and can also impact the way the saddle fits).  If you’re tense and uncomfortable (and often fidgety as a result) your horse becomes tense and uncomfortable.  Think about it – if horses can feel a fly on their bodies while wearing a light stable sheet, they can feel all of your fidgeting!  If you have a death grip with your legs because you’re not stable in the saddle, your horse is not going to move fluidly (largely because you’re interfering with his breathing – how would you move if you felt suffocated?).    Flailing about up top does nothing to assist the horse in performing the challenging task of carrying himself with 50% of his weight on the hind and 50% of his weight on the fore.  Remember that left to his own devices in the pasture, he’s placing 60% of his weight on the forehand.  If we’re trying to get him to balance his weight when we’re unbalanced, we’re once again interfering with his movement, causing tension in the back and ultimately the legs.  Over time, lamenesses can arise.

What it comes down to is the fundamental need for riders to be just a little more conscious of our horses’ comfort so that they are better able to do their jobs for us. So before you mount up, make sure your tack is as comfortable for your horse as possible.  A little consideration goes a long way toward healthy, happy horses.

One of the things I was made painfully aware of in my trip to England is that by and large, Americans place the saddle too far forward on our horse’s backs, especially in the hunter/jumper world.  I’m not sure where the trend started, but for some reason we’ve been conditioned to believe that the saddle belongs up on the horse’s shoulder.  Boy are we wrong!

The tree points of the saddle MUST rest 2-3″ (or about 3 fingers’ widths) behind the shoulder blade.  For the average jump saddle, this may mean that the flap sits over the shoulder.  As long as it moves out of the shoulder’s way when the horse is in motion, this is ok, as long as the tree points are where they belong.  The tree points are the saddle’s anchor.  They keep the saddle in position on the horse’s back and prevent us from simply rolling under the horse.  Because these tree points are stationary, they must be behind the shoulder blade to allow the shoulder its full range of motion.

If the shoulder is obstructed, the front end encounters extra stress and concussion because the horse is unable to use its back to its fullest extent.  As we all know, extra concussion and stress can result in lameness issues, but shoulder obstruction can cause a sore back and can influence the saddle’s fit.

It may look strange initially when you start putting the saddle in the correct position on the horse’s back, but you get used to it.   When the saddle is where it belongs on your horse’s back, your horse will be more comfortable.   What you’ll find is that your horse will immediately feel as though he moves with greater freedom.  You might notice that he stops pulling or fussing.  He may very well become that much more of a pleasure to ride.

Proper saddle placement. Note that the girth is approximately 1 hand's width from the horse's elbow.

And while we’re on the subject…the girth’s placement is just as important in preventing shoulder obstruction as the saddle’s tree points.  When in its proper position, the girth should be one hand’s width from the elbow.  That’s right…we’ve been cramming the girth in the wrong place too!  If the girth is too far forward it too can obstruct the shoulder’s full range of motion.

So here’s the challenge:  Move your saddle a little further back, so that the tree points are behind the shoulder blade.  Make sure the girth is a hand’s width from the horse’s elbow.  Go for a ride and see if you can feel how much better your horse moves!