Visit from the Saddle Fitter

Does saddle fit really make that much of a difference? People ask that a lot. Horses never do. They know.

Try this (if you're one of my people friends). Get down on your hands and knees with a fully loaded backpack on your back. See, when you carry a backpack, it hangs from your shoulders, but when we carry a saddle and a human, it's sitting right on our back.

Now, have a friend manipulate that pack. Have them move it from side to side, and press down on it. Have them put more stuff on one side or lumpy stuff next to your back. Then have them pinch the sides real tight around your shoulders.

Not very comfortable, is it? Think about how it would feel if there was someone sitting on top of it too.

A saddle isn't really that heavy for a horse to carry. We're big and strong and saddles don't weigh much to us. But if it's stiff, or unbalanced, or if it's pinchy or lumpy, it can drive us crazy.

A saddle needs to cover our backs smoothly and it has to be well balanced, both back to front and side to side. It needs to be nicely cushioned and smooth, and it needs to keep weight off our spines and our withers. It has to be wide enough so we can move our shoulders freely but contoured to us enough so it isn't moving and bouncing. Anyone can put a saddle on a horse's back and get an idea of whether it fits or not but only someone trained to fit saddles properly can see all the important points and make sure they're just right.

My mom had my Saddle Fitter out just the other day. As you know, we got a dressage saddle a few months ago and both of us like it a lot. It's really comfortable for my mom and it has been for me too. But recently it began to feel pinchy in my shoulders so my mom stopped using it and called the Saddle Fitter.

I like my Saddle Fitter. When he got to the barn, he was eating an apple and he gave me half of it. It was really yummy. Then he petted me and put my saddle on my back. He carefully felt all around under it and on both sides. Then he told my mom that it needed to be restuffed and that he could do that and make it fit me just right. Of course she said please do.

He did it right there and it was fun to watch. He took my saddle apart and took all the stuffing out. Then he carefully put new stuffing in, working it in with special tools to make sure it was even and full. When he was all done, he sewed the parts back together and put it on my back.

Oh, it felt so good! I arched my neck because it was so nice. He felt all around again and showed my mom how it was up off my shoulders now and how much room I had in my withers and back. The best part though was when she got on me. As soon as she lowered herself into the seat, I felt so good. A well-fitting saddle should just feel like a light shell covering your back and that's what mine feels like now. It's soft and cushiony and my mom's weight is evenly distributed across my whole back. I just reached right out and down and let my back rise up and fill that saddle, and I carried my mom across the arena like she was nothing.

Now when we ride, I don't even think about the saddle on my back. I don't have to because it fits so well, it's like there's nothing there. When my mom gets off, my back is as comfortable and relaxed as it was when she got on.

If you think saddle fit doesn't make a difference, bring out a saddle fitter just one time and I bet you'll change your mind. And your horse will love you for it.