signs your saddle may not be fitting properly and what you can do about it

Obvious signs of a saddle not fitting will be when the horse has a sore back but there are many more to watch out for. Some are things you can see such as muscle atrophy, white hairs, rubbed hair, ruffled hair, dry patches after work where the saddle presses. These have all been discussed in our previous blog/post - "Basic Saddle Fitting - What you should check everytime you ride". 

Others signs relate to the horse’s behaviour – either as you go to put the saddle on, girth up or when you are mounting and riding. Some of the ridden signs creep in slowly. Maybe your horse used to do great transitions but now resists or perhaps once he was easy to sit to but is now like a board. Watch out for horses that are heavy in the hand – this can be due to inadequate wither and spinal clearance – it hurts them to come up in front, and horses that have difficulty turning and bending. This can be from a range of saddle issues such as too long and putting pressure over the loins or incorrect gullet width putting uneven pressure at the tree points. Another big red flag is horses that struggle going down hill. Honestly – get this checked out!!!

If your horse shows any of these signs you more than likely will need a saddlefitter but in the meantime you may be able to help by riding with a riser or a pad. You need to work out why the problem is happening and not just assume that these solutions will fix all problems as in some cases they will make it worse. This is where it is essential you have a basic understanding of how a saddle should fit. If your saddle is fitting low in front, affecting the balance and also not giving enough wither clearance then a front riser may be a great temporary option. However, if it is sitting low behind due to being too tight for the horse, adding a pad will just make it tighter and hurt your horse more.

Riders should always be present when saddle fitters work on their saddle so they understand what is being done. This is not only so the saddle fitter can see the horse and rider work in the saddle and fit the saddle dynamically (as opposed to just statically, when the horse is standing) but also as often saddle fitters will explain what may happen in the future as the horse changes shape.
 
Build a good raport with your saddle fitter. Don’t chop and change. They get to know your horse, what he/she likes and how they change. This is all valuable information and is lost if you move from one fitter to another. If you have a good relationship with your fitter they are more likely to squeeze you in should a problem arise and you need their help. Hopefully you won’t but you just never know!