Western Saddle Match Made Easy

Saddle match doesn’t should be annoying. To make it possible for a western saddle suits your horse properly, remember the fact that you need it to make as a lot contact as attainable across the horse’s again in order that it may well distribute weight properly.

Darrell Nephew’s mission is to assist horse house owners discover saddles that match properly with out limitless analysis and fear. He started crafting saddles within the Eighties, and is now govt vp of Circle Y Saddles. He apprenticed with Tucker Saddles founder Steve Tucker and constructed over 1,000 saddles earlier than taking the helm at an organization devoted to saddle match.

Nephew acknowledges that some horses are trickier to suit than others, however he says most horses can simply match into the frequent tree-type classes.

“The No. 1 cause individuals have saddle match issues is that they overthink it,” Nephew says. “It’s straightforward to fret about your horse and fear that you just’re inadvertently doing one thing to harm him. However saddle match doesn’t should be arduous.”

Step one to creating certain your horse is snug is taking the time to study match. Right here, Nephew guides you thru the method to be able to guarantee your western saddle suits—or discover a saddle that does.

Share Your Story with a Saddle Fitter

For those who’re searching for a brand new saddle or wish to make sure that yours suits properly, Nephew suggests beginning together with your story. Speak to a saddle fitter or native seller and inform them about your horse.

“Most horses can match right into a ‘regular’ saddle kind, and saddle fitters know which horses often match the classes,” he says. “It’s a superb place to begin. As an alternative of entering into and giving numerous measurements, inform them about your horse. I’d say that I’ve a 15-year-old horse that’s beginning to lose slightly little bit of his again. He’s a bit large. I journey about 10 hours per week. With that information, the fitter can pull a couple of saddles so that you can put in your horse and take a look at.”

When he’s serving to horse house owners discover saddles, Nephew says he first asks if the rider is presently noticing an issue with the match. In that case, he desires to know what you’re noticing.

Let the fitter know in case your horse has white spots on his haircoat (an indication of a saddle that utilized an excessive amount of stress to particular spots over a very long time). Typically, white spots could also be from a poor becoming saddle a few years earlier than.

Additionally report when you have seen dry spots beneath your saddle pad when the remainder of the again is moist with sweat. That’s an indication that the horse’s again may have some further padding to fill in the place a saddle is bridging (not touching all factors alongside the bars). Typically discovering the precise pad or utilizing a shim pad may help your western saddle match properly. Bear in mind, nonetheless, that padding a saddle that’s too slim will simply add stress to your horse and make him really feel worse.

Subsequent, Nephew asks what tree kind you’re utilizing or the horse final had. In case your horse match properly in a sure width of tree previously, that’s a superb place to begin.

Then he asks, “Is your horse fairly regular?” Whereas “regular” is a subjective time period by itself, Nephew makes use of it right here to consult with typical conformation. If the horse is pretty symmetrical, has a mean wither, and has a reasonably stage again, he’ll more than likely slot in a saddle made to suit nearly all of horses.

There are at all times exceptions, after all, and a few horses could require some padding or assist to suit properly in a “regular” saddle, however a customized tree is never wanted.

“Regular” Bushes

The saddle’s tree is the sturdy materials, often wooden, that holds the saddle collectively. On the horse, the tree’s bars make contact with the horse’s again. They’re angled to comfortably sit alongside the horse’s topline to allow them to distribute your weight evenly onto your horse’s again. The match of the saddle, for the horse, comes right down to the tree and the bars.

For many western saddles, timber fall into two frequent sorts: semi-quarter horse bars or quarter horse bars. Semi-quarter horse bars, also referred to as “common,” describe timber designed for horses with an outlined wither and a refined construct.

Quarter Horse bars, also referred to as “large,” often match stocky horses with spherical or flat backs. You may additionally see gaited and draft horse-specific suits. Understand that the horse’s top doesn’t impression the wanted tree kind—it’s all about becoming the form that runs the 9 inches behind the horse’s withers.

These classes are useful as a beginning place as you select which tree sorts will suit your horse. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as a trade normal for a way totally different corporations title the bar angles. For every saddle you have a look at, you’ll want to ensure it suits in your horse.

Nephew says that each one the saddle corporations attempt to make a saddle that helps horses.

“They’re all making an attempt to suit a ‘regular’ horse,” he says. “However each firm has a distinct thought of what regular is. I equate it to buying a person’s shirt. A number of totally different shirt corporations wish to match a person with a sure construct. If I’m searching for a medium shirt, some manufacturers of shirts may be tighter or looser, however general they match a medium construct. Saddles are the identical manner. The tree sorts are attempting to suit the commonest horses.”

Gullet Information

Nephew says many horse house owners fear concerning the gullet greater than mandatory. The gullet is the opening between the bars of the saddle, nevertheless it doesn’t decide the bar angles or width of the tree.

“For those who’re making an attempt to measure the gullet on a completed saddle, it’s very tough,” Nephew says. “You simply wish to make sure that the withers have clearance, even when there’s weight within the saddle. Whether or not there’s 6 inches of clearance or 2 inches of clearance doesn’t matter for many riders. It’s extra necessary to place the saddle on the horse and see how the bars make contact.”

Saddle Match Considerations

Nephew says it’s by no means dangerous to get your horse measured by a saddle fitter. Nonetheless, he likes to position saddles on the horse to verify the match as a substitute of purely counting on measurements.

When you’ve got seen a change in your horse’s again due to his age, train ranges or food regimen, it might be good to have him measured. Horses’ backs can change when their health adjustments. You’ll additionally wish to know in case your horse is short-coupled (has a brief again) and may have a saddle that can be brief in order that it doesn’t sit far onto his hips.

It’s a good suggestion to take a look at your saddle and really feel the place the bars are contacting your horse’s sides firstly and center of your driving season so you possibly can see if any adjustments happen.

Attempt It Out

Begin by making an attempt the saddle in your horse with out a pad. Nephew advises studying what to see. A stage saddle that doesn’t make contact on the withers is an efficient place to begin as you prepare your eye.

“Saddle becoming is actually simply being visible and utilizing your contact,” Nephew says. “The very first thing I’m searching for is to ensure the saddle makes good contact the place the bar is. I’ll take my hand and really feel beneath the saddle near the horse’s wither. I’m wanting there to see if I make some contact from high to backside of the bar. If it’s a must to guess, then it’s in all probability making contact. It’s actually apparent when it’s not—you possibly can put your hand beneath the saddle too simply.”

Nephew says after he feels the saddle’s bars, he steps again and appears on the size of the saddle in comparison with the horse’s again. He desires to make it possible for the saddle is stage and that it doesn’t appear like it’s making contact solely at the back and front.

If the saddle is just too slim for the horse, it’s going to sit excessive on the horse’s again with a “perched” look. Nephew says you possibly can see this simply by wanting on the entrance of the saddle. For those who can see 4 to five inches of fleece beneath the gullet, that’s an excessive amount of, and the saddle isn’t sitting down far sufficient. It will make the horse really feel pinched and can trigger the bars to dig into the horse’s again.

If the saddle is just too large for the horse, the gullet could also be too near the withers and the bars received’t contact the horse’s sides. This may additionally trigger the saddle to pinch as a result of particular factors contact the horse, however the bars don’t even contact the horse’s again.

Nephew advises making an attempt out a couple of totally different saddles after you inform a fitter or seller about your horse.

“The fitter may give you a superb place to begin, and you’ll see what seems to be and feels finest in your horse. Ensure you can strive a saddle for a couple of days to be able to journey and see what occurs with the saddle in movement. The burden of discovering one of the best match is at all times with the horse proprietor—you’re the one who is aware of your horse finest and is aware of how he feels to journey.”

Additional Studying:
◆ The whole lot You Must Know About Saddle Becoming
◆ Get the Proper Western Saddle Match
◆ 5 Ideas for Western Saddle Match

This text about western saddle match appeared within the September 2023 difficulty of Horse Illustrated journal. Click on right here to subscribe!