“It’s saddle fitting, not rocket science.”  – Edie Tschorn

When it comes to saddle fitting, there are quite a few different theories and schools of thought.  While most fitters will eventually arrive at the same conclusion, there are a number of ways to get there.  Some fitters are pretty straightforward, and some try to turn saddle fitting into a cross between brain surgery and alchemy, known only to the anointed few who have learned the secret handshake and gotten the deluxe decoder ring and spy-vision saddle fitting glasses.  There are methods that involve shims, specialized pads, air bladders, pumps, modular saddles and pretty much everything except hydraulics and the kitchen sink.  So it’s not surprising that I run into a good number of people who tend to over-think the whole issue.  They’re concerned with twist widths and sweat patterns, steepness of rise and optimal cantle lift, and have themselves so wrought-up and so buried in the minutiae that they’ve missed the whole point of the exercise … which is simply to find a saddle that works for them and for their horse.

When it comes to saddle fitting, I invoke the rule of Occam’s Razor: the simplest explanation is usually the most plausible.   This means involving as little “stuff” as possible.  Ideally, I want a saddle to fit the horse with only a thin quilt pad under it.  Yes, there are times when a shim pad is necessary – sometimes for the long term, but more often as a “band aid” – and sometimes a horse needs modifications in the panel or a certain type of tree; sometimes a rider will need a modified block or flap.  However, it’s rare for either individual in the equation to actually require the ergonomically-engineered gender-specific Ischial Support System or the antimicrobial colloidal silver-lined panel.  Or the optional cup holder.

When you distill saddle fitting to its most basic essence, it’s actually fairly simple.  Here are the basic criteria for saddle fit for both the horse and rider.

HORSE:

1)      The saddle must sit level, with the deepest part of the seat being the lowest point.

2)      The saddle must not make contact with the withers or spine.

3)      The tree points should lie parallel to the surface of the horse’s back.

4)      The saddle should not rock longitudinally, or slip laterally.

5)      The entire bearing surface of the panels should make contact with the horse’s back without extending past T18.

6)      The channel between the panels must be wide enough to accommodate the spine.

7)      When in motion, the saddle should remain stable and not restrict or otherwise negatively affect the horse’s gaits and movement.

RIDER:

1)      The rider must be comfortable and balanced in the saddle, not falling forward or back, not slipping and sliding and not feeling jammed fore or aft.  (NOTE:  The old “one hand between the butt and the edge of the cantle” doesn’t really apply any more, given the myriad seat depths and configurations available nowadays.)

2)      The rider’s leg must “snug up” comfortably to the thigh or knee block.  The knee should not ride up over the block or stick past the front edge of the flap, and the leg shouldn’t float behind or below the blocks.

3)      When in motion, the rider should able to ride and apply the aids effectively.  S/he should not have to fight for the correct position or “learn to live with” the saddle.

Seriously, that’s all there is to it.  If these basic requirements are met, call it good.  In the end, my (or ANY saddle fitter’s) opinion – no matter how well-educated, considered or expensive – is just that:  an opinion.  I’ve seen saddles that were given the Official Seal of Approval make the horse and rider miserable, and I’ve seen “meh” saddles that put a smile on both individuals.  If you and your horse are happy, that’s what it’s all about.

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