"The goal in saddle fitting is to have the greatest amount of contact between the bar of the tree and the horse." - Circle Y Saddlery
With all the varying tree fits, how do I know what my horse needs?
This mare is 15.3 hands with heavy bone structure,
but she needs a Regular, or semi- Quarter horse, tree
because of the defined wither.
This mare is 15.1 hands and of foundation build with a round,
or mutton, wither and needs a Wide, or full Quarter horse, tree.
Evaluate the Saddle on the Horse
With the saddle positioned correctly-the bars of the tree behind the shoulder blades of the horse-evaluate the following points:
Step back and look at the saddle on the horse’s back. The saddle should be level. If the saddle is not level, you can try adjusting it by using shims, sliding it forward or back to raise or lower the front, or trying different rigging positions. When all else fails, you may need a different saddle with a better fit.
This saddle is too narrow and perched up on this
horse’s withers. Pinching would occur.
This saddle is too wide with gullet resting on horse’s
withers and tilted downward.
Topline:
Proper Saddle Placement
Bars of the tree should settle behind the horse’s scapula.
This is important as a saddle will travel back/forward to settle into this sweet spot.