Every horse owner has experienced the frustration of trying to make a certain saddle fit their horse.. Everyone you ask has a different idea. You’ve gone thru a bunch of saddles, time and money, and it’s still confusing! There are several things that must be considered when fitting a saddle to your horse.
See these examples of horses posted on social media, always with the statement “Looking for a saddle that fits”. We’ve seen hundreds of these ads – why? The first problem that so many people do NOT understand is simply this: “No topline muscle = No good saddle fit.”
The first thing we must understand is that, like humans, horses that do not use their backs properly will lose muscle mass. Also like humans, if horses don’t use their “core” to support the skeletal structure, muscles will shift and sag. Sometimes a solution is simply a matter of needing to gain weight; or maybe increasing grain in their diets to help produce muscle. Other times, if you are doing everything you feel possible and nothing is working, your horse may have a “fast” thyroid (in other words, like that skinny person you know who can eat like a lumberjack and not gain weight!)
Old age is not a reason for a horse to be thin! Below are picture of aged horses in my exercise program who are worked only a couple days per week, or even less! Even if not being ridden, other exercises take only about a half hour and are excellent for the horses’ overall well-being. It just takes commitment and follow through – no different than saying “I’m going to the gym!” (and then actually doing it.) None of these horses is under 20 years old, and one is in his 30's - can you guess which one?
As your horse ages, it’s even more important that she gets regular exercise! “Retiring” her to pasture with no work at all can be worse for her than continuing to ride lightly. So please understand that riding may not be TOTALLY the answer – even a lunging program takes only a few minutes a week but can really make the difference in how your aged horse feels and acts.
So go out and check your horse's back. Take pictures several times a year to help monitor his topline and muscle development. Remember that he can change shape frequently due to exercise (or lack thereof), feeding (spring grass can pack on fat but not always muscle) and illness or injury. Having several different pads and shims in your tack room can help as you may need to increase or decrease at different times.
As far as saddle fit, that this is a big portion of why I make custom therapeutic pads - to help where your horse is at NOW; and I show you how to adjust padding as your horse changes.
The good news is that there’s only quality time with your buddy involved (Oops - and maybe a little exercise for you too...!) The cost in learning what do is minimal and may be the best money you spend on your horse this year! We'll talk about pads, saddle design, and how the rider affects the horse in my next few posts.
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