In equestrian equipment, the saddle is the most significant component. It enables you to mount and lead your horse with ease. It is the direct link between the rider and the horse's back. Your horse cannot perform well when you can use a poorly fitted saddle because it can restrict the natural movement of your horse. You cannot run or walk with a poorly fitted sneaker and your horse cannot perform the same with a poorly fitted saddle. So, choosing the best saddles for your horse is important.
A correctly fitted saddle protects the horse's back and is a must-have piece of equipment for safe horseback riding. The parts of stock saddles are tailored to the physical shapes of the horse and rider. This results in a pleasurable, intense experience for both the rider and the horse.
How do you pick the best saddle for your needs?
For your American, Andalusian, or Arabian horse, you could get high-end stock saddles. It does not, however, imply that the horse will appreciate it. It's simple; he has no idea how much you paid for the saddle, possibly because he hasn't been adequately educated in this area.
So, when selecting a saddle, keep in mind that price and color are not the most important factors to consider (because they are dichromatic, can see only blue and green). You need to choose saddles according to the body condition of your horse. You can hire a fitter to choose the best saddles because saddle fillers can evaluate the body condition of your horse every year and change the saddles if required.
• Correctly position the saddle: Run your hand over your horse's shoulder and feel the rear of the shoulder blade; the saddle should ideally dip behind this area to enable optimum flexibility. Replace the stock saddles behind the shoulder and slip it back into place. Always place the saddles at the center position, and you can use a western saddle for your horse without any pad.
• Check for Balance: A saddle's lowest point should be above the horse's center, allowing the rider to sit in an upright position aligning the shoulder, hip, and heel. Jump saddles often feature a straight line between pommel and cantle.
However, the cantle will be 1–2 cm higher in GP/Dressage saddles.
• Make Sure the Saddle Doesn't Contact the Horse's Spine: The stock saddles should not touch the horse's spine above, to the sides, or down. For a comfortable fit, leave a gap of up to 4 fingers held vertically.
• Measure the Width: The saddle tree's points should be parallel to the horse's body shape, not too narrow or wide.
• Verify Panel Contact: The saddle's panel should make complete contact with the horse's back. Run your palm beneath the board on both sides of the saddle to provide a smooth, even contact. The pressure must be evenly distributed.
• Measure the Length of the Saddle Panel: The saddle panel should not be longer than the horse's last rib. When the stock saddles is in place, you can do it on your own by running your palm over the spines.
• Examine the Symmetry: Examine it from all sides, behind it, and in front of it to see if it is balanced.
• Check the Girth Position: Once the saddle is in the proper position, fasten the girth to one side and hang down by the horse's side, then compare it to the horse's natural girth groove.
Choosing an experienced retailer, working with a competent stock saddles fitter, and maintaining your saddle will give you peace of mind that you've done everything you can to give yourself and your horse the best possible riding experience.
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