Saddle Fitting Guide

Saddle Sizing & Fitting Guide

ARTICLES:

Training for Showing & Showing the Spanish Horse

Wither shape and saddle width

An easy method to determine what width of saddle best fits your horse is to make a template of your horse's wither. Take a piece of wire (perhaps an old coat hanger?) and cut it to a length of 42cm (about 16.5"). Bend the wire roughly as shown in the diagram below, then bend the wire over your horse's back just behind the wither and at the point where the front of the saddle will sit. Press the wire firmly into shape (so that it does not spring open when you remove it from your horse's back). Then measure the distance apart of the two ends of the wire, as shown in the diagram below, prepared by the saddle makers 'Zaldi'.

Zaldi manufacture 5 different widths of saddle and the following widths can be ordered:

28.5 cm (approx 11.25") - muy estrecha - very narrow.

30 cm (approx 11.8") - estrecha - narrow. (Some UK manufacturers denote this by N, or sometimes by the number 2)

32 cm (approx 12.6") - normal. (Some UK manufacturers denote this by M, or sometimes by the number 3)

33 cm (approx 13") - ancha - wide. (Some UK manufacturers denote this by W, or sometimes by the number 4)

34 cm (approx 13.4") - muy ancha - very wide. (Some UK manufacturers denote this by XW, or sometimes by the number 5)

Seat/tree size

Seat size is measured by taking a straight line from the saddle 'nail' (see bottom left of diagram below) to the centre of the cantle. This gives you the actual saddle tree size. This is a common method used to measure saddle trees on European saddles but NOT on 'Western' saddles. You will find that a 'Western 15" saddle is usually the same as a 17" European/English/Zaldi saddle, so beware of this difference in measuring method.

In general sizes less than 17" are for junior riders or small adults, 17" and 17.5" being the most popular sizes, with 18" popular with the larger rider.

For more information on saddle fitting - see below, after the diagram.

More saddle fitting information

When choosing a saddle you will need to determine the seat size to suit you but also your horse. Consider the length of your horse's back because this also affects the optimum size of saddle. If the saddle is too long the rear of the saddle may put pressure on the horse's loins, which not only causes discomfort but can inhibit movement and even cause damage to the horse's back. Care must be especially taken with some Spanish horses as this breed tends to be shorter in the back than other breeds (not a 'fault' but actually an advantage if your pursuit is advanced dressage, Alta Escuela and other collected disciplines).

Balance is important, i.e. you should be able to comfortably sit centrally in the saddle (lowest point of the seat on some saddles). If you are forced, or find you can only sit comfortably, to the back of the saddle then you will transfer too much weight towards the horse's loins and more than likely cause the horse back problems, certainly discomfort.

The saddle must vertically clear the horse's wither, when the rider is sitting on the saddle. As a guide there should be a minimum of about 3.5cm (about 1.5" or 2 fingers' width) clearance. The saddle must also clear the horse's spine and sit with an equal bearing surface at the front and rear. The diagram above shows you one method to help you choose the best width.

Remember your horse's back can change shape and this will occur due to changes in age, work (more work more muscle) and feeding regime, so regularly check the saddle's fit.

Some general saddle information

Saddles are now available in a variety of materials as well as traditional leather. Some of the new generation of synthetic materials are very easy to clean and virtually stain-proof as well as being strong, hard wearing and available in a choice of colours.

A 'new generation' of trees are now being produced by Zaldi to a very high specification. Made from special thermoplastic materials developed in conjunction with CIDAUT (Foundation for the Investigation and Development in Transport and Energy) these trees possess the necessary characteristics of rigidity with a great capacity to deform and absorb energy in specified areas. Not only do these trees provide the desired flexibility, with designed in energy absorption, they are light in weight. The saddle tree may be considered the 'heart' of the saddle and must have some elasticity to help disperse the rider's weight over the horse's back, but the tree must not be 100% elastic because friction points can be created which could also cit off the horse's circulation in the middle of the spinal column.

Zaldi's saddle trees are different ands specifically designed to suit each individual application and include; deep dressage, very deep dressage, semi-flat jump, intermediate all-purpose, light raid/endurance, comfortable 'mountain', resistant 'country' and a new lightweight design for the traditional Spanish Vaquera saddle.

Traditional style Vaquera saddles are now available with the new Zaldi tree and being more flexible and significantly lighter in weight are kinder to the horse's back. Panels are now available filled with either natural animal hair or latex rubber. Older traditional saddles tended to be very rigid, relatively heavy, made in one 'standard' size and were filled with rush or straw fibres and the saddle would basically 'mould' itself to some extent to the horse's shape with the disadvantage that the saddle became less transferable from horse to horse.

If your pursuit if Alta Escuela then bear in mind many Spanish saddles are being produced with the so-called 'safety' stirrup bar which means the stirrup leathers can slide off the saddle when performing, for example, Levade.

The traditional stirrups used on Vaquera saddles are effectively 'safety' stirrups, as it is unlikely you can slip your foot through the stirrups (so long as you have correctly sized stirrups, i.e. not a child riding in adult/full size stirrups) and be dragged in a fall. Even these have been modernised now, available in identical to traditional design but much lighter in weight, using alloy or plastic materials.