Saddle advice
How your saddle influences you as a rider
HANDS UP WHO’S ridden in a saddle that’s uncomfortable, causing you to constantly re-adjust your position in an effort to feel safe and secure. A saddle you’re constantly fighting against won’t help you ride effectively, and it can affect your confidence too. Is your trainer constantly telling you to bring your shoulders back, or alter your lower leg position? Or perhaps you get left behind when you’re jumping or have a tendency to jump ahead of your horse? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, before you put all the blame on your riding ability, have the fit of your saddle checked. This could be playing a big part in why you’re struggling. To ride to the best of your ability, your saddle needs to put you in the correct position for the discipline you’re riding. A poorly balanced saddle can shift or sway, making it difficult for you to maintain an effective position, which in turn will affect the way your horse moves. There are many reasons why your saddle may become unbalanced. Over time the flocking in the panels can compress or settle, causing the saddle to drop at the front. It could also be that your horse has changed shape as his fitness has improved. In this feature, we investigate how an
out-of-balance saddle will affect your riding position, and highlight why it’s so important to have the fit of your saddle checked regularly.
What is a balanced saddle?
A well-fitting saddle should distribute pressure equally across your horse’s back, but also put you in the correct riding position so you can communicate with your horse easily. It should help you feel balanced and support you. As well as helping you maintain the correct shoulder-hip-heel line, with your weight carried evenly through both seat bones, your saddle also needs to be balanced from front to back and left to right.
Saddle too wide
If your saddle is too wide, when you look at it from the ground the pommel will be much lower than the cantle. Once you’re on board, it will tip you forwards and cause your lower leg to slip back. This position will make you feel very insecure and your horse will struggle to lift and lighten his forehand.
Saddle too narrow
A saddle that is too narrow will have the reverse effect, tipping you backwards and pushing your seat to the back of the saddle. You’re likely to ride with your feet pushed forwards, rounded shoulders and collapsed in your middle.
To avoid either of these situations it’s recommended that you have your saddle checked at least once a year, sometimes twice. Using a qualified saddle fitter is always recommended and they should be able to answer any questions you have about the fit of your saddle.