Saddle-fitting solves problems
QMy trainer is constantly telling me to keep my leg back and I always feel like I’m fighting to keep my leg in the right position. Could a saddle fitter help? Helen Jules, Kingston
AA good Society of Master Saddlers’ qualified saddle fitter should be able to cure your problem. This problem is not unusual and is usually caused by your saddle tipping backwards because it’s out of balance. A saddle should sit on the horse’s back with the lowest part of the saddle in the centre of his back so you can sit upright on it with your legs under you.
What’s going on?
The likelihood is that to keep your balance, your bottom is sliding backwards, which means your lower leg is coming forwards to compensate. Either the saddle tree is too narrow, or it has been overflocked in front, which raises the head and means your weight
is no longer in the centre of the saddle. Another cause of your loss of leg position could be that the gusset depth at the back of the saddle is too low, which again means the saddle is out of balance and is causing you to slide back and your upper body to tip forwards. It may be that your horse’s conformation is low at the back, so he’d need a saddle with a deeper rear gusset to compensate. If you’re sitting on the back of your saddle it’s much harder for your horse to go forwards — it’s like driving a car with the handbrake on! And struggling to keep your position as you are will eventually cause you to have lower back pain. A qualified saddle fitter will ensure the comfort of both you and your horse, so that you can work together in harmony.