Saddle fitting and shoulder movement

Commentary, saddle fit, 2 Comments
Saddle placed too far forward
This saddle is placed too far forward on the horse's shoulder and will restrict its movement. It also looks like it's a hair too narrow but until it's put in the proper place, it's hard to tell.

I often see people riding their horse in saddles that are either placed too far forward or which are too restrictive over the horse’s shoulder.

If the saddle restricts the shoulder movement it can cause your horse to be short strided and move with a hollow back. Eventually, this can lead to back pain.

Here’s an excellent video that demonstrates the range of motion that a horse has in its shoulder and relates it to saddle fit.

2 thoughts on “Saddle fitting and shoulder movement”

  2. Thank you for highlighting this issue with a great video also. Riders do not understand enough about correct saddle fitting and all to often buy saddles without checking they fit correctly. One thing I would add is the saddle should not only fit the horse but should fit the rider correctly to help distribute the riders weight effectively.

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