My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
Finding a saddle where the shape of the panels and tree match the shape of your horse’s back, is not as simple as choosing narrow, medium or wide. One of the problems that you can encounter is “bridging.” This is when the front and back of the saddle make contact with the horse’s back, but […]
Read MoreIn theory a saddle that fits well shouldn’t need anything other than a thin pad to keep the panels clean. However, for an older horse, especially one that’s lost some of its natural padding, may benefit from a pad with some extra cushioning according to saddle fitter Gary Severson. That was his prescription for Fortune, […]
Read MoreIn saddle fitting, choosing a saddle with a wide enough gullet is essential so that the saddle properly clears your horse’s spine. I’ve written about this before — Evaluating Saddle Fit: Gullet width is one of the most popular posts on this site. Here’s the third in the Saddle Fitting series from Schleese which shows […]
Read MoreToday’s a fitting day to show the next video in the Schleese saddle fitting video series as today my saddle fitter came to the barn for our spring tune up. I like to have my saddles fit before hunting season begins because galloping in half seat and jumping fences for a couple of hours in […]
Read MoreIt’s hard to truly understand saddle fitting until you’ve had the chance to watch how a fitter evaluates a saddle. I recently came across an excellent series on the subject from Schleese. This 9-part video series gives clear instructions that demystify saddle fit. Here are the first one. In addition to talking about how the […]
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The size of a saddle tree makes a huge difference in saddle fit. Readers will remember that recently I bought a saddle on eBay that didn’t work out at all. One of the issues was that the tree, which was described as medium to medium wide, was way too narrow for Freedom. When I challenged […]
Read MoreAlmost every week I see horse owners asking in on-line forums whether or not their saddle fits their horse or, knowing that the saddle doesn’t fit, asking what type of padding can be used to make it fit. Saddle fit is both an art and a science. By working with a saddle fitter regularly, you […]
Read MoreWhen Gary Severson comes to my barn to fit saddles, the first thing he does is check the horses’ backs. If they are sore, or tense, he will often do some body work to help release the tension. He’s the only saddle fitter that I’ve worked with who helps “fix” their backs when he fixes […]
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