How To Buy And Fit Your Horse’s Saddle

How do I measure my horse for a saddle?

When it comes to measuring your horse for a saddle there are only two measurements you need, the back width and back length. When measuring your horse it’s helpful to have somebody hold him still for you, they can also make sure that he’s standing square, his head is up and he’s looking forward. Before you actually measure your horse you’ll need a flexible tape measure, a pliable piece of wire or plastic that will hold its shape as well as a pen and some paper.

Back width

Stand on your horse’s left side (nearside) and feel for the top edge of his scapula (shoulder-blade), if you’re having trouble finding it you can lift his foreleg to help locate it. When you’ve found the top of the scapula put the pliable wire/plastic on your horse’s back approximately three fingers width back and press evenly and firmly on both sides. Once you’ve done this you can use it to trace the shape onto paper, this will be the template for your horse’s withers. Many online retailers will have printable gullet guides on their site, you can then use your template to see what is the right fit for your horse.

Back length

Again find the top of your horse’s scapula and start three fingers width away from it. Use a flexible tape measure to measure from this point to the end of his rib cage, you can tell when you’ve got the end of the rib cage because your horse will feel slightly ‘springy’ there. This measurement will give you an approximate saddle size.

How do I measure myself for a saddle?

People don’t always consider the rider when buying a saddle but, while it’s important to have the saddle fit your horse correctly, it’s also important that it fits you too. If the saddle fits your horse but not you won’t be sitting properly which will not only unbalance your horse but could also lead to unnecessary pressure being put on his back.

To measure yourself correctly make sure you’re sitting right back in a chair with your back straight against the chair and your feet flat on the ground with your knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Next, take a tape measure and measure in a straight line from the end of your knee to the back of your buttocks. This will give you a rough idea of the seat size you’ll need, that said if you’re not sure then it’s better to go for a larger seat size. This will ensure you’re sitting correctly and not putting needless pressure on your horse. Once you’ve measured yourself you can use the chart below to see what size saddle you’ll need:

Rider measurement Saddle size
< 16.5” 15”
16.5” – 18.5” 16”
18.5” – 20” 16.5”
20” – 21.5” 17”
21.5 – 23” 17.5”
> 23” 18”

When it comes to Western saddles you don’t need to measure yourself you just need to know what size category you come under. Again the chart below will help you decide what size saddle you’ll need:

Rider Saddle size
Youth 12” – 13”
Small adult 14”
Average adult 15”
Large adult 16”
Extra large adult 17”

Page 1 – Types of saddle

Page 3 – Fitting a saddle

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