How do I know what size seat I need in a western saddle?
It’s easy to measure a western saddle’s seat size. Use a retractable tape measure. Start the tape measure behind the swell and stretch it across the seat to the front of the cantle. That measurement is the seat size.
How do I know what size saddle seat I need?
There should be about four inches between your body and the swell of the saddle. Anything less than that may mean a too-small saddle, and a bigger gap means the saddle may be on the large size. Larger may be more comfortable for you. Western riders with longer legs should choose a larger-size saddle.
Where should a western saddle sit?
The proper saddle position for a western saddle tree is designed to fit right behind the shoulder blades of the horse. Some horses have a pocket of sorts formed where the back of the shoulder blade rolls down to the rib cage. Wider mutton withered horses have very little definition in this area.
How do you sit in a western saddle?
You should sit immediately in front of the cantle (the back of the saddle that curves upward) but not be pressed tightly against it. Sit up straight and let your legs hang freely down the sides of the horse. A properly fitting Western saddle should have the bottom of the stirrups hitting your ankle bone.
How do you fit a western saddle to a rider?
Fitting the Rider When you sit in a Western saddle, you should be able to fit two to three fingers between the front of your thigh and the fork of the saddle. You should be able to fit approximately four fingers between the back of your seat and the top of the cantle. Saddles seats also have different widths.
How do you measure the gullet on a Western saddle?
The gullet of the saddle is the gap between the two bars of the saddle tree. It is measured at the front of the saddle. You measure your Western saddle’s gullet by stretching a tape measure from concho to concho across the front of the saddle directly below the pommel.
How far back should a western saddle fit?
The saddle needs to sit 2-3 fingers behind the shoulderblade and its muscles (see picture below). Notice that the shoulderblade rotates backwards during every step and the saddle must not interfere with this movement. The saddle must nowhere touch the spinal processes, or the dorsal ligament system.
How do you tell if a western saddle fits a horse?
Two fingers should fit between the swells of the saddle and your leg. If you can fit your whole hand, the saddle is too big and you could flop around instead of being secure. If you can’t even squeeze a finger, the saddle is too tight, and will be very uncomfortable.
Are you supposed to post in a western saddle?
You may hear talk of posting on the correct diagonal. That means the rider’s seat goes forward at the same time that the outside shoulder of the horse moves forward. So in a circle to the right (clockwise), the rider should post — be out of the saddle — as the left front leg reaches forward.
How do you tell if your western saddle fits you?
What size gullet do I need for a Quarter Horse?
Semi-Quarter horse bars usually have a 6 1/4″ gullet, and Quarter Horse Bars usually have a 6 1/2″ to 6 3/4″ gullet. Designed to fit the average horse, one of these two widths will fit approximately 80% of horses comfortably. Full-Quarter horse bars usually have a 7″ gullet.