What size english saddle do I need?

Question

I've always ridden western and I want to try English. My western saddle is 16in. What size English saddle should I get?

Answer 1

as posted before you will need to sit in a few to be able to find your seat size and what you feel most comfy in. dressage will have a bit of a bigger seat, hunter and gen purpose may be a bit smaller. depends on your heighth more than the size of your tush, but that will have a bit to do with it!!! I ride in a 16 western and 18 english, I'm 5'8 so hope this helps a bit. but go to tack store and the person working there should be trained well enough to help you find the right fit. do this BEFORE you decide to buy a saddle on line so you have enough info. and make sure there is a return policy. what the saddle feels like on a dummy will be different on a horse. so always try a saddle on a horse BEFORE you buy it also. good luck

Answer 2

English saddles are measured more by the length of you thigh than the size of your butt.
I have a 16 1/2 western saddle and ride in a 17 1/2 English.
Sit is a few and see which you like better. They feel very different depending on what you are going to do in the saddle jumping or dressage or waht ever they all sit very different.

Answer 3

Really easy way to tell. While sitting in a few english saddles, place your hand palm down behind your butt onto the saddle. Your fingers should be pointing to the side. The right size seat will allow your whole hand to fit behind you without any access saddle sticking out from underneath your hand.

Answer 4

Check out the saddle section of this website:

http://www.horsekeeping.com/horse-training-care-info.htm