How do I measure my horse for the correct fitting saddle?

Question

He is an ex racehorse 16.2 hh big boned.

Answer 1

It depends on what type saddle you are buying.
You need to fit your seat to the size of the saddle seat if it is a western saddle. You are looking to make sure when you straighten out your leg that your thigh does not touch the swell on the front of the saddle by the horn. Western saddles come in QH bars and Semi QH bars. If you are riding a OTTB semi qh bras whould work for you. TB's are not so wide in the back and have higher whithers. I ride an OTTB and have semi qh bars saddle. It fits well with a build up pad for the front. Western saddles are more forgiving and can take more padding.

For English you need to be more sure about the gullet size. They come narrow medium and wide with a few more in between sizes. It is best to try a few on the horse to see what fits him best. Or if you have a saddle fitter in your area have them fit one.
You then need to know what seat size and they are different than western ones. You will need a larger size in english than western. If you ride in a 15" western you most likely would need 16 or 17 english.
Good luck in your search.

I ride a 16.3h ex racer also I have a Cirlce Y western saddle it fits him really well and I have a Colleigate event saddle medium tree and that fits well also. I ride much more in the western and use the english mostly for training or jumping.

Answer 2

You buy the size that fits your bum ie 15"
and the width to fit your horse.
the weight of the saddle should be on the two muscle bands along the spine. And looking from the back of the horse you should be able to see through the middle of the saddle.
really you should consult a good saddler and try a few on the horse - then you will get a feel of what fits. it is quite complicated so don't rush into the "bargain" saddle.

if you buy a crap fitting saddle you will pay in vets bills and could end up with a horse you can't ride!