I need to know how to fit/size western saddle properly.?

Question

I have a small horse(14 hands, 800-900 lbs) I need to find a smaller size saddle, but not a small seat, need a 14"-15". I am confused over the bar size, gullet etc. Can anyone explain this and suggest the kind of saddle to get?I do not want an Aussie or English saddle.Thanks

Answer 1

The "bars" are the angle the saddle is set on and the "gullet" is the height in which it rises. Full quarter horse bars’ angle on a 7" gullet width. These type saddles are for the old foundation type quarter horses that are real real wide backed ~ those who tend to have a problem with saddles slipping sideways due to flat withers or large bone structure. The saddle widens over the center back of the horse and than angle to hold the saddle in place. Semi-quarter horses bars are built with a 6.5" gullet. This is the most common saddle and is designed to fit medium backed horses with average size withers. If your horse is real high withered, you will need to get a saddle with a high gullet.

Based on the specs that you have given, I would suggest you look at either Arabian saddles which are made for the smaller backed horse or a barrel saddle. I prefer the barrel saddle because of the higher cantle but that is just my preference. Both of these type saddles can be purchased in 14" -15" seats.

Answer 2

The type of saddle, be it english or aussie, depends on whether you are riding english or western style. When purchasing a saddle, take two considerations into account, does it fit you, and does it fit your horse?

The hand size (height) of your horse is irrelevent when purchasing a saddle, what is relevent, is the girth of the horse. For instance, quarter horses have a wider girth than thoroubreds or arabian horses. You may want to think that your saddle may outlast yoru horse. Over the years you may buy and sell many horses, yet want to keep the same saddle. so always go a little wider in the saddle girth.

The best way to test a saddle on a horse is to try the saddle on the horse without the blanket, and to see, when the saddle is sitting correctly on the horse, a little high on the back, covering the center or the shoulders, if you can get your fingers, up to you palm into the left and right of the center of the saddle, between the saddle and the skin of the horse.

A saddel that pinches a horse will certainly affect your ride, and the peace of mind of the horse, with you on his back.

In my memory, about 18cm of saddle width covers most horses backs. A little big is better than tight.

Don't forget. also the blanket size, the saddle. with the blanket on the horse, should not touch any part of the horse.

Be carefull, also, the type of stomache belt you purchase. that it is comfortable, and easy to clean.

On all equipment, it is better to bite th ebullet and spend more on quality, as it will last you 20 plus years.

Best of luck.

RoyW

Answer 3

The bars are the side of the tree inside the saddle.
Full QH horse bars are for wide backed horses like QH.
I would look at something with semi-QH bars.
In a western saddle if your horse has narrow whithers you can get a saddle pad with a one inch build up in the whithers area. They work great and the saddle will sit and stay flat. I use one one my Thoroughbred.
Western saddles can take more padding that english one can so the fit is mostly to make sure the bars are wide enough and for most horses they are.

Answer 4

Wow - I recently had this same problem with a horse that I have who is built "downhill"- that is, his butt is higher than his withers (shoulder). I have 2 other horses who were considerably easier to fit. They have rounded, shorter,flat backs and what would be termed "decent" shoulders.Both have ribs that are well-sprung, they are not flat-sided. They both use a saddle with full quarter horse bars (fqhb), designed for a horse with this type of body. I had to be sure that the saddle I chose for them was short enough to accomodate their shorter length of back, without bumping their hip when it moved, which turned out to be less than 26 inches. I selected a leather saddle with a rounded, synthetic skirt for this reason - It also helped with my budget at the time. Abetta is one maker who sells these saddles, and I found our local tack shop had fiberglass tree forms made by Abetta that they allowed me to borrow(being a good customer, lol) to determine the fit I needed - they come in several different sizes. I just wanted a pleasure saddle for them that would fit.
One of the problems with trying to find a saddle that will fit is the lack of an industry wide standard. A saddle with semi-quarter horse bars (sqhb) might vary slightly in gullet width from one maker to the next. Ditto with those that are quarter horse bars or full quarter horse bars or arabian bars.... :(

The first horse I mentioned - the one built downhill? He has a very wide shoulder - an 8 inch gullet by my measurement.
I got this measurement by :
1. take a 16" piece of vinyl coated romex electical wire, marking it with a black marker in the middle.
2. Next, mark 3" to either side of the middle (this will be your gullet width, or where the top of the tree (the hard saddle frame)opening will contact the horse. (Fleece helps to soften the contact).
3. Mark 5" below the 3" mark on either side(this will be your "bar spread" where the bottom of the tree will contact).
4. Place the wire on the horse. Center the bent wire ( like an upside down "V")so that it makes close contact with the skin, not just the hair. It should rest -straight, vertically- about a hands' width behind the horse's scapula, so that it does not affect the horses' shoulder movement. Make sure that the horse is standing straight when you do this- all four feet on level ground. (have a little patience, because this sounds easier than it might be...!)
If you can accomplish this, you will have the horses gullet measurement (the distance between the two 3" marks) and the bar spread (the distance between the 5" marks).

My downhill horse, I was told by one saddle maker, is "abnormal"(yeah, right!), and will probably require a custom saddle - in that he has a very wide shoulder, but a normal size(not broad) back. He had patches of white hairs (caused by pinching) on his shoulders where even a fqhb saddle (padded up, with a wide gullet, of which his former owner was quite proud) did not fit him. This lead to undesirable behaviors - he would throw his head up because of the pinching. The former owner used a tie-down on him to try to modify his behavior. They also employed a breast collar, which kept the saddle up on his shoulders, pinching. He was extremely stiff in his shoulder movement, and his neck could not relax. When I finally realized the problem, and realized the pain this 4 year old had gone through because of this ill-fit, I cried.

Later I cried in frustration in trying to find a saddle that would fit.

As much as I would like a western saddle for this horse, I can't afford a custom saddle right now - so I opted for a wintec (dressage, but they have others) saddle with 5 different choices of removable gullets ( happily, he takes the exta-wide size). His behavior is so,so much improved! I feel so fortunate to have ferreted out his problem.

I had to put his needs before my own.
Tears of joy...!

Sorry about the length of this response. If this makes your horse and you a happier team, it's worth it. :)
Happy Trails!

Answer 5

ok well seems like a prolem my mom has, well go with a saddle that has quaterhorse bars, you realy dont want a saddle thats too tight on the withers, its uncomfortable. but if the saddle is slipping, b/c your horse has low shoulders, then get a saddle pad that has a curve so it sits better under the saddle.mostly you can find any of that a countreysupply.com

Answer 6

you may tie the knot, and a few human beings nevertheless do. yet for showing, the buckle tongue is often used. The knot gets in the way of touch. to apply the buckle tongue, the latigo is wrapped a minimum of two times in direction of the dees of the saddle and the cinch, the cinch is tightened, and the buckle tongue on the cinch is fed in direction of the closest hollow obtainable with one final tug to tighten the latigo. then you definately placed your arms below the outer loops of the latigo and pull outward, which repositions the tongue in the hollow so as that it will not launch. whilst that's accomplished desirable, the tongue lies flat against the latigo and the cinch is particularly look after. Any ultimate latigo is bored stiff to the latigo holder chanced on on the saddle skirt in front of the girth, and that's secured in direction of the slot. The rear cinch would desire to by no skill be unfastened.....a pair arms width of area between the cinch and the pony is actual. This cinch applications to maintain the saddle from tilting forward and digging into the withers for the period of events like driving on steep hills, or whilst roping cattle. I even have not ever heard of it being called a greenback strap on any generally functioning western inventory saddle. i think of that factor era comes from rodeo and may well be specific to saddle bronc driving. I even have additionally by no skill heard it spoke of as a roping cinch. A roping cinch, as i comprehend it, is one that is wider on the midsection than on the climate. this is the extra advantageous cinch, yet is built in a diverse thank you to house the stresses on the abdomen of the cinch for the period of cattle roping. the unique, wide-unfold use for the rear cinch is with regards to cattle artwork, besides the shown fact that it is likewise integrated into maximum or all path saddles for this is function in hill artwork. it is not mandatory for the different western disciplines, besides the shown fact that some riders elect to apply one regardless if the saddle they own will accommodate it.