Checking your saddle for eveness

[cremedemonthe]

Been chatting to someone on PM and have just given them this to help them check their saddle.
Thought I'd put it on here incase anyone else wants to look.
It's not perfect as was trying to hold saddle and photograph it but it gives you a few pointers.
Oz

Right here goes, this is to check if a saddle tree is twisted or if the panel is wonky due to wear or if it's been laced in wrong (made that way by a drunk saddler)
You'll need a piece of chalk, a tape measure and a table.

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Lay your saddle out a above, flat on a table as above

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Get a tape measure measure round from the end of the skirt one side across the back of the cantle to the other end of the skirt (tape measure right way up, unlike mine). Next picture shows you the end of the skirt and the chalk mark I have used to measure it from.

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Now measure the halfway point between the ends of the skirts and mark with chalk as in photo below

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We are going to do the same now at the front, measure across between the saddle nails (look like studs in picture) and mark the halfway mark as below

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What you have to do now if, lift the saddle up so the marks line up, shut one eye to do this like you are looking down the sight of a gun
It shows you if there is any asymmetry in the saddle tree and you can also drop your gaze down to the panel under the saddle to see if the channel is even and if the panels are uneven, this one in the pic below has the nearside panel slightly fuller and a different shape to the offside but it takes some practice to see it. the tree is ok it's not twisted, and with correct flocking this saddle can be made to fit a horse that has a wither profile and shape that reflects the shape of the saddle. I haven't got the 2 lines exactly lined up I know as I was
trying to photograph it at the same time!.
This saddle is old but it has a nice wide channel to clear the width of the horse's spine.

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[cremedemonthe]

Also :
Take hold of the saddle, place the cantle against your tummy. Holding the front of the saddle try to pull the front towards you, DON'T use excessive force just enough to move it, if it's a spring tree you'll get a little movement as the springs give, if it's a rigid tree you wont be able to move it.
Is there any wrinkles in the leather across the seat?
Do you hear any creaking, clickling, grinding or cracking as you flex it towards you?
Can you see any movement that looks uneven?
Can you feel any bumps or ridges on the seat?
Now put the saddle cantle lower down so it's sort of resting on your knees, with the head(front) facing away from you, take hold of the front of the saddle just above where the point pockets are, can you pull it out or in, like you are trying to widen the tree or make it narrower?
There should be NO movement at all here, if there is movement here or any of the previous suspect the tree may be broken.

Other things to check are girth straps.
Are they cracking across the strap ?
Is the thickness of the girth strap the same in the middle as on the end, (if it's thinner in the middle it's stretched and possibly weakened)
Are the holes elongated (means buckle tongue can pop out making saddle slip as girth will become loose)?
Is the stitching sound and not broken especially over the ends of the strap through the webbing?
Is the girth webbing in good condition (what the girth straps are sewn on to) and not frayed?

 

[cremedemonthe]

Now off for a nice walk in the rain with the dogs!

 

[JillA]

Thank you that is so helpful - I did know about spring trees (used to work for Pennwood back in the day) but the symmetry one is a big help

 

[booandellie]

Thankyou this will come in very handy as our saddle has been slipping to the right, saddler has been out twice and reflocked but still not quite right and suggested tree might be twisted so will be getting the chalk out and giving this a go!

 

[cremedemonthe]

Welcome.
It's not perfect but it gives you the idea of what to try and what you are trying to achieve, best way is to look at as many as you can, with no numnahs, saddle cloths, stirrup leathers or girths on them to compare and get "an eye" for it.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Most but not all, laminated beechwood trees tend to twist at the cantle end, they lean over to the nearside. It's very often from people mounting up and yanking themselves up by holding the back of the saddle, hence why it leans over that way.
We as Saddlers always advise IF you can reach over and hold the offside skirt, yank yourself up that way or use a mounting block.