Correct position of saddle

[pottamus]

I have just been looking at a picture in the gallery and someone commented on the saddle being too forward...now I have always wondered what the correct position should be and have never been able to get it clarified. Has anyone got any pictures to illustrate or could explain as I do wonder sometimes whether it impedes his shoulder movement at times...?

 

[RobinHood]

If you scroll about two thirds of the way down this page there is a very good illustration showing the position of the saddle in comparison to the shoulderblade.
http://www.sustainabledressage.com/tack/saddle.php

 

[Blizzard]

This is where mine sits:

 

[Bosworth]

Can you post another picture full side on without a numnah. It is not possible to see it in the picture you have shown as the saddle obscures the position - if that makes sense

 

[air78]

http://www.saddlery.biz/sitepage/main.asp?sitepages=SaddleFittingP6#SaddleSlippingBack
http://www.horse-sense.org/archives/saddpads.phtml

These articles both have bits about where your sadle should sit. I just think the saddle sits where it wants to, it finds it's own place, which is often further back than than you might think.
I sometimes think my saddle is too far back, but big lad has a big shoulder, so it has to be further back to give him freedom of movement. Excuse the bad pic

, but imagine him without the breast girth (used just in case!)- that shoulder would look alot bigger! This saddle doesn't budge, and only looks so high because it's flair,my girth goes up two holes when I get on.

 

[HBII]

Good post. I always place the saddle then push my hand down the shoulder to make sure the saddle is clear.

Hb

 

[Blizzard]

I dont have a pic without the saddle cloth, I dont think you would be able to see well anyway, black saddle on black horse LOL.

Basically it varies with the horse, I was always taught to hve it sitting slightly high then push it back into position, that way the hair lies flat under the saddle, you just get a feel for where the saddle should sit depending on your horses shape.

This is my old mare, she had no withers and big shoulders:

 

[ann-jen]

Best thing is to look under the saddle flaps to see where the tree points lie and make sure the points are at least 1 inch behind the shoulder. There's a lot of variation depending on the cut of the saddle - obviously a forward cut jumping saddle would cover more of the shoulder and this is fine so long as the points are behind it.

 

[Clodagh]

My saddler says to feel the shoulder and make sure its not impinged (correct word?) by the saddle. On my welshy the saddle always looks too far forward but any further back and he bucks!

 

[pottamus]

Interesting...yeah I have a Welsh so quite short coupled really. It is hard to tell with him because he tends to carry weight around the back of his shoulder when he has excess on (like now!). So whilst you can see and feel the shoulder, his 'extra bits' blurr the outline so it is hard to tell.
Mine seems to sit similar to St_Bernard's picture...so the girth is close up to his elbows...is this about right judging by the picture?

 

[FMM]

Nearly everyone naturally puts a saddle too far forward. The horse needs a chance to be able to move - 9 time out of 10 most saddles could go back at least 2 inches. Will try to find a pic.

 

[WishfulThinker]

I put it on, and do the girth up losely and I do have a bit of a walk to the school, or even to the mounting block and usually by this time it has found where it is meant to sit behind the shoulder. And I am positive its the right position as I didnt tighten the girth once when i was on and it didnt move any more, despite the girth being loose!

 

[Dotilas]

I believe this is an example of a saddle that is too far forward as you ca see it is obstructing his shoulder blade and his girth is nearlly chopping his legs off!

Plus the saddle doesn't fit... What did we do to th poor horse

All fixed now though, new saddle and a bit more knowledge

 

[RachelB]

I agree with FMM, most people do put their saddles too far forward. Then again it's not really something you think about, until you do and then you can't get it right for trying too hard! I used to put mine FAR too far forward out of sheer ignorance until I saw a photo of the front end of my pony and couldn't see half of her shoulders! I asked my instructor and I now push both my saddles as far back as they will naturally go, and then a bit more. I run my hand down her shoulder to see if I can feel the back end of the shoulder blade, then I've usually got it about right. It usually looks too far back until someone is actually sat on it, then it looks fine. But my horse has a long back and huge shoulders so better too far back than too far forward (although I'm pretty confident that I get it right most of the time)! I'd hate to have a short coupled horse!