Falling off... Does my saddle fit me?

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Berry and Des

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HELP>>> how do you know if your saddle fits you i dont think my saddler is too good and never asks me to rde when he fits is but i feel really uncomfortable in it and wondered how you know wheather a saddle fits you???
 
your saddle fitter should watch you ride in your saddle. and ask for your feedback... i'd defo change saddle fitters. ask on here for a recommendation.

you really need a qualified person to watch you in the saddle to tell you if it fits, as there are SO many things to look at (width of 'twist', length of saddle, depth of seat, stirrup bar placment, width of seat etc) and it also depends on what you want to do with it.

the most basic things you can look for yourself is that

1) you sit in the centre of the saddle. the lowest point should be central and that's where you should naturally sit
2) your knees should sit comfortably on the knee pads, with your stirrups at a comfy/practical length
3) you should have about a fist's width of room behind your bum before the end of the cantle (although this varies according to type of saddle/deepness of seat etc)
4) your calves/feet should reach down below the flaps enough to give the horse clear leg aids

most importantly, do you feel like you 'fit' in it? can you do the things you want to in it? ]if you're falling off alot is that because your horse is misbehaving? i'd worry that the saddle didn't fit your horse, if your fitter is as bad as they sound.... :o
 
WOW wicked response thankyou! I am going to change the fitter, I'm going to turn my horse away for the winter and bring him back into work in the spring se if that makes a difference he's not naughty i just fall off when he's an idiot. My other horse does much worse and i dont move in his saddle but it's so deep i feel really safe in it! i will change get him a new saddle in the spring, i;ve just lost my confidence on him. I'm so on gtting backs, teeth and saddles done but if my saddler is crap then maybe he's never done it right and thats half the problem! :) xx
 
If you don't feel comfortable and confident in the saddle get a new one! I once had a big fight with a saddlers with a saddle that was meant to be able to be changed to fit any horse so had it fitted for my 4year tb who was going to gain muscle and change shape, 6 months down the line, asked to get it changed, she fitted it good to the horse but it just didn't feel right. It's not work you feeling uncomfortable in it
 
Tbh I wouldn't be happy if a saddler didn't see me ride my horse in a fitting- not because of the fit for the rider, although that is an issue, but because the horse's shape changes when it is in motion, and it's more important that the saddle fit the moving horse and not the static horse.
 
Simples. If you don't feel comfortable in the saddle, then its not right for you. Granted you work from the horse up but if you are feeling that the saddle is putting you in a poor position then its not right for you.

My saddler is the opposite - when I have needed a new saddle, I invariably pick out the nicest looking ones, she says nothing, lets me try it and then eventually gets me round to the one she thinks will fit best. On every occasion, (and also when she is checking my saddles for refitting), she always makes me ride in them so she can assess them.

Just seen you are in Brighton - not sure if my saddler will go out there but could be worth a call. Her name is Ellie Martin, she is an actual master saddler, and has an excellent reputation - will be endorsed by others on this forum too as everyone only has good things to say about her.
 
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