Next Question following on from my last post.

Kenzo

Kenzo

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Do horses have longer/shorter rib cage areas than others despite the over all length of back (nothing to do with number of ribs by the way), what I mean is, a horses with shorter or longer lumbar areas and do do horses shorten/lengthen the spine when being worked, to the point where it would effect the size of saddle (not just the fit)?

I've been told that my horse all be it, short backed, that you cant judge where the 18th rib is (well you can feel it) but this does not determine where the back of the saddle should finish because his rib cage covers a vast area, and has a very short lumbar area, so to look at, (where you think a saddle should finish or look too big) is not always the case.
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and that some horses 18th rib is further back than on others if comparing two horses of the same size and length of back, but doesnt this defeat the laws of physics?

Reason I ask is, hence why I'm getting a saddle fitter to out again, I think my saddle is too big (although seems a nice fit everywhere else) but I was told that go past the 18th rib...ok, but looking on diagram's of a horses skeleton, feeling for the last rib on my horse, its very far back and that he can accommodate an 18'' saddle, yet he's only 16.1 and short backed. Now I know I'm no expert when it comes to fitting saddles but I something shouts out at me that its clearly not right....or can it be?

Im not disputing what I have been told as this person knows a hell of a lot more than me and has trained with Albion and various saddle makers etc, so I'm not saying this is wrong or right, but I would be interested to hear what everyone else thinks.

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I read. I'm confused (easily happens). I await other peoples responses
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My hoss is 16.3hh, mare (long backed), and has a long rib cage - everyone has commented what excellent capacity she had for eventing, etc., ah well.
 
Speaking from personal experience - I've got a 16.3hh TB who is pretty short backed. One saddler tried to sell me a saddle that sat on his lumbar region and was supposedly a 17.5" saddle but actually measured 18". Horse got a sore back from saddle banging on his soft lumbar region so had to get a smaller one.

I've read up loads about the last rib etc and it makes sense NOT to get a saddle that goes further back than it because you are then going from strong area to much weaker area and will inevitably cause pain.

Personally I wouldn't go past last rib and even put big bit of green tape on last rib when went to saddlers and pointed out I wanted nothing to go further than that!!

Sorry that didn't answer your question at all but just thought I'd let you know my experience of going past last rib!!
 
Exactly, hence why it confused me, surely a horse with a short back, wont have a longer ribcage (meaning ones that goes very far back)...hard to explain but it to me it doesnt make sense what I was told.

Which probably explains why I've not had many responces.
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Aha I see what you mean!!! I reckon each horse is an individual and usually in proportion to its size. whatever person said don't get saddle that is too long. You are asking for problems!!
 
If your horse is short backed then i very much doubt he can take an 18" saddle. You must make sure the point of the tree sits behind the shoulder blade and then the back of the saddle must not go further than the last rib. You must not go beyond the last rib as there is too little support from the skeleton to carry any weight. The muscles and ligaments will be damaged. Some 16.2hh horses cant take more than a 17" panel. Every saddle is different and you sometimes get a smaller seat on a bigger panel so you must measure both. Also, dont just go by sight but use feel as well. Feel the shoulder and feel the last rib. The lumbar area can vary in length, if it is too long the horse is prone to strain. The saddle should never be over the lumbar area though, so is irrelevant to the saddle size. It i the distance between the back of the shoulder and the last rib tat determines the saddle size the horse can have.
 
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If your horse is short backed then i very much doubt he can take an 18" saddle. You must make sure the point of the tree sits behind the shoulder blade and then the back of the saddle must not go further than the last rib. You must not go beyond the last rib as there is too little support from the skeleton to carry any weight. The muscles and ligaments will be damaged. Some 16.2hh horses cant take more than a 17" panel. Every saddle is different and you sometimes get a smaller seat on a bigger panel so you must measure both. Also, dont just go by sight but use feel as well. Feel the shoulder and feel the last rib. The lumbar area can vary in length, if it is too long the horse is prone to strain. The saddle should never be over the lumbar area though, so is irrelevant to the saddle size. It i the distance between the back of the shoulder and the last rib tat determines the saddle size the horse can have.

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Which is my thoughts exactly.

Sorry I have baffled everyone, but I can't see how you can go from 17'' to 18'' without if effecting the lumber region of a horses back kinda my point (instead I confused you all) hence why I was told you cant go from that, as he's got a long ribcage and a very short lumbar area, which (to hazard a guess from my desk at work) would be about 4 inches before you hit the to of the bottom/croup area.

Not to worry, I have a fitter coming out again that will no doubt confirm any queries and tell me if its either ok or indeed too big.

No good posting pictures to see if it looks like its too far back, as this goes to prove that you cant tell where a last rib is from a photo.

Thank you everyone for your replies.
 
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