Saddle Fit.... 18th Rib??

ElvisandTilly

ElvisandTilly

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When saddle fitting how do you measure the saddle against the 18th rib?

Saddles shouldn't go past the 18th rib but I'm not sure how you measure as the 18th rib is angled forward. Do you measure at the point of the rib or do you follow the angle back to near where it goes towards the spine?

I'm trying to check saddle lengths for my boy and if its the point of the rib then I can get away with a longer saddle but if its further forward then no saddle size is going to fit him!!!
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Im told my horse has a problem with this, I have to have a 17 inch sweeping back style saddle to accomodate both him and me as I need a 17.5 inch saddle. I know it doesnt seem a lot half an inch but when both sizes of saddles are put on him then you can really see the difference. I was led to believe that you can feel the last rib sort of below the loin area and your saddle shouldnt go past this area. My friends WB has the same problem, hes 16.3 but she is tiny and gets away with it easily as she only needs a 16.5 inch saddle.
 
I have the same problem trying to fit my boy as he is short coupled. I can get away with a 17" saddle but anything that is long in the panel goes past his 18th rib.

Its the measuring point of the rib that I am not sure about as the rib is at an angle so is it the point of the rib or do you follow the angle of the rib forward to measure? I am very confused!!??
 
I just remember the saddler saying the saddle couldnt go past ... and pointed to the area just below where the panels of your saddle would sit. Sorry cant be more technical.
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I think you are supposed to find the last rib on the side of the horse, then follow it up to where it joins onto the spine and this is where the panels of the saddle should not go beyond. There is a picture showing this somewhere on the internet, but I doubt if I'll be able to find it again.
 
Look for the last rib and then measure a straight line to the spine and the saddle should end before this. It is clear on most horses however sometimes it can be a bit tricky if the horse is either roundish or is short in the back/long in the loins.
 
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Look for the last rib and then measure a straight line to the spine and the saddle should end before this. It is clear on most horses however sometimes it can be a bit tricky if the horse is either roundish or is short in the back/long in the loins.

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That's not quite true - the last ribs curves forwards as it runs towards the spine. You usually can't follow it all the way up (unless the horse is skinny) so you kinda have to guess. The saddle should always sit on the ribcage only, the end of the saddle panels should never come past where the last rib attatches to the spine.

I unfortunatly now have two stupidly short backed geldings (after having 'normal' mares) and I was amazed at the difference even half an inch of saddle makes. 15hh arab/welsh cob (two notoriously short-backed breeds) can't even manage a 17" saddle. My 2yr old coblet looks like he''ll be lucky to take a 16".
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I'm crossing all fingers that he grows!
 
If you are no good at feeling for it, a good rule of thumb is, look for where the hair changes direction, if your stood on the near side you will see the hair grows towards the rear of the horse, but before the seam (as I call it
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) where the top of the leg joins the body so to speak, you will see the then grows away from the seam back the other way, where the hair meets, imagine line up to the top and that is usually where T18 is, the start of the loins.
 
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youd be buggered on an Arab

Lou x

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LOL was just thinking the same!

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Awkward sods aren't they? You'd be there for ever counting ribs!
 
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