Saddle fit - to humans.

[maya2008]

I honestly don’t notice, I get on a horse, in a saddle, adjust stirrup leathers as required and go. But I hear friends, people on my yard and people on here comment that a make or model doesn’t suit them or doesn’t put their leg in the right position or doesn’t give enough support.

I don’t know why I don’t notice, because I ride bareback a lot, or because my horses have a wide variety of different saddles, or because I am hypermobile so adapt easily or I am short so long leg length not a problem? But could someone please explain the phenomenon of the saddle not being right for the rider, because I have children and a husband and I probably need to know for them!

What makes a saddle not suitable for a particular rider and how can you tell?

 

[Cob Life]

I have ridden a variety of horses in a variety of saddles and, like you, never really found much difference between them other than one saddle which really pushed my leg forward like I was sitting in an armchair but it did it to everyone else as well, not just me so maybe just a weirdly cut saddle.
That being said I do prefer a dressage saddle to anything else

 

[Fiona]

I know I can't ride at all in a saddle that's too big, but as long as its 16 or 16.5 inch, then I seem to be fairly adaptable.

I couldn't get my stirrups short enough in a GP although apart from that it was fine, so my connie has a jumping saddle at the moment which I love.

Fiona

 

[cobgoblin]

Some saddles are just uncomfortable.. They may rub at the twist or be really hard on the seat bones.. I once tried a horse in an ancient Stubben. I swear it was carved from wood.. After 20mins riding I could barely sit down, but I'm sure others found it comfy.
For position, a saddle that is too small can tilt you forward as your bum is on the slope of the cantle..I've never tried a saddle that was really too large but I would imagine it feels less secure.
I've sat in some that force you into a chair seat and found it quite a strain riding like that.

 

[tatty_v]

The only thing I notice is that with my GP, I find it hard to get my legs properly underneath me for dressage, but I think I have quite a forward cut GP so that’s probably why. I bought it to replace the wintec my pony came with, which was causing him a sore back and me a numb bum! It’s still comfy though ?

 

[vmac66]

I've had 3 saddles that I've not got on with. One the seat was to small and the other 2 put my leg in the wrong position.

 

[blitznbobs]

I have a saddle that I’m getting shut of because it’s horrible to ride in - I thought I’d get used to it but I never have — it’s horrible ... it has knee rolls and thigh rolls that are useless as at no point in no position do your thighs and knees come in contact with said rolls ... it’s got to go

 

[AmyMay]

I never used to notice particularly either, until I got my Albion. It was so gorgeous to ride in.

 

[Goldenstar]

I am super fussy about saddle fit for me .

 

[Red-1]

I used to ride in anything.

Not sure if it because I am now old and creaky, or if it is because I have had some superb saddles in my time, but I really do like a saddle that suits me now.

Some saddles just don't feel as comfortable or safe now.

 

[milliepops]

I am super fussy about saddle fit for me .

yup me too
I am also hypermobile, i don't think that has anything to do with it really. I *can* sit in most things, but after 45 mins or more OHMIGOD do I know about it if the saddle is wrong.

Can't abide a wintec, they just rub me up the wrong way (ouch). I have walked home when hacking out in one of those. A wide twist makes me ache. Seat too small makes you tip forward as someone else has said. I am quite long hip to knee so a giant knee roll on a GP saddle is fairly awful if it pushes your leg around. I had an ideal jump saddle that put me in the most awful balance and I was glad to see the back of that because I felt totally incompetent, funny enough day 1 in the replacement saddle I could suddenly ride again

very important to suit the rider as well as the horse IMO!

 

[Meredith]

I always copy this when saddle fitting for women is mentioned.
I don’t know how to choose the correct saddle for me and I haven’t ever found the perfect saddle for me and my horse but at least I can understand the problems better.

https://www.horsemanshipsaddlery.uk/english-saddle-fitting.html

 

[CrazyMare]

yup me too
I am also hypermobile, i don't think that has anything to do with it really. I *can* sit in most things, but after 45 mins or more OHMIGOD do I know about it if the saddle is wrong.

Can't abide a wintec, they just rub me up the wrong way (ouch). I have walked home when hacking out in one of those. A wide twist makes me ache. Seat too small makes you tip forward as someone else has said. I am quite long hip to knee so a giant knee roll on a GP saddle is fairly awful if it pushes your leg around. I had an ideal jump saddle that put me in the most awful balance and I was glad to see the back of that because I felt totally incompetent, funny enough day 1 in the replacement saddle I could suddenly ride again

very important to suit the rider as well as the horse IMO!

Almost word for word, me!

Also hypermobile, long legs. I CAN ride in almost anything, but I am super fussy about what I choose to part money with for me.

I prefer my jump saddles super flat with minimal blocks.

 

[JFTDWS]

I ride bareback loads, but I still hate certain saddle types. I do have stupidly long thighs which don't help, but TG and wintecs are utterly horrendous. Very deep seats and blocky saddles are also horrible as they're never in the right place and put everything out of whack.

 

[oldie48]

I am very long hip to knee and lack some flexibility in my hips so the size and positioning of the knee blocks are absolutely crucial to my comfort, some saddles are just impossible for me to sit in let alone ride in! As I've become more experienced I am so much more aware of when a saddle is right for me and when it's not, looking back I just think I made myself fit into anything! I've also got a good saddler who I've used for 20 years and he's very quick to pick out the saddles which will suit me.

 

[Equi]

I don't know what it is either. I find a saddle i like and thats it...no other will do. My boy came with a kieffer one and it fit me like a glove but he outgrew it very fast and so i borrowed a friends kieffer. When the time came to get his own new saddle my message to the fitter was bring a keiffer. He brought others too of course and as soon as i sat in any of them i got off immediately without even walking cause just nope. I bought the keiffer, and then another just incase. I had so many issue with my last horse over saddles (i think i went through about 6) but a kieffer would never have fitted him anyways.

 

[SEL]

I've never really got on with my WOW saddle - just felt like I wasn't sitting properly in it. Tried it on a friend's horse over Xmas and suddenly it all worked and I realised I did have a core and balance.

So obviously not the saddle per se, just in combination with fitting / horse etc

I have ridden in some overseas where the bruises after were impressive!

 

[Otherwise]

I'm another who is long in the thigh, dressage saddles with knee blocks in the wrong place push my leg too far back and I've tried one where the block was so big and in the wrong place I had to drop my stirrups a couple more holes than I could cope with just because my leg had nowhere to go otherwise. I don't get on with the Kent and masters jumping saddle, I think the flap isn't forward cut enough for me so my knees kept going over them. I also felt really far away from the horse in it which I didn't like.

I can get by in most saddles if I'm not doing anything too technical or challenging but for proper work I want something that fits me. If I'm buying a saddle rider fit is just as important as horse fit to me, if I'm borrowing it then you just have to put up with it even if it leaves you bruised.

 

[sbloom]

I always copy this when saddle fitting for women is mentioned.
I don’t know how to choose the correct saddle for me and I haven’t ever found the perfect saddle for me and my horse but at least I can understand the problems better.

https://www.horsemanshipsaddlery.uk/english-saddle-fitting.html

Hmm, a particular school of saddle fitting and thought, most English saddle fitters would feel that, as there is greater variation in pelvic shape within the male population and within the female population, than there is on average between the two, that there isn't really such a thing as a female friendly seat/tree. There are other things on there presented as fact which are very much simply their way of fitting (which we all do, when we write about out jobs) but also factual inaccuracies (eg pommel width is not the same as panel attachment point....I do not believe calcification of vertebrae can be identified from a photo...)

Anyways....

The flatter the seat and smaller the blocks and, on average, the more experienced and balanced the rider, the less they are affected by the fit of the saddle. A good saddle (for you) often "gets out of the way", allowing you to sit where you need to at that moment in time.

The deeper the seat and bigger the blocks, or in a seat size that is wrong, and with a less experienced rider the more a saddle can be a real problem for the rider. I see many petite riders swimming in a 17.5 because it's what so many fitters stock.

I get demands for deep seats and big blocks with jokes about seat belts and they really work against you on flat backed wide horses especially if you're limited in seat size. A deep seat and big block, compared to the same seat size saddle with a flatter seat and smaller block, will give more room and be a more versatile fit.

Ultimately if you can improve core tone, balance etc then the less that sort of thing will affect the rider but no-body needs to be fighting their saddle. And yes, sometimes it's just not possible to have a saddle that 100% suits horse and rider, and of course the horse has to come first.

 

[Meredith]

Hmm, a particular school of saddle fitting and thought, most English saddle fitters would feel that, as there is greater variation in pelvic shape within the male population and within the female population, than there is on average between the two, that there isn't really such a thing as a female friendly seat/tree. There are other things on there presented as fact which are very much simply their way of fitting (which we all do, when we write about out jobs) but also factual inaccuracies (eg pommel width is not the same as panel attachment point....I do not believe calcification of vertebrae can be identified from a photo...)

Anyways....

The flatter the seat and smaller the blocks and, on average, the more experienced and balanced the rider, the less they are affected by the fit of the saddle. A good saddle (for you) often "gets out of the way", allowing you to sit where you need to at that moment in time.

The deeper the seat and bigger the blocks, or in a seat size that is wrong, and with a less experienced rider the more a saddle can be a real problem for the rider. I see many petite riders swimming in a 17.5 because it's what so many fitters stock.

I get demands for deep seats and big blocks with jokes about seat belts and they really work against you on flat backed wide horses especially if you're limited in seat size. A deep seat and big block, compared to the same seat size saddle with a flatter seat and smaller block, will give more room and be a more versatile fit.

Ultimately if you can improve core tone, balance etc then the less that sort of thing will affect the rider but no-body needs to be fighting their saddle. And yes, sometimes it's just not possible to have a saddle that 100% suits horse and rider, and of course the horse has to come first.

Thank you sbloom.

I do know that I have never had a saddle that didn’t cause discomfort to me at some time or another.

 

[scruffyponies]

My saddles range from old to downright antique, in a range of makes and sizes from 15" to 17.5". Some are soft for the rider, a couple are like sitting on planks - although I find at least one of those peculiarly comfortable - it's an old flat hunting saddle which seems to fit everything. The only one which I choose not to ride in is the 15". Pony has a very short back but I just don't have a 15" bottom. If I had to, I'd just toss the stirrups, and ride long-legged in a scissor position, which would work fine, but when I ride that pony, I change saddle - to the hard as nails hunting saddle, which has similarly short panels, but more room for me.

I suspect that people get used to one saddle and feel odd in anything else. Constantly changing means you worry about it less.

 

[sbloom]

Thank you sbloom.

I do know that I have never had a saddle that didn’t cause discomfort to me at some time or another.

I have always used a seat saver for hacking, especially slower roadwork so some people are a little more sensitive than others, for sure.

 

[Meredith]

I have always used a seat saver for hacking, especially slower roadwork so some people are a little more sensitive than others, for sure.

I agree.
Acavallo always on the saddle!