Saddle sizes

[SlideWithPride]

good evening,

I currently ride in a 16'5 " reining saddle, should I get the same size english saddle for dream girl or do the sizes change ? Sorry, I am new to English style riding.

thank you,

 

[Kallibear]

No, english seat sizes are different. They are measured from the stud at the front in a straight line (not following contour of seat) to the middle of the cantle.

I don't know much about western but 16.5 is a very large saddle size, yes? The equivelent would be 18" minimum, or even an 18.5"

16.5" is a small ladies size, 17" a slim or short lady size, 17.5" (the most common) is 'standard' and 18" for heavier or longlegged rider, and most men. 18.5" and 19" saddle exist but a rarer (they are BIG saddles and very few horses are long enough in the back to carry them). I've even seen a 22" saddle!

Unfortunately length is far more dictated by the horses back length, as there's plenty of big horses who couldn't take a 17.5" saddle. Length is far more important in english saddles than western due to the way they sit on the back.

Then there's all the hassle of trying to get the right width fitting for the horse, and the right tree shape, and the right panel shape . There is a massive number of brands and models (thousands!) and one "17.5 medium fit" saddle can be totally different from another "17.5 medium fit"! English saddle fitting can be a nightmare if you want the horse to be comfortable!

 

[Hen]

Just to give you a comparison I have always ridden in a 16 inch Western saddle and a 17.5 inch English saddle (GPD cut) or 18 inch (close contact style) - I am just over 6 foot tall. Do you have access to a decent saddler to try out different sizes and styles?

 

[Fuzznugget]

I think the general rule of thumb is add 2 inches to your western seat size to get the english equivalent. I ride in a 16" for western, and 18" for dressage, 17.5" close contact. If there are any tack shops around you that stock saddles, it may be worth a trip and trying some to get an idea of how they fit you.