Recently while attending an Equine Connection meeting, the speaker panel mentioned saddle fitting as it relates to the horses health and behavior. Feeling like a novice at the end of the table, I looked around and many people were either confirming or asking why saddle fitting is so important. I asked my own panel of saddle fitter experts and here is what they had to say. Shery McDonald-Galbreath of the SaddleUp! Foundation puts it nicely, "putting a saddle on a horse that does not fit is like wearing shoes that are 10 times too small or wearing high heels for more than five minutes; they may look good on, but they're painful."

"Back problems are a significant cause of altered gait, poor performance, and misbehavior in the horse." says Tracy Turner, DVM in Christy West's article Evaluating Saddle Fit - AAEP February 2005 #5393. Because some horses deal with pain differently than others, "the pain and discomfort that arise from ill fitting saddles can result in temporary symptoms such as lameness or shorten strides to permanent symptoms such as loss of muscle mass or internal callous like growths," says Ellen Fitzgerald of SaddleHands.

In addition to pain, "the saddle is a rider's primary communication device. Your horse needs to feel subtle changes in the rider's position and balance through it... having an ill fitting saddle may cause a great deal of 'static' or interference in the message to your horse," says Ellen. And according to Lynda Goodrich of Colorado Tack Trader, "improper saddle fit can also lead to rider discomfort...most commonly at the sitting trot, breaking forward over the waist into the pommel or a locked lower back and gripped knees."

It seems that recently most trainers and vets are beginning to rely on a saddle fitters as an important aspect of the horses health. Eliminating an ill fitting saddle and removing the problems cause by it help the horse's care team to focus on bigger issues. When asked how many saddle fittings result in a change of the saddle verses proper placement instruction, most saddle fitters would probably say the same thing, placement. "In half of the calls, we must ask the rider to place the saddle further back off the horse's scapulae (shoulder)" says Ellen. And Lynda agrees that most saddle fitting result in placement verses the purchase of a new saddle. Lynda says that for her "most problems occur at the withers... and unfortunately there are not quick fixes for an improper saddle fit; you do have to look at a saddle that fits both the horse and the rider that will not only bring comfort to both, but have a positive affect in the performance ring."

When researching proper placement, there seemed to be many different opinions, some prescribe to a three point check, others a 10 point. The best bet "when considering saddle fitting for you and your horse is to consult an experienced saddle fitter to make sure that you have a proper fit!" says Shery. For more information about proper saddle fitting, please contact the numbers below:

Ellen Fitzgerald, SaddleHands 303-903-1488

Lynda Goodrich, Colorado Tack Trader 720-887-1706

Shery McDonald-Galbreath, the SaddleUp! Foundation 303-788-1666

If you would like any other information or would like to receive the latest copy of the Horse & PetServicesGuide, that features Saddle Fitters and other services, please call Cheryle Wise at Horse & PetServicesGuide (303) 278-1981.