Riding Saddle
Image via Wikipedia
Though historically many people learned to ride very well without a riding saddle at all, these days the only people who regularly go horseback riding without a riding saddle are probably circus entertainers and riders at events which have a bareback riding contest as a bit of a speciality event.
Why Do You Need a Riding Saddle
He hasn’t got one (eyes right)
Some people are obviously better at horse riding without a riding saddle than others. I was at a fun horse racing day at the beach once, great fun it was and we were actually doing rather well (if I do say so myself), until it came to the Grand Finale! It appears that the majority of riders knew exactly what was expected, and everyone obviously assumed that I knew what I was letting myself in for, but unbeknown to me the Grand Finale was ridden bareback! Okay, maybe I should not have pushed quite so hard in the last race and gone home feeling quite pleased with myself at finishing just outside the top three yet making a respectable showing at my first beach racing event, in the long run it would have been much more acceptable and less embarrassing than the unceremonious dismount and mouthful, earful, noseful and eyeful of sand I ended up with! Yes, I admit it, I’m not naturally gifted in the balance department, and my mare wasn’t used to me slipping about up and down her spine either. I find a riding saddle to be absolutely vital at any gait faster than a walk and needless to say, my first beach racing experience was also my last!
Taking away the saddle does make horse riding a whole different experience, a riding saddle offers a comfortable seat for both the horse and the rider, well, a properly fitted horse saddle does anyway, if your riding saddle isn’t fitted properly can lead to pain and discomfort for the horse, which in turn can lead to pain and discomfort for the horse rider (have you ever tried sitting on a cranky horse with an uncomfortable horse saddle creating pressure points)?
Saddles are simply seats which are fastened to the horses back with a girth (well, that’s what it’s called on an English style saddle) or a cinch (for a Western style saddle).
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
Did you manage to spot the differences? Not difficult really is it, the two major types of riding saddle, an English saddle and a Western saddle.
Fitting a Riding Saddle
Okay, a riding saddle is designed to keep both the horse and the rider safe and comfortable, so who should it fit? Do you buy a horse saddle to fit the horse, or do you buy a riding saddle to fit the rider? Every horse is a different shape, not to even mention the shape of the rider. Some horses have naturally high withers, some have very broad backs, some have very prominent spines. So what should you look for when you’re fitting a saddle to a horse? Let’s just make it very clear from the off, in order for your horse to perform at its best the riding saddle does need to fit properly, making sure that it doesn’t impede the horses movements or cause pressure on any pressure points. Thicker numnahs and riding pads can always help to make the saddle fit more comfortably, but should not be used as an alternative to a well fitted horse saddle.
Potential Riding Saddle Fitting Problems
An ill fitting riding saddle can cause, or be caused by any of the following;
- horse saddle tree to be either too wide or too narrow
- riding saddle placed too far forwards
- riding saddle tree twisted
- horse saddle too long
- riding saddle gullet too narrow
- horse saddle panels too long
- stirrup bars asymmetrical
If you notice signs of swelling in the horse saddle area after work, then the chances are very good that your riding saddle does not fit your horse properly. Other signs to watch out for are white hairs appearing in the horse saddle area (often found over the whithers at the front of the horse, if perhaps the saddle is pressing on the base of the horses’ neck).
Both an ill fitting saddle or a novice rider who doesn’t position themselves properly in the saddle can impair the horses performance and development. You could find yourself with a resistant, unhappy horse which can prevent your horse from working his muscles properly and ultimately lead to lameness or other physical problems.
No foot no horse?
No well fitted horse saddle, no horse . . . .