How to fit saddle to horse is vital for any owner

The beat and easiest way to check if a saddle fits the rider is to have her sit in it. You will be looking to fit and flat hand between her and the horn and a flat hand between her butt and the cantle.

It is also equally important that the saddle fits the horse and can be a little difficult for the novice. A good eye for saddle size comes with experience.

On the most basic level, you want to put the saddle on the horse and try it for size, (most good tack shops will allow saddles out for a trial with a deposit or valid credit card on file). Put the girth on, just as if you were tacking him up for a ride.

Then slip your fingers down the shoulders beneath the withers. You should be able to put your hand under the saddle near the shoulder blade. It should be snug, but not so tight that it feels pinched. You also need adequate room for the withers and to make sure that the back of the saddle is sitting level on the horses back (you should not be able to see under it).

Obviously this can be a little difficult if you are buying a saddle online

Buying a saddle is a very big investment, and I would highly recommend having a saddle fitter come out. For the inexperienced it is well worth getting an expert in for a check. It usually costs $50 to have them come out, sometimes it’s free depending on how many people at your barn are interested.

It could be $50 well spent if it saves your horse some pain. If you choose to do that, skip all of the steps I listed and call him first! He’ll be able to tell you where to start, recommend a make that will fit best and you can be guaranteed a well-fit saddle that will last.

While he is around ask him how to fit saddle to horse and you will learn what he looks at, it’s all good stuff to know.

? B Grand Blue ? asked:

I want to show competitively in Western Pleasure shows with my horse this year, but I only have a beaten up barrel saddle and a black synthetic trail saddle. I have been searching for a good leather saddle, it doesn’t have to be pleasure saddle, to show in, and I really don’t want to spend $2000 on a pleasure saddle. I have seen a really nice saddle that wasn’t too expensive, and looked like a pleasure saddle, but it had no silver,and it was fake leather.
Would it be okay to show in?

BTW I show in open shows, not rated or anything really serious or competitive. There are a lot of not-so-flashy saddles in the WP classes, but I’ve never seen a synthetic one.

]]> http://westernsaddleauctions.com/synthetic-saddle-for-western-pleasure/feed/ http://westernsaddleauctions.com/what-are-your-opinions-on-bates-dressage-saddles/ http://westernsaddleauctions.com/what-are-your-opinions-on-bates-dressage-saddles/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:04:22 +0000 sally http://www.westernsaddleauctions.com/?p=340

I’m looking for opinions on the Bates dressage saddles? I began dressage with a Wintec, because my massive TB is so hard to fit, because he is not the normal narrow TB. Now I have begun showing and have a lot more experience, so I need a more fitting dressage saddle. I would like to keep stick with the “easy change gullet system” because I can’t fit my TB in anything else! I also want to stay under $2K for the new saddle, and I have found Bates Isabell and Bates Innova, as well as Bates Caprilli online in my price budget. Wanted to know who has them, what are the likes and dislikes, have you heard good/bad things about them. I would love to ride in a Passier or something nice, but I can’t fit my gelding in these saddles. All opinions, good or bad  are welcome.

Bates Saddles

What is the best brand of saddle for showing Quarter Horses in Western Pleasure?…I’m planing on going to the Open World Show with my WP horse in a few years….are Corriente, Silver Royal, Blue Ribbon, or Billy Royal saddles any good?….What would you suggest?…it has to have lots of silver…money isn’t an object…Any good custom saddles that you suggest…also, I would like a website, it can’t be used…and where the company/place is at….THANK YOU SO MUCH!…will award best answer!

Many times I am asked “how can I get confident when horse riding?”

It is a little hard to answer the question satisfactorily when you have been brought around horses from babyhood. Confidence is a state of mind and being raised with horses it just was normal for me to be with these lovely animals.

Now, I realise that for many people it can be a bit daunting when faced with a seemingly huge creature which may snort and stamp its feet and move about. That is just horse fidgets, we all fidget and horses are just the same. The only way to gain confidence is to be around the animals, stroke them and talk to them. Horses will respond to a gentle voice and a soothing hand amazingly well and as they build their trust in you, you will also gain a feel for them.

Horses as I have said before are social animals, they like company and they do appear to see humans as part of the herd. One factor that this does bring into play is that as a herd animal they have a highly sense of social feeling and if you are relaxed then so will they be, if you are nervous or hesitant then they will pick up on that and react accordingly. So treat them as you would a friend and they will do the same.

To get confidence in the saddle you have to practice, practice and practice. Learn how to sit correctly for each stage, walking, trotting and cantering or loping. our teacher will advise you on this so take heed and it will become natural after a time. One piece of advice I heard which made complete sense to me is “Your stomach is an accordion” which when you think about it describes perfectly how it should be, let your body move to the horses rhythm and it will become the most normal and relaxed feeling in the world.

Western pleasure riding is a pretty strict discipline that requires you to show excellent control of your horse and look good whilst you are doing it.

For a western pleasure saddle to show you off in the best light it must be scrupiously clean and decoration should be highly polished. It is perfectly acceptable for most of us to use a synthetc saddle as it will be seen on the move and most judges won’t be able to spot the difference at a distance, however for the ambitious competitor a top quality leather saddle needs to be considered. Unfortunately these are expensive but they will last for years with the proper care.

Decide on your budget for a western pleasure saddle and then go looking, it is pointless and disappointing to look at a $3000 saddle if you can only spend $1500.

Look around the tack shops and any places that they sell saddles, and don’t forget yard sales if you live in an area where thee are a lot of horse riders. A secret which I will share and has served me well is pawnshops, again if you have lots of horses in your town.

The best place though is going to be eBay purely for the choice that it gives you. Buying a western pleasure saddle is going to cost you a chunk of cash so why not check out the auctions and see what western pleasure saddle you can get for your money.

Many people would like to learn how to ride a horse but are hesitant to take the first step. There really is no need to be afraid, every day somewhere in the world young people, middle aged people and even old people are taking the first step to becoming a horseman or woman.

If you would like to learn how to ride just do it! Life is much too short to miss out on what can be one of lifes pleasures.

So, how do you learn? this post cannot really tell you all that you need to know and to be honest a lot of what you have to learn can really only be done by doing it.

Horse riding basics are to be confident around the horse, they are social animals attuned to the feelings of others around them and though you may not be a horse  he or she will pick up signals from you. If you are nervous or afraid then your horse will pick that up and could become a little skittish. If you are not relaxed then neither will your horse be.

Never, I mean never stand behind your horse, however well you may know him, horses are adept at seeing off attacks from behind and they do it by sending whatever is behind them into orbit. A kick from a horse is something you do not want to experience, believe me!

Find a good teacher with a love for horses and the patience required to teach. Good horsemanship is not neccesarily a valid indicator of a good teacher. Ask around at your local stables or tack shops. Find a teacher you feel comfortable with and you will learn more and faster.

Private horse riding lessons or groups? It doesn’t make a whole lot of difference because although you will get more attention in a private lesson I find that you can learn just as much from a group because you actually learn from each other as well as the teacher. Again I stress just be comfortable.

The mere act of being around horses and horse people will also teach you quite a bit without you even realising it so do try to spend time at the stables or in the company of people who train, ride or just love them.

Remember you are not the only person in the world who is a beginner horse rider so don’t miss out on this glorious pastime.