Sarah Linton

Introduction

I believe the saddles that we use influence the shape our young horses’ backs for the future. I see so many high shark finned withered, sway backed, muscle wasted horses and believe that most of that shape is cause by ill fitting saddles.

If a saddle is pinching or causing pain to the horse is it any wonder that we have behavioural problems? It is our responsibility to make sure our horses have the best fitting saddle you can possibly find. Saddle fitting is the biggest nightmare I have ever come across but it is also one of the most important issues when wanting performance from our horses.

When you get into it there are so many different backs and so many different saddles and so many different riders - it can take forever to find the right one for your horse! Back in the old days we used one saddle on every horse and never thought anything about it. Now we have so many different shaped horses how could that one saddle possibly fit them all? There is no way that one brand of saddle can fit every horse!

I look at saddle fitting from the 'sore horse' point of view and look at 100s of saddles on horses every month. Saddle fitting is a big part of my therapy work. If the saddle is causing problems no amount of therapy or body work is going to fix that horse long term unless you get that ill fitting saddle off his back.

I think everyone should learn the basics of saddle fitting and this is something that should be checked on a regular basis. Horses change shapes and saddles change too.

I do saddle fitting checks with every horse that I work on and full saddle fitting assessments can also be arranged if owners want to buy a new saddle or if they are having particular problems with their saddle. With a full saddle fitting assessment I look at the horse, the saddle, and the rider as individuals. I then look at the saddle on the horse and finally the rider on the saddle on the horse. Finding the right saddle for what the rider and horse want to do is a major factor. Looking at the whole picture is the only way to do a thorough and correct saddle fit.

I give an independent opinion on a saddle and saddle blankets - I'm not trying to sell anything so you know it is a totally independent point of view from years of studying horse’s backs and common areas of soreness. I will also make suggestions on adjustments that may be able to be made to an existing saddle.

I give owners a basic saddle fitting lesson while I'm looking at their horse and saddle :o)