The Riders Reponsibility

The basic and first principle of saddle fit is to “Position the Saddle” in the place it was built to fit.  This is the responsibility of the rider, and neither the saddle or tree maker can influence where the rider decides to place it.  The traditional Western tree is built to fit right behind the shoulder blade and shaped so that as the horse’s leg is moved forward, the back corner of the shoulder blade will slip under the rounded front edge of the bar.  By the time the horse puts weight on that leg again, it is back out from under the bar tip.  This means the front of the skirts (generally less than 2” past the bar) will be over the shoulder blade, but if they are properly blocked (shaped to follow the curve of the bar), they will not affect the horse’s movement.  The idea that you need to place the tree a couple inches behind the shoulder blade to avoid hitting it is false because the bars are shaped to account for that.  However, even if it is improperly placed, the saddle will very quickly move to where it belongs unless

1) it really doesn’t fit the horse at all, or

2) it is held out of place by a breast collar, crupper, etc. or

3) it is placed so far ahead on the horse there is no reason for it to move back into place.

​Placing the saddle too far forward so that it rests on the shoulder blades and then holding it there with a breast collar will negate all the work the saddle and tree maker put into making a saddle that fits the shape of the horse’s back.