How do you measure a saddle tree?
Measure across the front of the saddle from one point to the other. Use the bottom of the tree points as your measuring locations. Do not bend the measuring tape around the saddle to touch the point; instead, imagine a line that runs from the bottom of the tree point to the front of the saddle and measure from there.
How do you pick the right size saddle?
First, start with some general rules of thumb for proper western saddle seat size for the rider:
- Keep in mind that Western saddle seat size refers to rider fit and has nothing to do with how the saddle fits the horse.
- There should be approximately four inches between the front of your body and the fork (or swells).
How do I measure a saddle gullet?
Place your hand into the space between the saddle and your horse’s wither, using your fingers to measure the vertical space. The gap should fit no more than two fingers to two and a half fingers. If three or more fingers fit, the gullet is too narrow. If fewer than two fingers fit, the gullet is too wide.
How do you fit a saddle to a rider?
Place the saddle on the horse’s bare back without a pad. There should be two to three fingers space between the top of the wither and the gullet of the saddle. If you can vertically fit your whole hand between the bottom of the gullet and the wither, the tree is probably too narrow.
What size is a 7 inch gullet?
Gullet Size
A standard gullet measures 7 inches and is the most common measurement found in saddles described as having “full quarter horse bars”. Any gullet that measures larger than 7 inches is considered to be wide.
What happens if a saddle is too wide?
When a saddle is too wide in the front, it can sink down over the withers. This takes the saddle out of balance by making the pommel lower than the cantle, which in turn carries more pressure over the front of the tree (at the withers/shoulders) than a saddle with a properly sized tree.
What is gullet size on a saddle?
Most gullet measurements are taken on a raw saddle tree and not on a finished saddle. … The gullet is the tunnel underneath the fork and rides over the horse’s withers. The design of the fork and the angle of the bars of the saddle tree determine the width and height of the gullet.
How do you tell if your saddle doesn’t fit your horse?
Here are six signs to watch for which could indicate that your saddle doesn’t fit your horse.
- Pressure On Your Horse’s Withers. …
- Sore Back. …
- Unevenness From Front to Back. …
- Extra Movement. …
- Uneven Sweat Marks. …
- Poor Horse Behavior.
Do you buy a saddle to fit the horse or the rider?
Fit the Saddle For the Horse, Fit the Saddle For the Rider
A saddle that doesn’t fit you properly will be uncomfortable to ride in and will throw you out of position. The main feature of the saddle which dictates whether it will fit your horse or not is the width of the gullet.
How many inches is a wide gullet?
Gullet Size ChartGullet SizeInchesNarrow6”Medium or Average6.5”Wide7”Extra Wide8”
How do you size a western saddle?
The seat size on a Western saddle is determined by measuring the saddle from the back of the horn to the top of the cantle and ranges from 12 to 18 inches. When you sit in a Western saddle, you should be able to fit two to three fingers between the front of your thigh and the fork of the saddle.