General
Saddle Facts - Fitting the Rider
Every one who
has been riding for a length of time has a favorite
way we prefer our saddles to fit. Many times this is
determined by the use of the saddle and horse.
Although
there are many types of riding in this world of
horses, there are some basic premises in fitting a
rider to a saddle. There must be an allowance for
comfort that is balanced with the performance
expected. For instance, when roping, enough room
must exist between the belly and the horn to dally.
A tall thin rider with a very long forearm may need
a 17” roping saddle seat to have enough room to
work. This same rider may fit in a pleasure saddle
with a 15.5” seat. Assuming the same rider decides
to jump his horse over fences, his fitting may
require another seat size to enable sitting properly
while ensuring enough flap under his leg. And,
English saddles are measured from the front pommel
pin to the center of the cantle, on a diagonal line,
whereas Western saddles are measured from the base
of the horn to the front of the cantle on a straight
line.
There
is little wonder why there is confusion in our
marketplace. Can this rider fit comfortably in a
15.5 “ pleasure seat and a 17” roper seat? If in
the roper, there is some rise in the front of the 17”
seat, or perhaps a “bucking roll” installed at
the base of the pommel, along with a hollow ground
or close fitting area for the bottom of the seat
bones, and a relatively high, at least 4”, cantle,
yes it is possible.
Of
course, if you have the funding, we can custom make
your saddle to fit all parts of you without being
sloppy anywhere! But if you are on a budget, you may have to
weigh the options and live with a pretty good fit in
a production saddle. There is production, such that
any deviation from the norm will cost you
tremendously. There is also the smaller production
company that will affordably make small changes that
do not require rebuilding the basics of the design.
One of the things we like is the availability of
working with saddlers to make adjustments for extra
short, or extra long legs. When ordering your
saddles, be sure to ask about any option you feel
needed.
To
change the length for a leg, or shorten a skirt length,
or go to a slight rise in the front of a seat may be
viable with very little additional costs. However,
if you need a drastic change that may cause the seat
to be hand crafted rather than die cut, expect to
pay the difference in price. For the smaller maker,
changes are not so complicated. There seems top be a
correlation between a company getting larger, and
having to pull a product into a custom line to make
any change, as that company gets larger. Larger
companies often add 35% to 100% to make changes.
Just
because a company is relatively small, does not
affect the quality of the product that they produce.
When dealing with the smaller company, we can often
talk with the guy who will be personally making the
changes. It seems like a better understanding is
achieved when we can speak to the person who is
building your product. Perhaps, we just feel as if
it is so. Even the larger guys have some pretty
tight procedures for getting things right the first
time! (Another argumentative issue!)
We
can chase our tails with options and opinions
forever, but, assuming we have to start somewhere,
let’s begin to discuss fitting. When riding
Western, there are some basics for which I like to
look. Those saddles defined as a pleasure saddles
usually place the rider in a comfortable sitting
position. They are more forward in the position of
the stirrup leathers, so that you have your legs in
a more angled sitting position, somewhat similar to
sitting on a tall barstool. This is a good choice
for most riders. Adjust your stirrup leathers till
you can stand in the stirrups and have about 4"
to 6" of clearance when standing in the
stirrups. This allows enough room to stretch
comfortably, and to place enough pressure on the
balls of your feet so that you can keep the stirrups
from becoming lost. There must be allowance to let
your heels relax downward when riding. This allows
you to use the calves of your legs for directing the
horse. I like to see about two fingers (width
sideways, not length of fingers end to end) of
spacing between the front side of the cantle and the
small of your lower back. I also like to have two or
three fingers of width between the front of the
thigh and the bottom of the pommel or swells. This
allows room for properly shifting my weight to
direct my steed. Most times, I want the stirrups to
swing forward and rearward comfortably. With
relatively free moving stirrup leathers, if my horse
travels up or down hills, I can remain in more of a
position that is perpendicular to level ground,
while my horse changes planes.
This
perpendicular achievement becomes more important
when I am breaking horses to the saddle. I like to
be able to move my head aside and lean forward, as a
horse tries to rear upward. This places more of my
weight forward on him for more difficulty in his
lifting action. And it places me in a more
controlled position. If "Dobbin" were to
fall over backward, I can easily step out of my
stirrup. If I am falling backward, head first, lower
than his hips, I am in for the wreck he anticipated!
Same goes for when "Dobbin" Bucks. Staying
perpendicular to the ground means I lean back as he
kicks upward. This again makes his efforts more
difficult, and my balance better suited for the
experience. (Now I understand that John Lyons never
has these difficulties. But most horses that used to
come my way for training, had already been almost
ruined. I would rather not beat the horse with
baseball bats. I would rather out-think him, and
have proper equipment for the task.)
Western
saddles designed for more rigorous activities are
usually designed for you to ride deeper in your
seat. Roper saddles are made to allow standing in
the stirrups, to ease the effort of throwing ropes
at cows. The body is built somewhat narrower than a
typical pleasure saddle, so that you can stand in
those stirrups more comfortably. Most people adjust
the stirrup leathers so that there is 3" to
5" of clearance between your seat and the
saddle seat when standing. This saddle type also
works well for people that simply do not like to
ride with their legs so far apart. Riders with hip
problems usually like this narrow build. Keep in
mind that just because a saddle is labeled for a
particular use, usually means more of how it is
designed, rather than to limit its use to certain
activities. Team roping saddles usually come with a
4" high cantle. Barrel racers come with 4"
to 5" cantles. These higher cantles, when
combined with a ground seat, can provide lower back
support for the pleasure rider. This higher cantle
usually works well for riders with lower back pains.
However, the calf ropers usually come with a lower
3.5" cantle that makes mounting and dismounting
faster. The lower cantle has less support, but does
make getting on and off the horse a little easier
for some people.
Endurance
saddles are trail saddles that have specialized in
lighter weight and speed. The lack of a horn makes
it easier to lean forward on your horse. Leaning
forward is important in keeping a center of balance
while jogging up steep hills. There is just enough
front on the swells to keep you from falling. The
cantle is supportive, but not too high. This time
the lower height is to allow you freedom to lean
backward while coming down steep inclines. A high
cantle will jab into your lower back, or prevent you
from keeping a proper center of balance while
descending. (Many endurance riders run beside their
horses almost as much as riding, while in
competition. This creates a need for an easy to
mount and dismount saddle.) flexibility and
mobility with your horse. Reining is sort of like
fast dressage in a Western saddle. You need to keep
your balanced centered in all movements. There is
usually a rise in the front area of the seat for
helping to hold your seat into the rear of the
saddle seat. This rise can help an inexperienced
rider to control movement of the lower back and hips
by slightly forcing your seat into the cantle. The
rise should be comfortable, not restrictive. This
was sometimes called an equitation seat in years
past. (With competition in the show arenas being as
good as it is today, it is best to ride in an
equitation show class, in a saddle that does not
obviously help you to ride.) When judging two
equally qualified riders on horses that are as good
as they can get, the judge will get picky to find a
winner. The rider using fewer "restrictive
measures", (aids to hold you in proper position
such as a high front rise with a deep ground seat
and high cantle combinations, like the
characteristics of the 1970’s equitation seats),
will be selected as the winner.
Cutters have a
high horn to help when you need to hold tight.
Rounded bottoms of oxbow stirrups allow you to hold
fast to the stirrup at which ever position you need.
The first cutting horse that I rode tucked, ducked
and rolled all the way from under me! I was left in
the air while he did his business. Here, a more
securely seated position with roughout leather might
have held me in place. I was trying to ride a style
that at the time, I knew nothing about! Riding
saddles which I need to hold onto a horn and brace
against, I like to make sure the saddle matches the
length of my forearm as well as my seat. I must be
able to stabilize my wrist in a position that helps
brace my body, rather than being bent in an awkward
state, or extending so far that I can’t support my
elbow with my trunk. Legs need to allow supple
ability, without flopping. Squeezing too hard with
the thighs will effectively pinch you out of your
saddle. (I cannot believe how easy the pro’s make
this event appear.)
In barrel
racers, I like the cantle to come around into the
jockey a little less than other saddles. If my horse
is close to a barrel, I can more comfortably move
back with that inside leg as the horse rounds that
barrel. That cantle needs to be a bit high to
prevent being left behind on a powerful take off. I
like a horn that is a bit forward to allow my body
to get low on the straights. Most ladies like the
freedom of leg movement combined with the lower back
support of the barrel racer cantle. This combination
is comfortable to them for all but the most steep of
terrains while riding trails. I like to be able to
swing my leg back easily when "Dobbin"
wanders close to a tree trunk on a narrow trail.
Hard-seated
ranch saddles are made for riding long in the saddle
and in any type of weather. The smooth one-piece
seat will not readily absorb water from crossing
creeks or from rains. Even though you may doubt the
comfort of this design, don’t. The saddle carries
your weight on your entire saddle block rather than
just your seat bones. Spreading your weight over
more area allows less pressure on a small, (or
large, or just plain tender) bottom. You ride in a
great posture, but if you only ride once every two
weeks, this saddle type will make your inner thighs
sore. There are few other exercises that work this
group of inner thigh muscles. (Sort of like archery
and your upper back muscles.)
I prefer
enough room in the seat to allow my body to move
where it needs to perform the task at hand, without
so much room that I am rocking unnecessarily back
and forth. Saddles that fit too large often create a
sore back on the rider from a tendency to slouch
more than you would with a tighter fit. Conversely,
saddles that pinch are no fun at all.
We touched on
the advantage of oxbow stirrups. Somewhat
conversely, wide roper stirrups are best for
standing in the stirrups, or for long periods in the
saddle, because they give greater surface to rest
against. I love leather bottom boots. But, the
slickness of leather soled boots on leather covered
stirrups in a wet arena has created a demand for
tire rubber bottoms on work boots to be used for
riding horses. Try attaching a piece of rubber tread
onto the roper stirrup. CC can provide you with a
synthetic "grippy" tread to velcro onto
any Western stirrup. Now, we can stay in the stirrup
better with a leather bottom boot. True, the
leathers that are used in saddles today, and the
nylons, turn easier. This eliminates much of the
need for a pointed toe boot. After all, that toe was
developed to better catch the lost stirrup, not for
impressing females at the local watering hole. This
easier catch is one reason you see broader toed
boots in style today.
Visalia
stirrups or contest stirrups are tapered. They are
narrower at the tops to lighten weight, and have a
flat tread that gives comfortable fitting at the
bottoms. These stirrups should allow you to place
your feet, and remove your feet easily. This is to
prevent hanging if you should fall from the horse,
and to prevent slipping when trying to mount. If
your foot is wide, you should search for a stirrup
that will accommodate your width. If you have a
narrow foot, choose one that allows you to be able
to stay in that stirrup. Too loose situations often
cause the stirrups to twist under your feet.
Remember never to shove your feet fully into the
stirrup. These instruments were designed to ride
using the ball of your feet to apply pressure, not
your arch. Tapederos are used today for fancy
parades. They were initially designed to help keep
vines and briars from hanging into your stirrups.
They have also been used on saddles for children to
help prevent them from holding their feet too far
into the stirrups. When your stirrups are covered in
the front, but not so flashy in style, they are
simply called hooded.
Rigging a
saddle to fit is another area of combining
suitability with comfort. Ranch saddles, ropers and
other saddles that require heavy work are usually
built with sets of rings that are set in full, 7/8
or ¾ position. These rings are secured to the tree
of the saddle by direct attachment of leather,
sometimes reinforced with nylon, to the tree. This
is the most secure method of rigging for the girth.
This is also sometimes somewhat bulky. The leather
tie straps are tied at a point that holds your leg a
bit away from the horse.
One solution
is to use nylon tie straps. When using any nylon
ties, it is important that you take two wraps across
the front of the loops made from girth to saddle
rigging ring. Then pass around the ring and dive
through both wraps. As you tighten, the nylon will
bind itself from several directions and not slip
like it does when you only take one wrap. Another
solution is to have a dropped heavy leather plate
hold the rigging as if attached to the skirting, but
tied into the tree itself. The "Bork"
rigging is one often used in this situation.
Normally "Bork" rigging is slotted brass.
Stainless steel or three-way plates may be used on
this drop rigging. (I have heard this rigging called
"Montana" rigging too.) This places the knot lower,
below your thigh, and out of the way. When the
rigging loosens in the leather plate, you replace
that leather plate much easier than your skirts.
In-skirt plate
rigging is great for lighter duty. It allows you to
be close to your horse for greater control. A sort
of half ring is attached to the skirts’ bottom
edge by heavy rivets. Three-way rigging is sometimes
used in-skirt. When you have occasion to ride
several different horses, this three way allows you
to tie in 7/8, ¾ or half way between these
settings. For most riders, this is getting sort of
picky, but for those finely tuned horses, a little
adjustment can go a long way. Tying half-way is
performed like the tie used on centerfire rigging.
In-skirt rigging gives a clean appearance and allows
your stirrup leathers to swing more freely.
The shape of
the swells can help when fitting a rider to saddles.
Swept-back swells are made to give something to
throw your thigh into, in case of emergency. For
some beginners, this gives a psychological feeling
of security as well as the physical. People who
break horses to ride, often like this feature. These
swept-back swells also give more of a resting place
for those riders who like pommel, or horn bags. They
sweep rearward above the attachment to the skirts so
there is usually room for the thigh to be
comfortable even if it looks tight. Roper saddles
use large swells that stand more straight. These can
help keep a rope from cutting across your leg when
pulled tight. Pleasure saddles normally have some
swell on the pommel, without becoming excessive.
A-fork saddles are known for a high pommel with
minimal spread on the swells. This is a great design
for people with larger diameter thighs, or those who
like very little restriction in the front of their
saddles.
Stirrup straps
come in leather, reinforced leather, nylon, and
nylon with leather reinforcement. Your stirrup
straps are almost always called stirrup leathers,
even when nylon or biothane, not leather, is used to
build them. The heavier you will place force against
these straps, the more you need the security of
width. Ranchers and ropers use heavy weight 3"
leather and the stronger have Blevins type buckles
that are set vertically. I always recommend using
stainless steel Blevins type buckles. Stainless will
not corrode with the sweat of riding and the
conditioning of leather, as will other metals.
Cutters use the 3" leathers, but use a more
supple weight of leather for more flexibility.
Barrel saddles may use 2.5" or 2" straps
for quicker mobility, but should use a stronger
material when going down to the 2" levels.
Nylon is often lined with a piece of leather to
prevent the nylon from fraying. Leather is sometimes
lined with nylon to prevent stretching. If a rider
has knee issues, that rider should use straps that
mold and move easily. When roping, heavily stiff
straps are appropriate because flimsy straps will
tend to trip the roper back into the seat. Be sure
to set the stirrups to your most comfortable riding
height before you tie them to turn. This will make
riding much more comfortable. If we know your true
inseam, we can have custom or semi custom built
saddles set and turned for you. On these saddles, we
can also shave the width of the fender, or adjust
the length of the stirrup strap to assure better fit
for you, (not too short or not too long). When
fitting saddles to husky children, I find it useful
to order a saddle with an extra set of stirrup
leathers so they can be interchanged as the child
grows and the shape of their body matures. Often you
need a set of shorter straps for now, and longer for
later, while remaining the same size in the seat.
Excessive punching of holes in your stirrup leathers
will depreciate the value of your saddle.
Fit your
saddle to yourself and your needs now. Don’t worry
about what will happen if you lose weight, gain
height, change riding habits, etc. Most people will
change a lot during their lives, including saddles.
I own several specialized saddles so that I have the
right tool for the right job. I look silly trying to
jump 4’ fences in a roping saddle, and I sure don’t
want to catch a wild cow while riding my
close-contact jumper! I know that is far fetched,
but remember how that cutting horse left me in the
air? The air wasn’t what hurt.
The cost of
permanent injury, or even being banged for a season
is much more than the price of a saddle designed to
fit you, the rider, for the type of riding you
desire.
Coming Soon….Safety
in the Saddle
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