Intro
Riding is truly an art... if and when both the rider and the horse are comfortable and pain free. Riding and competition has become much more technical. Today, more than ever before, saddle fitting and saddle awareness lead to good performance.

Good performance in all disciplines and all levels, is dependent on good saddle fit. A talented horse and rider will never achieve their full potential if the saddle is pitching, or causing pressure points. Bucking, rearing, head tossing, and other resistances can be frequently attributed to poor saddle fit. Lameness and even signs of navicular, may be improved or eliminated. Our lack of knowledge can hurt (sometimes permanently) the animal that gives us so much! Bad tempered, sullen, and disobedient horses are usually in pain. Look for a reason: your saddle is a good place to start.

Unfortunately, saddle fit is neither static nor stable. The horse constantly changes shape through gain or a loss of weight and muscle. Saddle fit must be analyzed while your horse is moving as he may change shape as he works. Depending on the workload, he may lift or drop his back - possibly causing pressure points. Therefore, your saddle should be checked regularly to assure that these changes have not caused fitting problems. Ideally, when it is time for this, you should schedule an on-site visit with an experienced saddler. If you are in the market for a new saddle, the saddler should bring a number of models, and evaluate how each fit you and your horse. Unfortunately, in the United States, this is not usually practical, and sometimes even impossible! You need to be informed and knowledgeable so that you can evaluate the saddle, or evaluate the saddlefitter if you are fortunate enough to have one. The more educated you become, the better chance you have to be successful. Some tack shops already offer fitting services. Hopefully, this will soon become more common.

As you can see, the more you know about saddle fit the more you will be able to analyze and judge your horses comfort level through the various stages of change and development. In order to determine whether you have a "good" fitting saddle, you need to examine several different factors - Placement, Tree Width, Balance and Stability.

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