| BALANCE
The conformation of the horse is not truly suited to carry a rider. Therefore it is important to have the weight of the rider distributed evenly over the horse's back. When a saddle sits in proper balance, the deepest point of the seat should be in the middle of the saddle. Check this by placing a pen in the saddle, it should roll to the deepest point of the seat. If the pen settles behind the midpoint of the saddle, the balance is cantle low. More weight will be carried by the back of the saddle and the corresponding area of the back, instead of being evenly distributed through the entire panel of the saddle. On the other hand, if the pen settles forward of the saddle's midpoint, the balance is pommel low. This will create a pressure point under the front of the saddle.
Tree size, gusset depth, panel shape, and the horse's conformation influence balance. For example, despite the correct tree size, a saddle may still sit cantle low on a horse with a low back: thus requiring a saddle with a deeper gusset. If the tree is too narrow (more than 3-4 fingers clearance), the saddle will sit high in front and therefore cantle low. In this case a deeper gusset is not needed, but a wider tree. Placement is also key in assesing balance. When the saddle is placed too far forward on the shoulders, it will typically sit cantle low. This is easily corrected by sliding the saddle back behind the shoulder blade.
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