This blog is in response to a member request to address saddlefitting as regards her sway-backed Arab. She is presently able to use only a western saddle on her horse, which she states is the only one that apparently doesn’t bridge.



As in my other blogs, I am going to retain my level of honesty (and hopefully simplicity!) in addressing some of these issues, so please take what I say in the manner with which I present it – I want to honestly help as many riders and horses as…

One of the biggest misconceptions in saddle fitting is that two-three fingers withers clearance means that the saddle fits. When I check saddle fit there are actually 36 points to consider, and withers clearance is only one of them.



The withers are a very sensitive area of the horse with different interacting muscles and bones. Obviously you do not want the pommel of the saddle pushing down on the wither bone of our horse which would cause sores.



This is the area…

You know your horse better than anyone – instinctively, you know immediately when something is amiss, even if you can’t immediately diagnose where the problem lies or what is causing it. I can put words to what you already know – how do you tell when your horse is happy? What I am going to say may be controversial and provocative to some, but if you are truly honest with yourself, you may realize that perhaps there is a lot of truth in it!



A horse is not able to lie, to ‘act’ like…

My Passion - Helping Horses Worldwide!



In 1984 after qualifying for the European Championships I had to retire my beautiful Hanoverian gelding for lameness, and my riding career came abruptly to an end. I wish I knew then what I have learned in the past 24+ years as a Certified Master Saddler consulting with equine professionals around the world. At very least I know Pirat would have been sound a lot longer, at best my riding career would have gone much farther.



At the…