Seat sizes and the short-backed horse

The saddle fitters nightmare - a short-backed horse with very little space for a saddle!

I often come across riders who will say that it is more important that the saddle fits their horse - they love their horse and the comfort of their horse is more important to them that their own. However, it is so important that the saddle fits the rider just as well as the horse - and not just for the comfort of the rider, but for the sake of the horse as well!

The saddle is designed to sit the rider in a specific place on the seat. The flattest, widest part of the seat should be where your seat bones rest. If you are in a saddle that is too small for you then your seat bones are shifted further back towards the cantle. This then unbalances the saddle, and stops the panels from sitting flat on your horse’s back.