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Saddle Fitting Wider Horse Breeds Like Native Ponies and Cobs

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Published: 14Mar2012
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Wider breeds such as native ponies and draught horses have become increasingly popular to ride due to their attractive quieter temperament coupled with them being easy to care for. However, a lot of tack shops do not carry the type of saddles that suit these breeds as they have not yet caught up with this change in riding habits, this is because for many years thoroughbred type horses were much more popular and this change in riding habits is relatively recent. Unfortunately, this has led to some common problems with saddle fitting the wider horse and pony. The following provides answers on commonly asked questions regarding saddle fitting the wider horse and pony:

1. Why does my saddle run forwards?

A saddle should not slip forwards. If you have a cob or native breed such as a Dartmoor pony it is likely to have very low withers and high sprung ribs combined with forward girth groove. It is not just native breeds that can have this shape; it can also be found in draught horses and some Warmblood horses. When this horse or pony shape is combined with a saddle that has a curve in the panel and standard girthing the result is that the saddle pulls straight over the horse's shoulders when it moves. To rectify this problem you need a wide horse or pony saddle with a low pommel, flatter tree, close contact flocking and a flatter panel along with a point strap (so that when the saddle is girthed up the girth sits on the vertical rather than on the diagonal), this will mean that when the horse moves the saddle will stay on the horse's back.

2. Why are saddles often not wide enough for cobs?

This is because even some of the extra wide saddles have a very triangular headed tree in them which is not a good fit for these breeds (and those in question 1); these breeds work better with a rounder head to the top of the tree as they have rounder (or flatter withers) than other types of horses.

3. I have a Dartmoor pony, why do a lot of saddles bounce at the back even though they appear wide enough at the front?

Often this is because the combination of tree and panel in the saddle is too curved for the horse's back and it causes instability. If this is the case it can also cause bruising to the horse's back when the saddle bounces, in time if the problem is allowed to persist it may also cause muscle wastage in the horse or pony's back.

4. How can I check the shape of my horse or pony?

There are a number of ways to check the shape of your horse or pony, one way is to use a 'flexi curve' product that can mould to the horse or pony's shape as you measure it. These are not hard to find and should be available from a good stationers or art shop. Before you check your horse's shape make sure it is standing straight and square on level ground. You will then need to locate the horse or pony's scapula (shoulder blade). This is because the flexible curve needs to be placed on your horse or pony's withers about 1" behind the scapula. The idea is you are trying to get the shape of where the saddle tree would sit on your horse or pony's back. Gently mould the flexible curve as close as possible to the contour of your horse or pony's withers without applying too much pressure. The flexible curve requires gentle moulding as if you press too hard into the horse or pony's muscle it will result in an inaccurate measurement. Once you have moulded the flexi curve you can use it to make a template by placing the curve horizontally on a piece of paper and tracing around the inside of the curve.

Andrea Hicks is a saddle fitter and saddle developer, she developed 'The Native Pony Saddle Company' range that are specialist saddles for wider horses and ponies. She has been a saddle fitter for over 20 years. Her saddles also include 'Phoenix Saddles' for native ponies, Warmbloods, Arabs, Icelandics and Iberian horses. http://www.nativeponysaddles.com/ http://www.phoenixsaddles.com/

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