Hey.
I plan to get into a horse trade school (Meredith Manor) when I’m older where I would ride multiple different horses in one saddle meant to fit to me (in English~jumping and dressage). I’ve been told to buy different fitting pads to adjust the fit of the saddle on the horse, but I’m not totally aware of how that works.
Pretty much, what I’m asking is how I would fit my 17.5" jumping and dressage saddles to different sized horses?
Start off by not going to Meredith Manor. One of the worst horse type schools there is.
[QUOTE=peach0934;8756325]
Hey.
I plan to get into a horse trade school (Meredith Manor) when I’m older where I would ride multiple different horses in one saddle meant to fit to me (in English~jumping and dressage). I’ve been told to buy different fitting pads to adjust the fit of the saddle on the horse, but I’m not totally aware of how that works.
Pretty much, what I’m asking is how I would fit my 17.5" jumping and dressage saddles to different sized horses?[/QUOTE]
It doesn’t.
Saddles accommodate a horse’s back or they don’t. To a very limited degree a pad can help a saddle “accommodate” minor changes in conformation but that’s about it. They are much like shoes in that way. If a pair runs a bit large then a heavier sock or maybe two pair might help. But if it they are too small…there’s just not much you can do.
If you have a variety of back conformations then you will have to keep a variety of saddles that match them.
G.
[QUOTE=peach0934;8756325]
Hey.
I plan to get into a horse trade school (Meredith Manor) when I’m older where I would ride multiple different horses in one saddle meant to fit to me (in English~jumping and dressage). I’ve been told to buy different fitting pads to adjust the fit of the saddle on the horse, but I’m not totally aware of how that works.
Pretty much, what I’m asking is how I would fit my 17.5" jumping and dressage saddles to different sized horses?[/QUOTE]
One saddle will not fit all horses. Your best bet is to buy one with a medium/wide tree and invest in a saddle pad that has shims. If the saddle is too wide, you can use shims to make it wider, keeping in mind that it is important that the saddle be balanced and that the panel configuration and tree shape works for that horse.
A saddle with an adjustable tree could help but most of them are not meant to be swapped out daily for different rides. Also, as mentioned above, changing the tree width alone won’t guarantee fit.
You cannot make a saddle that’s too narrow fit a horse comfortably.
See if you can spend a few hours watching someone fit and adjust saddles. You need to really understand what works and what doesn’t work so that you don’t exacerbate a problem by creating different pressure points.
I will start you off with this thread on Meredith Manor. Not http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?483667-Meredith-Manor-Riding-College
Not being rude but I imagine you are in the teen age area. As this school tends to draw in that group. The website flashes claims of come live in a shipping container for 18 months and then poof instant WEF sensation. If the world worked like that I would be going there too.
As to the saddle question, you will never find one saddle that will fit every horse you ride. It’s simply impossible. Pads can do a fair bit but if you have a saddle to fit a pancake backed draft it wont fit a shark fin thoroughbred, no matter what empire state building like, stack of pads you have. The best thing you can do is get a medium tree and hope for the best. It is your responsibility to make sure the saddle fits the horse because if you don’t and you mess up the horses back one its the horses welfare and two that reputation will stay with you for a long time.
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