I’m sure a lot of middle aged women riders on this forum can relate to this topic……weight fluctuations and saddle seat size. So once upon a time I was young and skinny. Horse went lame didn’t ride as much. Invariably gained some weight. Got back into riding bought and 18in saddle up from 17.5 to accommodate the extra junk in the trunk lol. Fast forward to now I’ve lost 35-40lbs and people love to point out that was saddle looks to big (I just low unsolicited opinions). Saddles are expensive and let’s face it I’m probably not going to keep those pounds off forever so is it really that big of a deal if the saddle is a smudge too big? I just flat and trail ride. The saddle feels secure, I just have some extra space behind me. My biggest fear is being one of those people that is squished in their saddle seat but I am coming to realize people talk about you either way lol. I don’t have a really good quality pic but I’ll post a grainy one. What say you COTH?
NOT too big, and I’ll say it’s actually a good size. I see WAY too many people riding in too-small CC saddles, like no way could they fit the palm of their hand between their butt and the end of the cantle.
How much space there is behind you, which should be at least a palm’s width give or take, depends on the design of the saddle.
It’s far, far better to ride in a saddle that’s a 1/2 or even a full size bigger than ideal, as long as the design still allows you to sit in the center and everything else fits you, than it is to squish into one even 1/2 size too small.
The measurement of the saddle IS the measurement on your leg, from the middle of your hip joint to the center of your knee joint. A person who measures 17 inches from knee to hip joints, needs a 17 inch saddle. Etc. It’s not the easiest sometimes to get this measurement right, hard to. find the exact middle of the joints (IMO). But you do the best you can with that, and it will give you an idea about the size of saddle you need. Weight gain or loss doesn’t really come into it much.
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this. How I fit into my 17.5 when I was 140lbs was not how I fit when I was 180lbs. I was nearly sitting on the cantle at my heaviest.
I agree w @NancyM re: knee to hip length is important. I also agree w @steelerino -where one carries weight is also a factor. AND I agree w @JB - the saddle appears to fit the OP nicely, to my eye.
Exactly. You could even tell by the sweat marks on the horse the 1 or 2 times I rode in it again before I sought out a new one that my weight completely changed the balance point and where the saddle was causing pressure on the back. It simply was not a good fit anymore and was likely going to cause discomfort to the horse.
The saddle appears to fit you appropriately right now. It’s a little big in the seat, but your hips appear to be correctly positioned in the working center and your leg is nicely underneath of you, so the extra room is just hanging out there in case you need to get into the backseat on some bronc critter. It would be a problem if the working center were further behind, because then it would pull your pelvis back and you’d feel unbalanced.
If you feel yourself falling back in the saddle and you just can’t keep your hips and legs aligned underneath of you, then consider an update. (If suitable for the shape of the horses you’re riding, a 5mm riser under the back of the saddle could fix that.)
I appreciate the input 
I never feel like I’m in the backseat in this saddle, in fact in my old one I was always fighting a chair seat which has all but disappeared now. I went with a slightly straighter/longer flap so I could lengthen my stirrups and I feel very centered and balanced. It’s those darn barn railbirds have me doubting myself 
(dumb I know)
Tell them they can either buy you a new saddle or keep it to themselves. Their choice.
I agree with the other posters that you seem to fit the saddle fine.
Just wanted to add if the people commenting have witnessed this weight loss (that I would call significant! Good for you) they might be meaning it in a complimentary way… and just sort of missing the mark. Easier to say “wow! Your saddle looks almost too big for you now!” than “good job on the weight loss”.
I’ll shoot the disclaimer out now - I’ve lost 30lbs, kept it off for years and happier for it. It was difficult, I worked hard, and I am very proud of this. I was tickled pink everytime someone mentioned it to me, it felt nice for my friends and family to notice the hard work I was putting in. However, weight loss can be a touchy subject, rightfully so, and some people don’t have the social skills to “read the room”…. Which results in some offhand comments such as “your saddle almost looks to big”. Perhaps that’s not what’s happening, but maybe it is, and I wouldn’t read too far into it.
If you are comfortable in the saddle and it works for your purposes, I can’t see getting a new one, what for? People talk too much, even if it is a way of giving a compliment. I have been asking myself about seat size recently, but whether the saddle I’m trying is too small! I’m worried I’l “outgrow it.” Gotta love it, thanks menopause!
Oh I wasn’t going to buy a new one….i just know COTH is a lot more knowledgeable group of folks whose opinions I respect. I don’t even trust brand reps opinions because all they want to do is sell you a saddle lol.
I never thought about that way and things certainly get lost in translation sometimes for sure!
it’s not that black and white though. How much booty is behind the point of your hip? How deep or shallow is the seat? Dressage saddles typically sit smaller than CC saddles, all else equal, as they tend to be deeper seated than CC saddles. But, one Dressage saddle may have a flatter middle section, where another may be much curvier, and the sizes will be different for the same rider
At your heaviest, the saddle was too small for sure, and exactly points out what I said above - how much booty is behind that point of your hip.
