19/09/2022
What makes a good saddle?
To reiterate from the previous post, long tree points are integral to preventing atrophy and injury to the spinalis, rhomboid and trapezius as their length (combined with correct width and angle) allow the weight to be carried by the longissimus. What happens when the points are too short? The pressure is localized at the end of the points, whether the tree angle and width are correct or not.
Think of the tree as a bridge, and the gullet plate as the supporting structure to prevent it from simply flattening. On either side of the dorsal spinous processes near the withers are the thoracic trapezius, rhomboid, spinalis and deeper in at the juncture of the transverse processes sits the multifidus. This is your "river". Further out you have the superficial muscles such as the latissimus, and underneath is the longissimus. This is your land on either side of your river.
In order to bypass the river, the tree points need to be long enough to extend beyond the river, while also taking into consideration the required space at both the top and sides of the wither with the rider in the saddle.
In the area behind the scapula where a saddle should always be positioned, if the tree points do not extend beyond these muscles you will have most of the pressure land directly on, or at the edge of those non-weight bearing muscles. What does this mean for the horse? Tripping, moving out of the elbow instead of shoulder, reduced forelimb mobility, atrophy behind the scapula (very common to see horses with huge shoulder holes from saddles with short points).
How do you tell how long your saddles tree points are?
Gently bend your panel inward and the wrinkle is where the tree ends. Mark it with chalk or even a piece of tape and place the saddle back on your horse. From the edge of the withers to 4" down, does that wrinkle in the panel fall within those 4" or lower? If they fall within, the tree points are too short.
The key here is length *for the horse*. If you ride a tiny pony, "short" tree points may not be that short for them. Always always always consider your horse first. Their physique will tell you exactly what you need in a saddle.
What sets our certified equine and saddle ergonomists apart is that they don't try and fit the horse to the saddle.
They evaluate the horse and rider, understand the needs set out by the anatomy of that particular animal and human, and then go about finding a suitable saddle based on those requirements.
Many other fitters do it the other way around - fit the horse to the saddle. They find a saddle, and try to fit the horse to it.
Would you buy an insole and then try to fit it to your foot afterwards?
Absolutely not! You would have your foot measured, gait analyzed and posture assessed and THEN find an insole that is suitable to your physique, movement and needs.
Once you understand the difference, saddle fitting becomes a lot clearer.
While it's difficult to get away from the questions like:
"Will this brand fit?"
"How about this model?"
"What do you think about this used saddle?"
When you begin to look to the horse first for your answers, the right saddles will be so much easier to find, without having to spend a not-so-small fortune on 30 different saddles by 40 different reps and fitters.
