07/06/2026
Is It a Saddle Issue or a Training Issue?
This is a question we should be asking more often.
As saddle fitters and equine professionals, we frequently see horses presenting with a braced posture through the thoracic sling region, the area that acts as one of the horse's primary pillars of balance.
True balance comes from the horse's center of mass, which is closely associated with the thoracic sling and the structures that support the trunk between the forelimbs. When this area is functioning correctly, the horse can lift its back, carry itself more efficiently, and move with freedom and self-carriage.
But what happens when the horse braces?
When the thoracic sling becomes tense and restricted, often as a result of training, riding patterns, compensation strategies, or lack of correct strength development, the horse loses its ability to elevate the trunk. The back begins to drop, the sternum lowers, and the entire posture changes.
And guess what drops with it?
The saddle.
This is where the conversation becomes interesting.
Many riders assume that when a saddle appears low at the front, unstable, or lacking clearance, the saddle itself is the problem. Sometimes it is. But very often, the saddle is simply reflecting the posture the horse is presenting.
Science tells us that the horse's back is not static. We highlight this in a holistic fitting approach, a horse's back changes shape during movement. A correctly functioning horse lifts and widens through the back, while a horse moving in a braced posture often presents a dropped back and altered muscular development. Restricting the horse's ability to lift the back can create tension, place the horse on the forehand, and negatively affect movement and comfort.
So before we immediately blame the saddle, we need to ask:
Is the saddle causing the posture, or is the posture influencing how the saddle sits?
The answer is often a combination of both.
A poorly fitting saddle can absolutely contribute to dysfunction. But equally, a horse that has been trained into brace patterns, lacks thoracic sling strength, or struggles with balance will often create saddle-fitting challenges that cannot be permanently solved by changing tack alone.
The most successful outcomes happen when saddle fitting, biomechanics, training, and rehabilitation work together.
Instead of asking, "What saddle does this horse need?"
Perhaps we should first ask:
"How is this horse carrying itself?"
Because sometimes what looks like a saddle problem is actually a training problem.
And sometimes improving the horse's posture, balance, and movement changes the saddle picture entirely.
For the good of the horse, we should always be looking at the whole system, not just the saddle.
📸 of one of our beautiful LM Family member showing that young cobs can have healthy posture 😍
