Recognising Saddle Fit Issues
As a horse owner and rider, your horses welfare is your responsibility. Being able to recognise signs in your horse that your saddle doesn’t fit, or is causing him/her pain is crucial to a happy, healthy horse.
Horses are not naturally disobedient, or aggressive. They are generally very cooperative provided two key elements are met. Firstly they need to understand what you are asking them to do, and secondly they need to be comfortable, and free from pain/restriction to be able to carry out what you are asking to do.
Many problems and behavioural issues are the result of a poor fitting saddle.
However it does not have to be that way. You can learn how to identify signs of a poor fitting saddle, and know when its time to call in a professional qualified saddle fitter to have a good look at your saddle and horse for you.
Does your horse display any of these signs?
Avoidance behaviours – trying to walk away when being tacked up
Ears back/head shaking when saddle comes close by
Excessive tail swishing both in the stable and when ridden
Pawing the ground
Threatening to bite you when you come close with the saddle
Girthy behaviour – negative behaviour when doing up the girth
Reluctant to go forwards when being ridden
Stopping at fences
Short strides
Breathlessness
Bucking
Rearing
Hollowing the back and not working in an outline
Tripping / stumbling
Unable to canter on the right leg/irregular gaits
If so, your horse could be in pain every time you ride.
Learn how to prevent these issues in the must do online course.
Who is this online horse course for?
Horse Owners
Do you own horses which are ridden? Even if they are not ridden by you, this course is a MUST DO for all horse owners. That includes owners who do not ride, owners who do ride, and non horsey parents/guardians. As the owner, the horses welfare is your responsibility. You have a duty of care to have basic knowledge on how a saddle should fit and how to recognise signs it doesn’t.
Horse Riders
The saddle is the most important piece of equipment you will have (besides your hat). Understanding how the saddle, horse and rider work together is vital to your horses performance and wellbeing. As a rider you have a duty of care to be able to recognise signs your saddle does not fit and respond to that.
Equine Professionals
Are you a trainer, instructor, massage therapist, Vet Physio or other equine professional? If so, then this course will help you recognise signs of a poor fitting saddle and the results of a poor fitting saddle. This will help you inform, advise and guide your clients to get a saddle fitter out when appropriate.
Why YOUR horse wants YOU to do the course…
What is included?
By the end of this course you will…
Trust in your fellow riders What our customers say
Great service
I recently bought a saddle. I couldn’t get my saddle fitter until after the trial period. It was q
Buying a saddle? Look no further!
Having spoke to my saddler about the make and size of saddle that would fit my youngster, I then loo
Excellent Service
Very thoughtful personal service. No hassle from start to finish, part-ex my saddle for an Ideal eve
Very prompt seevice
There is no messing login take some phots get an estmate box up and saddle is collected and money i
Purchased Saddle
Overall I have had an excellent service from the Saddlebank. It's not an easy process buying a seco
Excellent!
Just to say the service is and has always been excellent. I have purchased 3 saddles now from The S
Excellent Service
I needed to sell and buy a new saddle. After much research, looking at reviews and speaking to other
Great service
Exchanged my old saddle for a ‘new’ second hand one. Excellent customer service and communicatio
Selling my Albion Fabrento
This isn’t the first time in fact I think it’s my third sale to The Saddle Bank and it’s alway
Sold my saddle outright
I got a few prices for selling my saddle, the saddle bank were the only one who gave me an outright
Saddle sale
Great company and very fair price for the saddle I was looking to sell. The instructions for getting
Great service
Thank you for your time and help. Everyone was very helpful. Although I tried a couple of Saddles
Review
The service was excellent the the over the phone colleagues were polite and helpful. Saddle arrived
Pleasure to deal with.
I have now purchased two saddles from The Saddle Bank and sold one saddle back to them, and every ex
Great experience!
I reached out via email a couple of times to check stock and ask general queries. I received fast an
