What are the different sizes available for the Bates Saddle Gullet system?

In this article we shall be discussing the Bates saddle, what size gullets are available for this brand of saddle, and how to select the correct gullet size for your horse and saddle.

Who are Bates Saddles?

Bates saddles are an ever-growing and very popular brand of adjustable saddle. They offer a wide variety of saddles at very affordable prices, and all of their saddles are easy to maintain. They are suitable for most breeds of horses and ponies, and cater for a wide range of different disciplines including jumping, dressage, event, pony and wide conformation saddles. These are made justified by their adjustable system through the use of gullets, which are super easy to change yourself.

So…what is a gullet?

A gullet is a simple metal bar that is placed inside the saddle and rests on the horse’s wither. They are available in a range of different sizes, angles and widths which can be changed by anyone and are incredibly useful for all aspects of the ridden horse; they allow for easy adjustments to be made throughout a horse’s developing stage, or as the seasons throughout the year create differences in our horse’s body shape. 

Which gullet ranges are available for the Bates Saddles?

Bates saddles are fitted with adjustable gullets and will fall into one of two categories; the Easy-Change Standard and the Easy-Change Wide range. The Standard range has 6 gullets available with each colour representing a different size; from Narrow up to Extra Wide, and covering the sizes between. The Wide gullet range has 4 gullets available, starting at 1XW and going up to 4XW.

Note that the Wide gullets are only suitable for the Wide Saddle range and should not be used in any other Bates saddle.

If you are in need of a new gullet for your Bates Saddle, they are available to purchase directly from The Saddle Bank, click here to gets your now! 

Which models are suitable for the Bates gullet system?

The entire range! All Bates saddles are fitted with an adjustable gullet system which makes them super affordable and highly demanding for many riders. This means that the saddle becomes more versatile, even as the horse changes shape. So if you are looking for a dressage, jump, or eventing saddle, be sure to check through our current list of Bates Saddles and check them out for yourself!

What gullet bar does my saddle need?

Firstly determine whether your Bates saddle is from the Standard or Wide range - this will determine which gullets are available for you to use within the saddle. From there, the most accurate way to determine what gullet bar your saddle may need is to use the Bates Gullet Gauge. If used correctly, the gullet gauge will indicate which size gullet will be most suited to your horse at the time of measurement. If you have not used a gullet gauge before, read our step-by step guide here.

Using the gullet gauge alongside taking monthly template measurements of your horse is a fantastic way to monitor your horse’s shape and allow you as a rider and owner to tweak the saddle as necessary, giving you that peace of mind in between your regular saddle fitter checks.

If you haven’t taken a saddle template before, be sure to check out ‘The Saddle Bank’s How to: Take a template of your horse’ by clicking here. 

Happy measuring!