Will an adjustable saddle fit my horse?

Adjustable saddles are a big talking point here at The Saddle Bank. Adjustable saddles can have the width altered to suit your horse. Owners and riders see their horses every day, so it can be hard to see the long-term changes in your horses’ shape. The biggest question is which adjustable saddle will fit my horse?

Top Tip: We would recommend taking regular pictures of your horse without tack on as well as doing their template, so you can see their shape clearly, this is a great way to compare how your horse has changed!

If your horse has had an injury, or has been off their peak fitness, be aware that they will be a different shape. Adjustable saddles have the advantage of being able to fit your horse for a longer period of time, with their changeable features.

If you are still a bit confused about which saddle or any saddle related product is best for you why not get in touch with our friendly customer support team via phone on 01733 301 488 or email info@thesaddlebank.com. Our lovely team are always happy to help as much as they can and provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for you and your horse.

What does it mean if my saddle is adjustable?

An adjustable saddle is a saddle which is designed to have the width altered. Horses regularly change shape throughout the year and throughout their lifetime. Having an adjustable saddle still doesn't mean that you will only need one saddle for your horse in its whole lifetime, as like humans, the horses body changes with age. However, an adjustable saddle can work really well for a horse which is growing, developing muscle, or has a tendency to drop/gain weight at different times throughout the year.

Three main types of 'adjustable' saddle 

There are three main types of adjustable saddles; the adjustable gullet bar, the adjusta tree and changeable headplates. 

Adjustable gullet bar

A saddle which is adjustable through a gullet bar/plate system is really easy to alter the width in a matter of minutes as and when your horse changes shape throughout the year. Your fitter can quickly and easily make these changes for you on site. This type of saddles does not cost a lot to change the width, simply the price of the replacement gullet bar and your fitters time. 

Adjusta Tree

The second type of 'adjustable' tree would be what Albion call the 'Adjusta Tree'. This is a traditional wooden treed saddle which is designed to be altered up or down 2 sizes by an Albion qualified fitter. Unlike the adjustable gullet bar saddle which can be altered as many times as you like, the Albion adjusta tree is limited to only 2 alterations in the saddles lifetime. Its also not as precise as fitting a gullet bar into the saddle, as the saddle is squeezed narrower or wider on a machine. 

Changeable Headplates

Finally there are some brands of saddles which are built with a metal headplate in the saddle which can be swapped out for a different size. However, this type can only be done by certain saddle fitters and manufacturers. Some Equipe saddles feature this type of tree. It can be costly to alter this type of saddle as it will need to be sent off for the alteration to be made. 

To find out more information on what brands are adjustable, check out this blog.

Which saddles should not be adjusted?

Although some saddlers and saddle fitters will adjust wooden treed saddles using a hydraulic press machine often known as a 'Saddle Devil' machine, we do not recommend this. Traditional 'non adjustable' wooden treed saddles are not designed to be squeezed or pressed narrower or wider multiple times. The rivets within the headplate are not designed to take this type of pressure and can pop off causing the head plate to crack. Occasionally the tree can also be distorted from this process. If the saddle is not perfectly aligned in the machine, it can easily distort the tree causing it to lift and twist. This would deem your saddle unusable and the saddle may require a new tree which can be hundreds of pounds to replace. 

If your non adjustable saddle no longer fits, we would recommend replacing it with a new/used saddle, rather than potentially damaging the tree by having it pressed. 

Will an adjustable saddle suit your horse?

The answer is yes. An adjustable saddle will likely suit your horse. However, the question is which one?

Adjustable saddles mean that the width can be altered within the manufacturers guidelines. For example Bates saddles (standard range) are adjustable from Narrow to Extra Wide. Whereas Fairfax are adjustable from Narrow Medium to XW-XXW.  Some people think that just because it is adjustable means that it can be made to fit on any horse. However, that is not the case.

Ensuring the correct model for your horse is important. Different models of saddle have different tree types and panel types which can greatly affect the fit. If you are unsure on which model of saddle would work best for your horse, speak to your saddle fitter or get in touch with our team.

Once you have obtained the correct model with the correct tree type and panel type to work with your horses conformation, then the width can be altered to get the correct fit. When taking a saddle on trial, we always recommend you to take a few spare gullet bars for the trial so you can obtain the correct width fitting with your saddle fitter during the trial. 

Will an adjustable saddle work for you?

Adjustable saddles are available across a number of different brands and price points. 

If you are a hobby rider or you enjoy a good hack then perhaps take a look at the Arena, GFS Monarch, Kent and Masters or Thorowgood saddles. These saddles are comfortable, competitively priced and super popular. 

If you love beach rides or want a low maintenence saddle we would recommend the Wintec 500 series; you can hose these saddles off at the end of the day!

Those riders out there that are discipline specific, then you can get adjustable saddles to suit you and your needs! Whether you're dancing or flying, The Saddle Bank has everything to suit! If you are a hard-hitting equestrian and are wanting a top of the range saddle, we could recommend high end brands such as Amerigo, Prestige or Equipe, however these saddles can only be be adjusted by the company themselves.

Bates, GFS and  Fairfax are three super popular higher end adjustable saddle brand that you can change the gullet bar at home or with you fitter! Of course we can't forget the ever popular Albion saddles on the Adjusta tree; which can be adjusted by an Albion approved fitter or Albion themselves.

Where can I buy an Adjustable Saddle?

Here at The Saddle Bank, we stock over 1200 saddles. Every saddle we sell has undergone vigorous checks to ensure it meets the highest standard. We offer brand new, second hand, and ex demo saddles. But please be aware, they don’t hang around long! Check out this link today so you don’t miss out.

Don't delay take advantage of our 5 Days UK Trials today

We also ship worldwide so we can get you back in the saddle quickly!

Saddle Fitting

Saddle fitting is a something we are really passionate about. Here at The Saddle Bank we see too often saddles which fit the horses very poorly. We feel it is something that is overlooked a lot. In fact, we have designed a course so that horse owners learn more about saddle fitting issues. The Recognising Saddle Fit Issues course gives our customers knowledge so that they can assess their own saddles to know when its time to call out the saddle fitter. The course gives you long-lasting knowledge which can help in assessing the fit of your saddles between regular fitting appointments. To enhance your equestrian knowledge further, check out our online academy courses here.

Not sure of who your local saddle fitter is? Click here to see if there is a local fitter in your area.