Which size gullet bar does your horse need?

In this article we will discuss all about how to measure you horse for an adjustable saddle gullet bar. So you can check which bar would be most suited to your horse or pony.

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 301488 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.

Adjustable saddles and gullet bars

Here at The Saddle Bank we specialise in adjustable saddles and the gullet bars that go in them. Adjustable saddles are fantastic in that the width can easily be changed as your horse or pony changes shape throughout the year. Horses change shape due to a number of different reasons such as change in workload, change in rider, change in yard, change in quality of grazing, change in feed and so on. Therefore it is vital that you keep an eye on your horses size and condition to ensure your saddle does not become too narrow or too wide. 

We always recommend to have your saddle fitted by a professional saddle fitter. However, by teaching you some simple checks we will enable you to know when to call the fitter out. If you are able to recognise when a change is required, it will enable you to make the necessary appointment with your local saddle fitter who can make the change for you. 

Watch on the video below how to check which size gullet bar your horse needs. It is always worth having a few spare gullet bars to hand so that you can regularly check to see if your horse has changed shape or size. This gives an indication on the width. However, the fit of the panel and tree should also be taken into consideration. 

What do you need to measure your horse or pony for their gullet bar?

If you don't have access to a wide range of bar widths or you haven't currently got an adjustable saddle. We have come really helpful items that will help you choose which gullet bar you need.

Firstly we have an Easy-Change Gullet Gauge this is from the fabulous team behind Bates, Arena and Wintec saddles click here to view the gullet gauge. Then to help you with using it we have a super handy blog post on how, simply click here to read!

Secondly we have a Flexicurve, you'll have probably seen your Saddle Fitter use one of these to template your horse at your fittings. We would recommend checking your horses template every month. To see if there shape has changed at all to avoid any saddle issues if they have changed shape. Again there is a super helpful blog post on how to template your horse here.

The Saddle Bank always recommend having a saddle fitter out to check that you saddle fits both you and your horse. You can find your local saddle fitter here.