Want to buy Saddles?

Follow this simple guide!

You may be aware that you need saddles to ride a horse, but have you every wondered why you can not ride it bareback? Because of their bony backs, using saddles makes horse riding more comfortable. For beginners, saddles also offer safety as stirrups and pommel offer support. Saddles are treated like an extra hand by Western riders as the ropes can be held firmly with the help of saddle horns.

Knowing the width of the horse's back is critical to have a saddle that fits your horse. After this, you have to measure the inside of the saddle you prefer to buy. A fitting saddle is when both the widths are similar. In case you are unsure about its fit, ask your equipement supplier whether an exchange is possible in case the item does not fit the horse properly.

If you are buying a saddle for the first time, it is better to talk to an experienced horse expert regarding the right fit, as there are several spots where the saddle might be either too tight or too loose for the horse. In case such a person is not readily available, apply the thumb rule, which is that it should be easy for you to insert three fingers under the front of the saddle, the area between the shoulder of the horse and the pommel. Ensure that it is just three fingers and not the entire hand.

Make sure that the saddle does not affect the horse’s mobility. Confirm that the saddle is neither too narrow nor too wide. Smallness of the saddle is perceived differently by different people. For instance, if the cinch, the strap that passes from one side of the saddle to the other, cannot be fastened around the belly of the horse, the saddle is too small. However, the truth of the matter is that saddle cinching is independent of the saddle’s fitting your horse’s back. A longer cinch to be used with the saddle, solves this problem

In terms of styles, saddles have an enviable range. But of all the types of tack, the saddle is also the most expensive. Saddles, like bridles and bits can be broadly classified under two groups – English and Western. There is a third type – the endurance saddle, a combination of English and Western designs.

The primary types of English saddles are hunt seat, and dressage or show saddles. Because of its flexibility and functionality, the hunt seat saddle is more popular amongst riders. Though you would not be able to compete in dressage events with hunt seat saddles, you could still use them for riding or beginning dressage. There are some variations in design in dressage saddles. Distinctively different from both these are the show saddles. You can notice the absence of knee roll and these saddles are typical with small rise in the rear or cantle.

With only one main style the Western saddles can either be overtly simple or elaborate in terms of design. You can see them mostly in parades are rodeo shows, where they are replete with precious jewels and metals. The horn, the distinctly deeper seat and the longer stirrups of the Western saddles make them different from their English counterpart.

Whichever saddle you finally buy for your horse you will have to spend some time to keep it in good shape by doing repairs, cleaning etc. Remember, after your horse, the saddle is the next most expensive thing!