So I get asked “which saddle is the best for my horse” on a daily basis. The answer is always the one that fits.
“Which saddle is best for my horse?”
If you are on a tight budget then there may be some sacrifices that have to be made, such as color and brand. However if the horse decides that this is the saddle for him from a selection of saddles, how can you say no because it is the wrong color!?
“No one brand fits every horse and rider”
There is no brand that fits every horse, nor rider. There is no design factor that will make a saddle fit every need for every equestrian. There are some educated choices that you can make for sure. For instance please try and choose an independent saddle fitter who either stocks nothing and can help you source the correct saddle, or perfection would be to find yourself an independent saddle fitter who carries a range of saddle brands so that you can spend the time riding and watching the horse move in a selection.
The process of choosing the right saddle for your horse is a lengthy one that can take a few hours but should not be rushed. I assure you when you ride your horse in the saddle they feel comfortable in you will know the difference! You will feel the difference in the way they move in the way they complete those transitions you have been struggling with for a while now.
“Take the time to find the correct saddle”
A decent saddle fitter will spend the time assessing your horse and you, they will try a few saddles on statically before they girth the saddle up once they are happy with all of this process hopefully you shall have 2-4 saddles to try and ride in. The dynamic fit is so critical. Those saddle fitters that try to tell you that they don’t need to see you ride in it are not correct. The forces applied to the saddle and the rider are so large in movement that they have some large affects on the saddle and the rider.