Tack Fit

Saddles

One of the biggest contributing factors of back problems are ill fitting saddles. Not only are saddles fitted to a stationary horse, they are also generally fitted to the existing topline without consideration of possible future muscle development changes that will come with training.

Saddles should be fitted to the width that a horse can possibly achieve when fully developed and shims should be used in the meantime to compensate for any differences. Please note that it is common for saddles to fit closer to the shoulder of the horse's dominant side. That shoulder is used more and therefore has generally more muscle development.

The panels also need to fit the shape of the horse's back. If they do not conform well to the horse's back, the saddle will be unstable, side to side or front to back or both. In addition, it is generally better to have a wider gullet rather than one that's too narrow to allow for good bending in the ribcage.

Not observing those general guidelines will make saddle fitting a very frustrating and often expensive endeavor.

Treeless Saddles

Treeless saddles can be a great alternative to treed saddles. Horses seem to prefer a treeless saddle, but they often do not provide the same kind of support to riders as treed saddles do, which is generally related to the twist. Treeless saddles tend to put the riders in a more correct position, due to stirrup bar attachments that are placed more under the rider, allowing the rider's leg to hang more in a naturally correct alignment, which makes sitting in the correct position much easier.

I own a treeless saddle and my horse clearly prefers it over the many treed ones we had. Many riders are concerned that the treeless saddle might eventually cause back problems but from all the research that I have done, I have yet to find this to be a consistent problem, even after years of extensive use. Most back problems in horses appear to be caused by badly fitted saddles, treed OR treeless.

For more info on treeless saddles visit the Yahoo Treeless Saddle Group.

A Treeless Success Story
I decided to get a treeless trail saddle and sold my Ansur Carlton II saddle to a client of mine whose horse had developed some considerable resistance issues with the treed Dressage saddle she was using at the time. One of the most obvious resistance problems was not wanting to leave the barn with the treed Dressage saddle on his back.

Bodywork did not reveal any obvious painful areas in his back, which normally would be expected. He did not flinch upon palpation. However, the increased resistance he was showing, was clearly related to the treed saddle. Below is what she shared with me after she had used the treeless Dressage saddle for a couple of weeks:

Hi Ute,
I wanted to update you on my horse since we have been riding in the Ansur saddle. He has really changed. Here is a list of the things that he no longer does:

• Never balks when leaving the barn under saddle.
• No longer fusses when being saddled or girthed.
• No longer refuses to go forward under saddle... I no longer need to ride with the crop.
• No more ear pinning while riding.
• No more stumbling at the walk, trot or canter while being ridden.

Not only all that, but I can feel him lifting his back while I am riding him at the trot. He is going so much better, I am really thrilled. He is still quite out of shape, but we are riding 3 times a week now, so he should start to improve in that are as well.

Lynne - September 2008

January 2009 update:
Her gelding continues to do so well, that she's now considering also buying a treeless Western saddle.

If a horse shows resistance under the saddle but seems fine with a bareback pad (or treeless saddle), chances are high that the saddle is the culprit.

Don't Forget The Rider!
Correct saddle fit for the RIDER is also essential but often overlooked because we put so much emphasis on fitting the saddle correctly to the horse. Saddle fit for the rider is just as important to ensure correct body alignment that will allow the rider to better move with the horse.

The saddle should naturally support the rider as best as possible so the rider does not constantly have to work on keeping a correct position. Again, that can only be counter-productive to correct riding and training.

Check out the following sources for more information on correct saddle fit, for horse and rider:

Saddle Fitting
Check for Back Pain and Saddle Fit 
The Horse's Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book

Bits & Other Tack

It is equally important that the bit is fitted to the horse's oral cavity, Bigger isn't always milder and better. Some horses have very little room in their mouths and need a smaller diameter bit. Consult with your equine dentist which bit size would be most appropriate for your horse.

In addition, some horse prefer certain bit styles over others. Again, this is probably related mostly to the conformation of the oral cavity, but can also be related to the rider's hands. Loose ring snaffles for example transmit more of the rider's hand movement and some sensitive horses might therefore prefer a d-ring or eggbutt snaffle instead.

Bits should be mild - harsh bits should be avoided. It is a fallacy to believe that one could stop or control a horse by simply using a harsher bit. Only correct training can achieve that. Cavesons and flashes should also not be over-tightened when used. The following book is an excellent resource on correctly selecting and using bits (snaffles or curb/shank): The Bit and the Reins

Bitless

Consider going bitless. There's logically no reason why a horse can't perform correctly without a bit. Horses learn through pressure and release and proper riding comes from the seat, not the bit and the reins. Check out testimonials of bitless riding success on Dr.Cook's website and the Nurtural Horse:

The Bitless Bridle
The Nurtural Horse

Other Tack Considerations

Also keep in mind that some horses react to certain materials that are used in tack. Some are obvious, others are not quite so obvious. Neoprene is a good example. Some horse's can react rather badly to it with serious skin rashes. In other cases the signs are more subtle.

My horse would always fidget when I put his neoprene galloping boots on. No amount of slapping or yelling made him stop. Then I came across some information that neoprene can overheat the skin of more sensitive horses , or even worse, can cause damage to the skin.

So I decided to buy and try some boots with fleece lining instead. After using them once the fidgeting completely stopped. He was just trying to communicate to me that the neoprene boots made him feel uncomfortable. I should have listened sooner!

He had a similar, quite obvious reaction, when I used a neoprene girth once to try out a new saddle. As soon as the girth came off he behaved like he was itching very badly in the girth area and needed immediate itch relieve.  Always listen to your horse - he/she might just be trying to tell you something!