Page 552 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

• The flocking under the panels should be smooth and even with no hard lumps or soft

patches. The panels should not be overstuffed and hard as this can lead to bruising of the
VetBooks.ir horse’s back. They should have a little ‘give’ to allow the muscles of the back to work
properly. Insufficient flocking, however, can lead to severe discomfort as the horse may

be able to feel the points or the stirrup bars.

• The saddle should be checked for symmetry of the tree, the panels, stirrup bars and the
girth straps. The best way to do this is to stand the saddle on its pommel on the floor and

view it from above. A twisted tree or asymmetrically positioned stirrup bars or girth
straps will cause the saddle to twist round on the horse and cause discomfort.

• If a saddle is dropped or purchased second-hand, it should be checked for a broken tree.
Hold the pommel of the tree against your stomach and pull the cantle towards you with

both hands. Then put the saddle down and see if there is any movement when the
pommel is pushed down and pulled up on both sides. Any abnormal movement or noise

could indicate a damaged tree.

STEPS IN FITTING THE SADDLE

• Stand the horse squarely on a level surface.

• Position the saddle. It is surprising how many people still place the saddle too far forward
on the horse’s back. The saddle should be gently placed over the withers and slid

backwards until it is behind the scapula (shoulder blade). It should not cover the scapula
as this will restrict the horse’s action. It will also cause the saddle to swing from side to

side across the midline each time the horse takes a stride. This can cause friction and
soreness. Positioning the saddle too far forward may also cause the rider’s weight to be
tipped towards the back of the saddle.

• Now check the length of the saddle. It should not extend beyond the last (18th) thoracic

vertebra. This can be determined by following the line of the last rib up to the spine.
• The width is checked at the front of the saddle by straightening one’s fingers and sliding

them between the saddle and the horse from the withers downwards. The contact should
be even all the way down with no areas of increased pressure. There should be a 3-finger

clearance of the pommel over the withers. If the gap is more than this, the tree may be
too narrow. If it is less, the tree may be too wide or the saddle may have insufficient

flocking (Figures 12.12a and b).
• If the width seems correct, do up the girths loosely and check again. The girths should be

placed over the seat of girth which is located as a depression in the horse’s ventral
midline approximately 10 cm (4 in) behind the elbow.