Put on an English Saddle Properly

It is important to place a saddle on a horse properly before riding. English saddles are fairly simple to maneuver and easy to use. If you have one in your possession you'll need to know how it works -- for your comfort and safety and your horse's!

Steps

  1. Groom your horse. Dirt and loose hair underneath a saddle can chafe him and cause an uncomfortable ride for both of you.
  2. Run up the stirrup irons on the stirrup leathers. This keeps them out of the way.
  3. Detach the girth and set it aside. Alternately, you can fold it over the top of the saddle, leaving it attached on the right-hand (off) side.
  4. Make sure the pad is lined up properly with the edges of the saddle. For a contoured pad, there should be about an inch of pad all the way around. For a square pad, be sure to leave at least one inch around the front edge of the saddle. The saddle should not be so far forward that in makes the shoulder movement hard.
  5. Stand on the left-hand (near) side of the horse, place the saddle and pad on the horse's back with the pommel of the saddle just in front of the horse's withers.
  6. Slide the saddle back (in the direction of the hair growth) until it settles into place. The arch of the pommel should be directly over the highest point of the horse's withers. The saddle will nestle in behind the horse's shoulder-blades.
  7. Attach the girth to the girth straps on the off side (the horse's right), then bring it up to the near side (the horse's left). As a guideline, the girth should come under the horse just behind its front legs. If you can see a gap between the elbow and the girth, the saddle is too far back.
  8. Fasten the girth securely - you should be able to get your hand between horse and girth, but it should be a snug fit. Make sure to use the first and third billet straps (not the second).
  9. Drop your stirrups before you mount.
  10. Mount and recheck your girth to see if it needs tightening. Done!



Tips

  • Always make sure your equipment is in good working condition! Routinely check for wear, rusted buckles, or weak points in the leather!
  • An English saddle will have three (or sometimes four) straps on the saddle to which the girth attaches. Always use the first and third straps - number two is for emergencies if one of the others breaks. The fourth strap is sometimes found on extra-wide fitting saddles for cobs, and can be used instead of, or as well as the third strap as a means of keeping the saddle from tipping forward.
  • When the girth is tightened it should be right behind your horse's front legs. If, it isn't you need to push your saddle farther forward
  • Place the pad on the horse's back before you place the saddle
  • A properly fitted saddle should leave two to three inches of clearance between the arch of the pommel and the horse's withers. The cantle will be slightly higher than the pommel, and the deepest part of the seat should be level.

Warnings

  • Some horses try to bite when you tighten the girth. Be careful when you put on the girth especially if you do not know the horse well.
  • Some horses don't like having a snug girth - they'll inhale deeply as you tighten, and then exhale when you're done. The best way to deal with this issue is to tighten the girth, then hand walk him for a few steps and tighten again.

Things You'll Need

  • Saddle
  • Saddle pad
  • Girth
  • Brushes
  • Horse
  • Self confidence

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