Maryland Saddlery's Guide to Choosing and Fitting Saddles Issue 1 | Page 20

STEP 1
(pelvic width)
First, to estimate your pelvic width, jump up and down 3 times. Now
look down at your feet. How far apart are they? Since your feet are
connected to the leg bones and the leg bones are connected to the hip
bones, your feet should naturally land under your hip sockets. Your now
have an idea of your pelvic width. If the distance between your feet is
less than 8”, you will probably need a saddle with a narrow twist. If the
distance is greater, then you will need a medium or wide twist. (This
assumes that there are no abnormalities with the knees, which will skew
the resuslts.) This is only a starting point. Ultimately you need to ride
and FEEL what works for you.

STEP 2
(hip joint location)
This will determine the best position for the working center or “sweet
spot”. Wearing jeans or other slacks with a side seam, stand sideways in
front of a full length mirror. Lift the knee nearest the mirror until you
are in a “stork position”. Notice where the wrinkles that form at the crease where your thigh meets your torso. Point your finger at the back
edge of the wrinkes. Point your finger to the point of intersection of side seam along your thigh and the back end of the creases. This is the
location of your hip joint. Lower your leg to a standing position. Look at your profile. Is your hip joint centered like the rider in the left
photo below? Or is it positioned more backward, like the right hand photo? it’s important that the saddle’s sweet spot be compatible with
your hip location.

STEP 3
(research & prepare)
Third, before visiting a tack shop do some
research. Search online to find saddles with
certain features such as steel and wood trees
that can be modified to fit your horse, wool
flock stuffed panels that offer further saddle
fit options, different girthing systems, Velcro
attached leg support, etc. Call tack shops in
your area to determine if they have or can
order assorted saddles of your size and ask
if you should make an appointment. (Not all
tack shops have a saddle specialist on staff
every day.) Bring the following items with
you when you visit the tack shop: Notebook
and pen, your stirrups buckled at your correct
length, a carpenter’s level or straight edge,
camera and assorted padding items such as
small towels, bits of fleece, thick felt, etc. It’s
best to use materials that will not compress
under your weight.
And wear your riding breeches and boots.

STEP 4
(At the tack shop)

1. Select a saddle of appropriate size. Do you have four fingers
both in front of you and and behind your butt? If not, select a
larger size. Select a saddle with twist width that you think is
correct. Attach your stirrups and place saddle on the saddle buck
(fake horse). Balance the saddle by using some of your padding
items. (stirrups should be crossed over the withers and out of the
way) Mount and dismount as necessary to re-adjust the padding
so that you feel comfortably balanced neither pitched forward
nor tipped backward. Lift your knees up toward the pommel and
allow your butt to slide to the “sweet spot”. Do you still feel

balanced? If not, then re-adjust.
2. Once you are balanced, carefully dismount without disturbing the
saddle or any corrective padding. Take note of how high the cantle
is relative to the pommel. I like to place one end of a straight edge
on the cantle, and note how many fingers fit between the bottom of
the straight edge and the pommel. Write this information down in
your notebook. If you decide to demo this saddle, you will need
to duplicate this balance for your demo ride. You will find that you
are more comfortable in a saddle where the seat’s “working center”
matches the position of your hip joints. (see photos above)