Your Saddle Might Be Putting You in a Bad Spot…
Your Saddle Might Be Putting You in a Bad Spot- Here’s how to know for sure!
The vast majority of us as riders use a saddle. We start each ride swinging a leg over our horses’ backs, settle into the saddle, and walk forward.
But where in the saddle are you sitting? And where should you sit? Is there a right and wrong place to sit in the saddle?
There IS a right place to sit– right at your horse’s center of gravity, which is located right near where the girth sits. If you were to sit on your horse bareback, it’s where you’d find a comfortable place to sit.
Sounds simple, right? Here’s the bad news, though: many saddles can set riders behind this center of gravity, which can be detrimental to your horse’s balance and ability to carry a rider comfortably.
On the No Bucks Given podcast episode “Is Saddle Fit An Equine Welfare Issue?”, Maija discusses this topic with Amanda Anderson of Saddle Fitting US. Amanda explains that many modern dressage saddle models push the rider too far to the back of the saddle, which can have a chain reaction of negative effects on your horse.
Amanda delves deep into this saddle fit issue as well as several others, providing listeners with ample knowledge on how to ensure your saddle is helping and not harming you and your horse. This episode, along with the sequel “Sleazy Saddle Sales (And How to Avoid Them)” that also features Amanda, is a must-listen for anyone who regularly uses a saddle.
Listen to the episode wherever you get your favorite podcast. Listen here on Spotify:
