Clearance of your horse's wither should be maintained at all times. When a saddle is placed on your horse's back, generally you should be able to insert two to three fingers sideways between your horse's wither and the pommel of the saddle. When viewed from the front the panel of the saddle should fit snugly along the sides of your horse's wither. Clearance should always be maintained across the width and along the length of your horse's spine.
A properly fitting saddle will hug your horse's back providing a close fit. With a flocked panel the panels of the saddle should bear evenly upon the muscles either side of your horse's spine in order to distribute your weight evenly. With an air panel this even bearing may not be evident until the rider is sitting in the saddle, as it is only when the weight bears down that the air will adjust to evenly distribute it. Panels should also be smooth and free from irregularities, which can evolve due to failure to look after your saddle or poor quality manufacture.
A saddle placed on your horse's back should be balanced from the pommel through to the cantle so the deepest part of the seat is central and level. If not balanced your weight could be bearing down on a vulnerable part of your horse's back. You may also feel like the saddle is pushing you forward or sliding you back making it difficult for you to achieve a balanced riding position and feel comfortable in the saddle.
In order to check the Clearance, Bearing and Balance of a saddle it is important the saddle has been initially positioned correctly. To ensure this gently place the saddle well forward of your horse's wither and slide it back until it rests comfortably in a spot dictated by your horse's conformation. Make sure this spot is behind your horse's shoulder as to allow freedom of movement. It is best to check the fit of your saddle while a rider is mounted as the weight of a rider enables the panel of the saddle to sit into your horse's muscle rather than on top.
Clearance, Bearing and Balance should be checked while your horse is standing on level ground so the balance of the saddle can be accurately viewed.
Do not ever place a saddle onto your horse if it has a sore back. No amount of fitting will enable the saddle to be comfortable for your horse until it has had time to recover.
We recommend you check the fit of your saddles after 3 months and then every 6 months throughout your saddle's life to ensure the saddle continues to fit correctly as the horse changes shape according to its level of fitness and work programme.
The innovative systems in our saddles offer unsurpassed flexibility in achieving an optimal fit, however, no one saddle can claim to fit every horse. It is always recommended you seek ongoing professional advice on the fit, and in meeting the unique needs of each horse/rider combination.