This older military saddle has many advantages in its design which should be taken into consideration by modern saddle manufacturers: 1. the trapezius muscles are freed up during movement; 2. the back of the panel is curved up to allow the horse’s back to come up when fully engaged; 3. the gullet channel is nice and wide so there is no pressure on the lumbar vertebrae during lateral movement or turns.
Continuing on with the detailed discussion on each of the nine points of saddle fit, this week we will examine, specifically, that part of the saddle that is closest to your horse – the panel.
I have had many clients with saddles that, at first glance, look like they’re fitting really well, but when I turn them over, I see that the gullet width is awfully narrow – maybe 1-2 fingers! A saddle with a channel or gullet that is too narrow can cause permanent damage to your horse’s back (but also, if it’s too wide that’s not great either!) I will tell you how to determine if your saddle’s gullet is the correct width for your horse.
There is no such thing as “one size fits all” where the channel or gullet of your horse’s saddle is concerned. Instead, the width of each horse’s spine will determine how wide his saddle’s gullet must be.
To calculate how wide your horse’s spine is, do the following: stand on your horse’s left side and place your hands on his spine in the area where his saddle will sit. Then, with the tips of your fingers, gently palpate downward towards the ground. You will first feel bone (the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae), then a slight rigidity (the supraspinal ligament), and, finally, an area where there is a bit more give. This is his back muscle or longissimus dorsi muscle. Mark the start of this muscle and then do the same thing on your horse’s right side. Next, take your right hand and make a bridge over your horse’s back from mark to mark. Put your left hand inside that “bridge.” The number of fingers you can get inside your bridged hand will determine how wide the gullet of this horse’s saddle must be.
It is very important that the width of the gullet be the same throughout the entire length of the saddle. Too often we see saddles with gullets that are the appropriate width at the front, but then get progressively narrow towards the back. The result is a saddle that has a 4-5 finger gullet under the pommel, but only 2-3 fingers at the cantle (or less). If you consider the anatomical structure of the horse’s back, this makes no sense. Read the full article here.
~ Jochen Schleese CMS, CSFT, CSE, courtesy of Saddlefit 4 Life
