Riders learn intricacies of proper saddle fit

Steve Ray Gonzalez explains the function of the saddle tree. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff

Several Central Oregon horses should be feeling better soon, if their owners follow the tips and advice gleaned from Saturday's Saddle Fit and Function Clinic.

Hosted by the Central Oregon Horse Journal at Cisco Stables, the clinic was presented by noted saddle maker Steve Ray Gonzalez.

Based in Bend, Gonzalez has a wealth of experience and opinion related to fitting saddles.

Many horse people, both experienced and novice, find the concept of correct saddle fit to be an elusive thing. They know that there shouldn't be dry spots on a sweaty horse's back.

They also know that the cinch mustn't rub a raw spot behind the horse's forearm and that pinned-back ears when the saddle is slung on is the equivalent of horse cuss words.

So they powder the underside of a saddle before putting it on, to check for pressure spots.

They pad up or pad down, they get wider or narrower saddles, they spend hundreds of dollars at the vet getting sore backs and legs looked at. All the while wondering how to make the saddle fit better and how to truly recognize when it does.

Gonzalez maintains that good saddle fit isn't generally taught in this country, as it is in Europe.

"Here, it's a rider beware thing," he said.

Saddle fit is technical. There's no way around that and Gonzalez acknowledged that many of us are challenged by technical jargon. He has managed to find ways to communicate the specifics in easy- to-understand terms.

Off-the-shelf saddles are built to general standards, while every horse's back is different.

The most common problem by far is the "downhill saddle."

A downhill saddle tilts forward from level, toward the horse's withers, causing all kinds of problems for the horse's motion and the rider's posture.

According to Gonzalez, most problems can be fixed with corrective padding.

Corrective foam shims alter the contours of the horse's back to match the saddle tree. Foam shims in the right spots can eliminate or at least mitigate most problems with most saddles.

Carol Smiley of Bend, who doesn't own a horse yet but is determined to be well informed when she does, was pleased with the result of the clinic.

"This is all making sense," she said.

The afternoon was spent looking at several different horses and saddles and evaluating different types of fit challenges.

Attendees departed with enough knowledge to address their own saddle fit issues.