The Right Way to Saddle a Horse

We’ve had a few of our customers ask us for some advice on the proper way to saddle a horse, so here is our quick guide to saddling a horse the right way.

Firstly, it doesn’t make too much difference what kind of saddle you have, an all purpose saddle or a dressage saddle are both fitted using the same principles.

Although it’s a quick job to put the saddle on your horse, it’s worth learning to do it right. It isn’t just about doing it correctly, it’s about doing it safely for both you and your horse. The last thing you want is to fall off your horse because the saddle isn’t secured properly.

Always give your horse or pony a brush down before you put anything on its back, whether it’s a saddle, saddle pad or a blanket. Even the smallest objects will cause discomfort when they have a saddle pressing down on them.

After you have placed a saddle pad or blanket on your horse you are ready to position the saddle on the horses back. Always remember to saddle your horse from the off side, which is the left hand side of the horse as you are looking in the same direction as the horse.

The saddle pad and the saddle itself should always be placed so that the front of them is just in front of the horses shoulders or withers. This will ensure your weight isn’t too far back on the horse, which can cause stress and stop the horse flexing correctly.

Once the saddle is placed on the horse, bring the cinch up underneath the horse and fasten it to the other half of the cinch with the buckle. The cinch should come around the horse quite close to the front legs, but without causing any obstruction to freedom of movement. The cinch should be reasonably tight, but loose enough so you can fit one of your fingers between it and the horse.

A word of warning.. if you are saddling a seasoned horse, for example a horse at a riding school, make sure the horse is not holding it’s breath as you fasten the cinch. They can soon pick up tricks like this, especially if they are used to having the cinch fastened too tightly.

Once that is done you can adjust the stirrups to your liking and you are good to go, having fitted your saddle in a safe and correct way.