KEN'S COLUMN
‘ONE FOR ALL’ IS DOWNRIGHT RUBBISH!
Just recently I have had a string of telephone calls from horse owners who are experiencing problems with their new saddles. No – they were not supplied and fitted by Saddleworld – nor by any other Society of Master Saddlers’ qualified saddle fitters. They were all either purchased off the internet or by mail order. Three brands of saddle were involved – with one thing in common. They were all advertised as ‘fitting any horse’ – or words to that effect. The advertisements went on to state, in differing formats, that the services of a saddle fitter weren’t required – the saddles could be fitted by the horse owner.
Patently no one saddle can fit ‘any horse’. ‘One for all’ is downright rubbish! That is clearly impossible. The fact that the gullet can be widened or narrowed is not, by a long way, the complete answer – yet it is often perceived to be the be-all and the end-all.
Saddle fitting is far more complicated than that! The ‘shape’ of a horse’s back is frequently very idiosyncratic. The horse may be long-backed and rangy – or exceptionally close coupled. He may be ‘dippy-backed’ as, for example, in the case of some mares that have produced several foals. The animal may be sway-backed naturally. He may be croup high. The animal’s wither may be well defined – or almost non-existent. A lot of horses have asymmetric musculature either as a result of an injury or accident – or (and more often!) as a result of the way they are ridden and schooled. The variables are multiple!
I am afraid that the majority of riders are unaware of ‘asymmetry’ in their horse. Yes – practically everyone pays lip service to the ‘ride forward, ride straight’ maxim that has been the most fundamental essential in equestrianism for thousands of years. Most riders have the right intentions and make efforts to produce a horse that is supple and elastic – an athlete - on both reins. Unfortunately, in the course of my work, I see many, many asymmetrically developed horses!
Asymmetry has a high multiplying factor! Very, very often it starts with the rider whose weight is not evenly distributed – and even slight imbalance has knock-on effects. Think of it this way: if you are carrying two baskets, one in either hand, and one is heavier than the other, it is much more difficult than if they were equally weighted. More often than not there will be a tendency to lean slightly in the direction of the heavier basket. A rider whose weight is not distributed evenly will cause the saddle to shift in the direction of the greater weight distribution. In turn, the horse will be forced to compensate and will adapt its way of going. Ergo – within a very short time, we have an asymmetric horse! The extent to which the asymmetry progresses is dependent, in this example, on the degree to which the rider is crooked!
By the same token, a saddle that is asymmetric with, for example, unequal panels, will sit crookedly – and the crookedness will be passed on to both horse and rider. A horse that is one-sided and has developed asymmetric musculature will adversely influence the balance of both the rider and the saddle. Chicken-and-egg situations occur frequently and the longer they exist, the more difficult it is to determine the root cause!
In the case of the asymmetric horse, it can be necessary to adapt the flocking in the panels so that the saddle is balanced. In the case of chronic asymmetry that cannot be reversed – the type that is normally due to an accident – any saddle used on the horse will need this type of adaptation. Failure to balance the saddle in this way will exacerbate an already difficult situation. In the case of asymmetry that is ‘acute’ rather than ‘chronic’ – in other words, can be reversed by correct training of horse and rider – the saddle may have to be adapted several times as the horse’s way of going improves and the musculature consequently begins to ’even up’.
Saddle fitting – at its best and most professional – demands a huge breadth of knowledge. In my opinion, manufacturers who proclaim that the services of a saddle fitter are unnecessary are doing equestrianism a huge disservice. They are threatening the welfare of horses – and the conscience and the pocket of their owners!
KEN LYNDON DYKES is a Society of Master Saddlers qualified saddle fitter. He specialises in fitting competition and ‘difficult’ horses. He is the author of what is considered the best-ever book about saddle fitting (‘Practical Saddle Fitting’ published J.A.Allen) and is much in demand to give talks and demonstrations. Mobile: 07973 501873.
