POINT OF VIEW
his back and cannot engage his hind or lift his front end, and therefore is being ridden on the forehand. (And as a result is more likely to remain asymmetrical and have joint issues.) Further, if a symmetrical saddle is used on an asymmetrical
horse, the larger and more rearward shoulder (usually the left one) causes the saddle to twist and/or rotate toward the side of the smaller and more forward shoulder (usually the right). The gullet plate of the saddle has to fit the profile of the horse’s shoulder-wither area, matching it in width and angle. If a horse is asymmetrical and the saddle fitter is able to open the gullet plate on the larger side to accommodate the larger shoulder, the saddle will stop slipping (twisting/rotat- ing) and won’t ride on the horse’s spine. The rider can now be straight and, if the riding is correct, the horse will bring his back up and use it, engage his hind end and begin to lift his front end up. Now there is finally a chance for the rider to help make the horse straighter. When the horse is measured and found to be even, the gullet plate is brought back to symmetrical, where it can stay as long as the horse remains even. I am not differentiating between a saddle twisting (yaw) and a saddle rotating (roll). While both are undesirable be- cause either way a panel is too close to the spine and spinal ligaments, a saddle that twists because one of the horse’s shoulders is larger and farther back than the other really causes problems when the rear portion of that panel rides on the spine. Often we see saddles that are too long, so that incursion onto the spine is behind the 18th vertebra onto the lumbar area (the area which leads to the ‘bucking’ reflex). More often than not, asymmetry causes both a twisting and a rotation. Riders are sometimes encouraged to watch for rub marks
on hair coat, dry spots within sweaty areas and wavy hair as signs that something is wrong. While these can signal a saddle fit issue, by the time they are visible, too much damage may already have been done. What about all the behavioral signs that the horse is try-
ing to tell the rider the saddle does not fit? Horses who are re- sistant, hollow, head-up, tail-swishing, girthy, have gait abnor- malities and are ‘cold-backed,’ or ones who are rushing, buck- ing, stumble frequently or have an overall poor work attitude are all sending an important message. While this negative be- havior can be caused by a variety of things, please don’t wait until your horse experiences these dramatic physical signs to decide that perhaps it is actually the saddle causing pain and dysfunction.
To learn more: in my book Suffering in Silence, Jane Savoie was kind enough to write an insert on exactly this topic: “How to Fix Rider and Horse Crookedness.” You can find her thoughts on pages 83-84 or I will be happy to send you a white paper of her points if you email me at
Jochen@schleese.com.
40 July/August 2016
horse transportation
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