Saddles and girths: What is new?
Authors: Dyson Sue, Greve Line
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Saddles and Girths: What is New? Research by Dyson and Greve (2016) reveals a concerning disconnect between saddle-fitting practice and equine welfare: despite widespread evidence of ill-fitting saddles in the general riding population, many owners conduct professional saddle assessments infrequently or not at all, despite substantial changes in back dimensions occurring within a single year. Their review emphasises that saddle fit represents a dynamic rather than static consideration—back conformation shifts noticeably during work and across seasons, necessitating multiple reassessments annually, particularly when training intensity or duration changes. The authors highlight that whilst purpose-fitted saddles for individual horses remain the gold standard, most domestic situations involve saddle-sharing across multiple animals; furthermore, whilst numnahs and pads are commonly used to compensate for poor fit, scientific evidence supporting their benefit is limited, and those applying pressure over spinous processes may actively compromise performance. A particularly relevant clinical finding is that unilateral saddle slip, often attributed to fit issues or structural asymmetry, most commonly originates from hindlimb lameness—prompting practitioners to investigate locomotor soundness before assuming a saddle-fitting problem. These findings underscore the need for regular professional saddle assessments integrated into annual health schedules and highlight the importance of lameness evaluation in cases of apparent tacking problems.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Establish a protocol for professional saddle fit assessment at least annually, and more frequently if work intensity changes
- •Evaluate saddle fit both before and after exercise as back dimensions change during work
- •Investigate hindlimb lameness as the primary cause when saddle slip occurs, rather than automatically assuming saddle fit problems
- •Avoid using numnahs that apply pressure to spinous processes; use pads only temporarily to address specific fit issues
Key Findings
- •High prevalence of ill-fitting saddles exists, with many riders not having saddle fit professionally assessed annually
- •Back dimensions change considerably over one year and during work, requiring reassessment several times yearly
- •Saddle slip to one side is most commonly caused by hindlimb lameness rather than poor saddle fit
- •Numnahs exerting pressure on spinous processes are detrimental to performance with little scientific rationale for routine pad use