Saddle Fit - Equibrand

Today’s Technology Leading To Tomorrow’s Champions
Importance of Saddle Fit
Across the nation, in all Western horse sports, times are faster and competition is tougher, especially
in barrel racing. Often fractions of a second separate the winners from those who go home empty
handed. When the stakes are high, many times it is the little things that make the most difference in
our performance. An important aspect that is often overlooked is the fit and proper placement of the
saddle. Unfortunately, most people never consider achieving knowledge of how to properly fit a saddle
as we grow in our horsemanship skills.
When we think of saddles, most of the time, we think of style, fancy tooling, and pretty conchos. But
the fact is we should consider the tree within and how well it fits our horse first. The ability for the
saddle to properly fit the horses back and accommodate the rider, resides with the tree hidden inside
the saddle itself. After all, the tree really is the basis of the saddle.
People rarely buy trees. Most of us have never
even seen a saddle tree for that matter. People
buy saddles that simply have trees in them.
When saddle shopping, most of us usually see
a saddle that looks good, jump into the seat
and see how it feels. Of course, the saddle
should be comfortable, but it is equally, if
not more important, to provide the same
comfort for the horse.
The saddle tree should accommodate the necessary
movements required to perform for both horse and rider.
The tree consists of five major parts: swell, cantle, seat, horn
and bars. The top half of the tree belongs to the rider and the bottom half belongs to the horse.
Think about the critical functions of a tree:
1. The tree is the base structure upon which the saddle is made.
2. The tree is the strength factor within the saddle.
3. The tree is the critical point of contact to the horse’s back and, thru its fit, determines how
well it allows the horse to perform with comfort and ease.
4. Properly fitted, the tree distributes weight and evenly disperses pressure to help prevent
back soreness.
Ill fitting saddles can lead to soreness which causes all types of behavioral problems that affect
performance. Poor saddle fit can limit or restrict virtually every physical move a horse makes in a
barrel run including acceleration, lateral flexion, and collection. Saddle soreness can affect the horse’s
posture and limit speed. A horse with back pain will often hollow his back, shorten his stride, and carry
his head abnormally high which limits his ability to run, stop, and turn. Soreness from poor saddle fit
can also be reflected by an overall nervous behavior, irritability, bucking or refusal to perform. These
symptoms often get misdiagnosed as training issues. As a result, many riders reach for more severe
equipment and intense training methods, which only makes the problem worse.
After the horse, the saddle should be your number one investment. Many people spend thousands
and thousands of dollars on their horses, but cut corners and pinch pennies when purchasing a
saddle. Saddles are an investment that can make or break the performance of a champion.
Since 1998, Martin Saddlery has been working to achieve a better fit for the horse. The AXIS™ tree,
by Martin is designed and constructed in-house. By having the ability to produce saddle trees inhouse, Martin can control the entire process from start to finish. The new Axis™ saddle tree is a result
of Martin’s on going efforts to improve saddle quality and performance.
“Our goal to better fit the horse is ongoing. We breed better horses
today than we did 20 years ago and through genetics we will
continue to breed for increased athleticism and performance.
In doing so, the conformation of our horses is forever
evolviing. At Martin Saddlery, we continue to dedicate time
and resources researching ways to improve saddle tree
design to better accommodate today’s equine athletes. We are
truly excited with the improvements we have made. After all, the
saddle is really only as good as the tree upon which it is built. ” Brian
Peterson, Martin Saddlery
IF THE TREE FITS?
The purpose of the saddle is to aid the horse and the rider by helping them perform their job. If the
tree does not fit properly, the saddle can restrict performance.
It mainly comes down to staying out of the horse’s way. A saddle tree that fits correctly does not
interfere with the natural movement of the horse’s shoulder, back and loin. It is also important that the
saddle be placed in the proper position on the horse’s back. When the saddle sets clear of the horse’s
shoulder, he is free to move as nature intended. When
you put pressure on the scapula and then ask for the
horse to perform, the horse has to compensate. In
other words, the horse has to change the natural way
they move in order to work around the pressure. Any
time a horse changes or shortens its stride, problems
can arise. Soreness can cause the horse to resist or
refuse to perform and can even lead to major joint and
ligament damage due to the unnatural gait.
Throughout the development of the Axis™ Saddle
Tree, Martin worked with many professional trainers
and competitors. The result is a remarkable difference
in improved rider performance and horse health. “It is exciting that our endorser team can notice and
see the difference. Their horses are staying stronger down their top line, more solid in the training
pen and they have seen a decrease in soreness and joint problems over the last several years.” Brian
Peterson, Martin Saddlery
Martin Saddlery has worked with professionals and trainers all across the western industry, in all
disciplines including Sherry Cervi, Kory Koontz, Clinton Anderson, Matt Gaines, Terra Bynum, Don
Murphy, Carol Goostree and many more.
“My horses’ toplines are fuller and stronger than ever before.
After riding all my horses is Martin saddles, since 2003, I
see don’t see as many problems in soreness and lameness
in my colts and finished horses as I did in the past. Also, the
fact that my seat is balanced, consistent and it puts me in
the position to effectively cue my horse is very important.
Martin has the ability to mold the same, exact ground seat
every time, so I don’t find myself riding in a “favorite” saddle
like I used to. All my saddles are my favorite because they
all sit the same. That is important, especially when you are
getting on different horses.” Sherry Cervi, 2-Time World
Champion Barrel Racer, 11-Time NFR Qualifier
“I think what impressed me most about the people from
Martin was the way they taught me the fundamentals of
saddle fit and gave me the tools in knowledge that I was missing. They taught me how to evaluate
my horses and how my saddles affected their performance. They broke it down and taught me hands
on about where and how a saddle should fit in order to work with the muscles and not against them.
I now have an awareness that I have never had before and it will help me to take better care of my
horses. ” Terra Bynum, BFA Futurity Champion, Texas Circuit
Champion, NFR Qualifier
“I used to be all about riding a saddle that fit me, but the crew at
Martin Saddlery helped me to also focus on fitting the horse. My
horses are staying sounder and that lets me keep them in
training. As a person that makes a living competing in aged
events, I think that is the biggest deal.” Matt Gaines
Kory Koontz, USTRC Champion Heeler and 13-time NFR
Qualifier, has seen a difference in how his horses move and hold
up to the rigors on the road. “Just using common sense, seeing
the AXIS™ trees on my horse’s back shows me that my Martin
saddle will be more comfortable to my horse than any saddle
I have ever used in the past. There are positive changes in my
horses over the years that come directly from using a saddle that
fits them better. I think it gives them a better chance to do their
job.” Kory Koontz