Checking the Fit of your Saddle

Goal of Fit: Bar Contact to the Horse’s Back

The bars protect the spine and distribute pressure from the rider’s weight evenly across the horse’s back. Larger riders and performance saddles need longer bars to give more contact area to distribute pressure.

Checking the Fit of your Saddle

The tree has two main factors that determine the fit; gullet width and bar angle. The combination of the two factors makes for slight variations in the saddle industry. There are not any standards or definitions of specific tree sizes, but each saddle builder provides a description to give an idea of the size of horse the tree should fit.

Gullet Width or sometimes referred to as bar spread is the measurement 2 inches below the narrowest part of the gullet, even with the side conchos. This is the most common factor because we can measure it more easily. When measuring, make sure you’re underneath the bars, not in front of the saddle.

A narrow gullet width will keep the saddle perched higher. A wider spread will drop further down on the horse’s back.

Bar Angle is not often measured but the angle needs to be as close to the angle of the horse’s back as possible.

A narrow or tight angle will make contact at the bottom of the bars, not the top. A wide angle will make contact at the top of the bars, not the bottom.

Approximate degrees (+/- 3 degrees):
86 degrees - Normal/Narrow Angle
90 degrees - Wide Angle
94 degrees – Extra Wide Angle

Other Factors

Bar Flare: The bars will flare to some degree in the front and back of the saddle. The front will flare away from the horse to allow for shoulder movement. The back may flare to keep the bars from digging into the croup.

Bar Slope or Rock: The curve of the horse’s topline should be as close to the shape of the bars as possible.

Bridging: When the bars make contact in the front and back of the saddle, but not in the middle. It causes what looks like a bridge across the dip in the back. The weight of the rider is carried only at the ends of the bars causing a lot of pressure that can result in white hairs and sores.

Rock: when the bars bend more than the horse needs. This is the opposite of bridging and less common. The saddle may tip forward, though that could also be from a saddle that is too wide in the front. Rock is found on horses with a flat toppling.

Tree Sizes

Semi-QH: Semi Quarter Horse can be referred to as Medium, Regular, or QH bars. This tree size has a higher pitch or angle to the bars. It’s for the horse with a more defined wither. (1/2 Arab, Appendix, Thoroughbred, etc).

Full-QH: Full Quarter Horse or FQHB can be referred to as Wide (usually 7” gullet). The angle is flatter compared to the Semi-QH tree. This is for horses with a broad shoulder. They’re considered mutton withered or a less pronounced wither. (Quarter Horse, Paint, etc)

Arabian: Have a narrow front (usually 6.5" – 6.75" gullet) similar to the Semi-QH bar but the back of the saddle has a flatter pitch angle. So the saddle goes from a little narrow in the front to flatter or wider in the back. Can sometimes fit non-Arabian horses.

Gaited: The gaited tree has a higher gullet to accommodate the higher withered horses. They usually have a wider or flared front to allow for shoulder movement. The tree narrows toward the back where the bars have more pitch. The gaited saddles usually have more rock to the bars. (Tennessee Walker, Fox Trotter, etc)

Haflinger: Short backed, mutton withered – these trees have a flatter pitch to the bar angle and very little rock. Usually a 7.5" gullet, they’re often used on other large horses needing an extra wide tree.

Draft: Usually an 8" gullet to fit on large draft horses.

Reining In Horse Related Expenses

The least expensive aspect of owning a horse is the price you paid for him. Horse ownership is an expensive hobby when you care for your horse in a responsible manner. Your horse should be kept happy and healthy, and to do this good hay and feed are required, as well as regular visits from the veterinarian, farrier, and equine dentist. Annual vaccinations and periodic deworming products are administered to insure good equine health. His teeth should be checked and floated, as needed, annually.

Whether you show your horse or trail ride, you will incur expenses to participate in those activities.  We purchase saddles, bridles, and other kinds of tack; shampoos, fly sprays, and other grooming supplies to keep our horses clean. We buy trucks and horse trailers to drive to and from shows and trails. Fuel must be purchased to get to and from these venues. Camping and trail access fees must be paid.

Fences are set and barns are built, water troughs are purchased and filled, bedding is bought to provide stalled horses a comfy place to lie down. Electricity is used to provide light in the barn or to power electric fences and water tank heaters.

If you board your horse away from home, you pay a monthly fee for his care, which may or may not include the cost of hay and grain. Riding lessons are purchased to enable you to become a better rider. Safety equipment, such as riding helmets, is purchased to keep you safe while riding.

Whew! Take a breath. Shake your wallet. Check your pockets. Where did all the money go?

How do you begin to budget for the expenses that you will incur through the year for your horse? As with any budgeting effort, you first must have a good idea of what projected costs might be. Project both for a higher projection and a lower projection, and if you’re lucky, your actual costs will hit somewhere between those two numbers.

To aid in your budgeting forecast, keep all horse-related receipts from the previous year to help you with the next year’s projections.

Following is a sample budget of what you may expect to spend on your horse. This is a basic budget that should give you a starting point. Based on your location, specific horse, and type of riding, your budget may look very different.

Line Item	Quantity	Price Per	Total Price
Farrier – Reset	6 visits	$90	$540
Farrier – Trim	4 visits	$65	$260
Equine Dentist	1 visit	$60	$60
Vet-Vaccinations/Coggins	1 visit	$150	$150
Vaccinations owner administered	1	$35	$35
Dewormers	4	$20	$80
Fly Spray	4	$22	$88
Grooming Supplies	2	$20	$40
Hay	100 bales	$8	$800
Grain	6 bags	$24	$144
Mineral Blocks	8	$16	$128
Supplement	$6	$35	$210
Bedding	40	$4	$160
Camping Fees - Campsite	4 weekends	$60	$240
Bridle Tags	2	$25	$50
Fuel for camping trips	4	$100	$400
Total			$3,385

Even though the costs you incur may far surpass the amount you paid for your horse, the enjoyment and peace of mind you get from having him are priceless!

by: Darlene M. Cox

The Challenges and Rewards of Owning a Draft Horse

Photo via Flickr

For as long as I can remember, I have loved horses. My love for them was inherited and began when listening to my grandmother speak of “Old Denny” a draft plow horse her father owned and used on their farm. She always spoke fondly of him as she told how she and her siblings would all pile onto Denny’s massive back and ride him while her father plowed the fields. The roles of the draft breeds from my grandmother’s time was that of work horses, whether they pulled plows, lumber skidders, or fire wagons for city fire departments.

Draft, or heavy breed, horses are known for their good temperaments, gentle nature, level headedness, and unflappability. There are many draft horse breeds (Clydesdale, Belgian, Percheron, etc.) with horses weighing at or over a ton, and several draft pony breeds (Haflinger,  Fjord, Gypsy Vanner, etc.), shorter in stature but with a draft build.

Popularity for draft breeds continues today, with some folks moving away from saddle horses and investing in these gentle giants, who can still be used to work farm land, pull wagons, and trail ride. Some folks have become homesteaders and enjoy the tranquility of working with draft horses to mow or plow their fields. They kindle a different kind of partnership with their horses than those maintained for pleasure riding.

There are challenges when moving from owning pleasure horses to maintaining draft horses, with the most obvious being increased expense for their maintenance and upkeep.

Surprisingly, you will not see a huge increase in your feed bill, as draft horses will only eat a little more than saddle horses and not double the amount that you might think.

You may see an increase in foot care as drafts require hoof maintenance like all other horse breeds. Not all farriers will work with draft breeds, and those who do may charge more for their services and may employ stocks to get the job done.

Veterinarian expenses will not increase, as draft horses require the same vaccine doses as saddle horses.

You will need to invest in larger, draft-sized tack and equipment to properly fit your big boy. Halters, bridles, saddles, blankets, etc., can be found in some local horse tack stores and can be ordered online through many horse supply houses.

Horse-powered farm equipment may need to be purchased if you plan to work your land with your horse.

You may need to purchase a larger and wider trailer to transport your draft, which may mean selling your slant load trailer for one with straight load capacity. Stalling accommodations need to be considered because a typical 10x12 stall will not work well for a draft horse.

The biggest challenge facing those new to draft horse ownership is learning how to “drive” a horse and wagon. There are many details involved in successfully harnessing a horse and hitching him to the wagon.

There are always solutions to challenges. As with any new horse endeavor, always seek out those who have great experience in handling drafts. Many states have Amish communities from which you may employ the help of a friendly Amish man to show you the ropes of working with your draft horse. Many rural communities have folks who participate in plow days and draft pulls. These experienced horsemen may also be able to instruct you in the nuances of draft ownership and handling.

Some horse auctions, particularly those in draft horse areas, will have wagons, farm equipment, tack, and other items specifically needed for your draft horse. Some saddle makers have draft sized English and western saddles, as well as bridles, halters, etc. for your big horse.

Just as with any other breed, your draft horse is surely to provide you with many years of enjoyment and quickly become a member of your family.

By: Darlene M. Cox