Is your horse saying to you - Hey my saddle does not fit! Would you even know if your horse was trying to communicate that to you? Here is a list of things that your horse might do that could help you determine if your saddle does not fit.

Obvious signs -

  • White hairs around the withers
  • Pain at the withers
  • Broken hairs at withers or anywhere the saddle sits

    • Attitude or your horse communicating to you that the saddle does not fit -

  • When preparing for saddling the horse’s breathing rate (respiration) increases, or he passes manure, or he moves around a lot
  • The horse pins its ears, bites at its side, or nips at you when being brushed or curried.
  • The horse pins its ears, bites at its side, or nips at you when you bring the saddle out.
  • The horse pins its ears, bites at its side, or nips at you when you place the saddle on or when you girth it up.
  • Cowkicking when girthing or even trying to girth the saddle (cinchy)
  • The horse may need to be longed before you can safely mount up.

    • Communicating to you while riding -

  • Not willing to go forward
  • Decreased shoulder movement
  • Swishing the tail or holding it off to one side
  • Not willing to collect or raising the head and swaying the back
  • Bad canter leads
  • Crow hopping or bucking
  • Attemping to throw you or brush you off, anything to get you off its back

    • These are the most common signs of a saddle not fitting your horse. If your horse is saying these things to you you really should listen. A horse is not a jerk just for being a jerk. He is telling you something is not right, you jerk, please fix it. So if your horse tells you this do something about it. Get his saddle fit correctly.

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