buying a saddle

[wildrose]

My mom called me today asking about buying a new western saddle. She's very petite, and asked me how one knows the measurement of a western seat? I told her I'd write and find out.

I told her too she'd need to find out about the tree; she said she will be choosing one for an Arabian (that's what she and Dad raise).

There is not really anywhere good around here (SW Virginia, below Roanoke) to buy a saddle from a store, so that's another issue. She might go with eBay...

[Denise]

Holly,

Buying a saddle is like buying women's clothing - you have to try it on (horse and rider) because none of the designations of size really tells you a lot when comparing between makers. Seat length is measured in different ways by different people - from the top of the cantle to the top of the handhole or to the base of the horn are the two common ways I know of. The height and angle of the cantle can really affect that measurement without changing the actual room in the seat. For example, since a cantle slopes back, the top where the measurement is taken from gets further away from the fork as it gets taller. So if the rest of the saddle was the same, a higher cantle would measure as being a longer seat, even though the room between the fork and the front points of the cantle where they join the bar (where the leg goes) would be the same. So just to be aware - if there is a really low cantle on the saddle, there is generally more room in it than the same seat size with a taller cantle.

Something saddle makers often use to help determine size for a rider is the circumferance of the upper thigh. Some shorter people have bigger legs and vice versa. If she has a 21" thigh circumference (or less) she will be looking at the smaller end of the common seat sizes. If she has any opportunity to sit in a number of saddles and then get something similar, that would be the best way.

[wildrose]

Thanks :-)