How To Find The Perfect Seat Size For Your Saddle

Determining the proper seat size for your saddle is important for both your comfort and safety. A saddle that is too small can pinch and irritate your skin, while a saddle that is too large allows you to slide around, leaving you not only insecure but likely to develop chafing or blisters. A saddle that is too small or too large makes it difficult to sit in the proper position and can lead to improper habits in addition to ineffective riding.

Step 1

Sit in the saddle and let your legs hang relaxed, out of the stirrups. If you ride western, there should be approximately 4 inches between the front of your leg and the fork of the saddle, which is the base at the front of the saddle that supports the horn, according to the University of Maine Extension Service. Your seat should touch the back of the western saddle, but not press up against it. In an English saddle, you should have one hand's width between your seat and the cantle, or back of the saddle.

Step 2

Check that the saddle places you in the correct spot. While your legs are hanging loosely, out of the stirrups, look where the stirrup leathers, on the English saddle, or fenders, on the western saddle, are in relation to your legs. They should be between your leg and the horse's side, not forward, toward the horse's shoulder or backward, toward the horse's hindquarters.

Step 3

Place your feet in the stirrups. Your heels should be directly underneath your hips. If your feet are in front of you, directly under your knees, this is called a chair seat and is undesirable. If your feet are behind your hips, you will find it difficult to maintain your balance while the horse is in motion.

Step 4

Measure the saddle. Once you have found a saddle that fits, it's time to measure it to determine the correct seat size. The University of Maine Extension Office recommends measuring a western saddle from the bottom of the horn to the cantle, or back of the saddle. Measure an English saddle from the small nail head on the side of the pommel, or front of the saddle, to the middle of the cantle. This measurement, in inches, is the correct seat size for you.