Western & English Riding Tack

A little bit about the difference between Western saddles and bridles and English ones.

It’s very important that you get the right tack for the job! But even more important is that the tack fits both the horse and the rider. Briefly, a saddle fits when it doesn’t pinch or put uneven pressure on the horse anywhere. This means you should be able, when standing (carefully!) behind the horse, to see clear down through the gullet on the underside of the saddle. If the gullet is blocked completely by the horse’s withers, the saddle is too wide. If you run your hand underneath the front of the saddle on either side of the withers, and the saddle pinches your hand, it’s too narrow. A saddle fits you if you can put a hands-width on the cantle behind you when you are sitting comfortably in the middle. I really recommend getting a professional saddle fitter to come see what size your horse is and what saddle would best fit him.