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Fitting The Sheet or Blanket
A properly fitted blanket is essential. One that is too tight will rub shoulders and withers and one that is too lose may turn and shift, catch on gates or worse, cause your horse to fall if a leg gets caught .
Measure: from the center of the horse's chest to tail.
Using a soft tape measure, go from the center of the horse's chest then along one side of the barrel and belly (widest point) to the point just before the tail. (blanket with no tail cover).
This measurement will be the size for your blanket.
Match this measurement to the recommended size chart for the brand of blanket or sheet that you are buying.
If your horse is exceptionally broad, it might require the next size up.
Blanket with Tail Cover: Use the same measurement as above but extend it to the outside of the tail at the center point, directly opposite to the point on the chest.
Saddle Fitting Tips
It is important that you obtain proper advice about the fitting of your new saddle as it must be comfortable for both horse and rider. Fitting depends on such a multiple of factors that the best advice for the inexperienced is to have someone experienced help them evaluate the saddle they are considering.
There are some general factors to consider when selecting a saddle for your horse. The horses physical shape has to be taken into account first of course. Do they have a high wither, no wither, a short back, a wide or narrow build?
An improperly fitting saddle will create pressure points on the horse's back muscle (Latissimus dorsi), which causes pain to the horse. Poor performance can sometimes be attributed solely to a saddle not distributing the weight of the rider properly on the horse.
Then there is the fact that you will be spending considerable time in this saddle and you will want it to be comfortable. Will it be big enough, the stirrups lengthen enough in a couple years if you are a young person with some growing to do? Children should however have smaller saddles that fit them, they need the security and shouldn’t use a saddle to big for them if they are doing a lot of riding.
The type of riding and the purpose your saddle will serve is also to be considered in the fitting. Some saddles will need to accommodate hard stopping and jumping and will have had this specifically addressed in their design. You need to decide if your horse will remain comfortable in certain activities in the design of the saddle you choose. If you choose quality from a maker that knows their craft your off to a good start.
Making a Template of Your Horses Back
With a piece of bent wire (approximately 20" long), or a flexicurve (bought from an artists shop or stationers) you can make your own saddle fitting template unique to your horse. Just bend the wire/flexicurve over your horse's back, just behind the wither at the point where the front of the saddle will sit. Press firmly to shape, then transfer this pattern to a piece of paper. Bring that in to us with some pictures of your horse's back and we can assist you to start your search to find a good fit.
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