08/07/2026
It genuinely baffles me when people say they’ll “wait until their horse stops growing to invest in a properly fitting saddle” or that a saddle is “fine for what we do” because they’re not competing.
The mindset that a well-fitting saddle is something to be earned, or a luxury reserved for certain stages of training or competition, completely misses the mark.
A well-fitting saddle is not a privilege.
It’s a necessity, and it’s our responsibility as horse owners to provide it from the very start.
Especially the argument that a young horse won’t deserve a well-fitting saddle until they’ve reached physical maturity makes my blood boil.
Horses are often started at an incredibly young age (this is a whole other topic I could go on a tangent about), yet many breeds don’t fully physically mature until years after they’ve been started under saddle.
The physical damage that can be done by an ill-fitting saddle during these years of development is astounding. And that’s not even considering the long-term consequences.
Physical damage aside, wouldn’t you want your horse to associate working under saddle with a pleasant experience rather than a painful one?
Look, I get it. Keeping up with a horse's changing body is expensive, investing in a fully adjustable saddle or a disposable (non-adjustable) saddle that has to be replaced as the horse physically develops can be costly.
But frankly? That is exactly what you sign up for when you decide to own a horse.
Saddle fit is never a one-time, "set-it-and-forget-it" topic in a horse's life.
It is an ongoing, dynamic process because a horse's body will continue to change throughout their entire life due to age, fitness, season, and diet.
So let’s be clear, If your horse’s job involves being ridden, no matter how much or how little, protecting them from physical distress isn't a bonus or an optional upgrade.
Proper saddle fit is a fundamental pillar of basic equine welfare and that responsibility falls squarely on us as owners.