Adjustable to Fit the Rider
ADJUSTABLE WESTERN SADDLE TO FIT A RIDER
Riders come in all shapes and sizes, so what works for a friend or trainer might not work for you. A good seat design should provide even pressure across the entire contact area. It should allow you to balance in the saddle so you can ride with quiet hands and seat allowing your horse to focus on the tasks you are asking of him. Our saddles can be fine-tuned to fit the rider perfectly for the ultimate in balance, alignment and comfort.
Consider the importance of alignment:
Place your feet apart on the ground as if you were posting the trot, and bend and straighten your knees several times. Then sit on a medium-height stool, feet apart but not aligned under your hips. From this position, try “posting.” Which is more comfortable? Most saddles do not allow the rider to adjust to achieve proper alignment. Alignment is essential for avoiding aches and pains and for your horse’s comfort. It’s similar to sitting at the trot, with less movement from the rider to moving with the horse.
The seat size should allow you to sit in the middle of the seat with approximately two fingers’ width of space between the swell and your thigh. The back of your seat to the cantle should be approximately 4”. A larger seat will be required if you ride with your feet out in front of you than if you ride under you. The larger seat size prevents you from the horse’s center of gravity.
Tush-Cush Seat Shims
Our saddle seat leather lifts to expose the ground seat shim under your saddle seat. The width of the saddle twist is critical to hip joint comfort. With our adjustable seat shimming system, you can make the seat twist narrower with a thicker shim or you can make it wider but closer to your horse with a thinner shim. A thin shim under the top of your thigh can make an incredible difference in the angle and how your hips feel when sitting in the saddle seat. Finding a balance that’s right for you takes some trial and error.
Ground Seat
The ground seat’s shape can be adjusted to fit your body and riding preferences. Moving the pad forward creates a deeper pocket while moving it back removes it and tips your pelvis forward. Finding a neutral pelvis position is critical as you stack your body over your pelvis by aligning your heel, hip, and shoulder. Moving Shims under your seat allows you to find a neutral pelvis position, neither tilted forward nor back.
Stirrup Leathers / Fenders
The stirrup is the foundation of your seat.
You should also be able to stand in your stirrups and sit again without moving your lower legs or worry about falling forward onto your horse’s neck. Our fenders are attached to the tree with hook and loop fabric. This allows the rider to move their stirrups forward or backward to position their legs and feet under them for proper alignment at the shoulder, hip, and back of the heel. If the stirrups are too far back, the rider will tip forward. If the stirrups are too far ahead, the rider will tip back into a chair position, which often leads to bracing and sitting more on the cantle, putting more pressure on the rear of the saddle. The horse will compensate for the out-of-position rider by changing its way of going. The seat shims and adjustable stirrups align your body and reduce stress on your joints and muscles.
Additionally
Choose a small seat size.
A smaller seat keeps us closer to the horse’s center of gravity. The horse’s centre of gravity is the point around which it rotates as it moves; it is located below the wither and moves back as the horse collects up. A saddle bronc rider or a jockey will ride over the wither because that is the spot with the least movement. The closer you are to the horse’s centre of gravity, the less movement you have to compensate for; the horse revolves around your position instead of having to move to compensate for them.
Consider wider stirrups
When you’re riding all day, you want wide and flat stirrups to provide maximum support over the ball of your foot. Consider purchasing trail stirrups with extra-wide treads. Look for shock-absorbing pads, which can improve foot and joint comfort.
Consider Twisted Stirrups
If you ride a Western saddle and have sore ankles and knees, you may be fighting to keep your feet pointing forward in stirrups that naturally lay parallel to your horse’s side. Saddlemakers will often put a twist in the bottom of the fender. Some riders soak the fenders in water, twist them into the desired position, and then put a broomstick through the stirrups to hold the fenders in place until they dry. Easy Fit saddles have a non-bulky, lightweight method of turning the stirrups so you can easily find and slide your foot into the stirrups.
Consider Angled Stirrups
Have you ever had your little toe sleep on a long trail ride? The cant (angle of your foot) is usually a little toe prominent, and the twist of the fender will angle the stirrup up on the outside, compounding the issue. Kneel on a stool with your feet back and have someone take a gander at your boots from above; is the little toe prominent? My wife is the opposite, so it’s essential to look. Angled stirrups can parallel your foot with the ground, greatly improving balance, control, and riding comfort.
If your hips hurt, it could be that the saddle is too broad. A shim in the centre of the seat will lift you and make the seat feel narrower. EF saddles are designed to reduce bulk under your leg: narrow “twist” tree, single-layer stirrup straps, and cable rigging.
If your private parts are on fire, it could be the rise in the seat is too high. A woman’s pubic bone sits lower than a man’s, so she requires a lower seat rise.
My hip sockets feel like they will break off when I sit in the saddle, my private parts are on fire after every ride, and my knees and ankles simply do not like riding. And I’m tired of going to the chiropractor for my back! These are comments we generally hear from women, but guys, we hear you too! Riders come in all shapes and sizes; what works for your friend or your trainer may not work for you. Male or female, big or little booty, lots of natural lower spine curves or very little, etc., etc., we are all different. Finding a saddle that accommodates your body shape and size is important, so you can ride comfortably, especially when trail riding for long hours and sometimes over many consecutive days.
EFS Remedy
We start with a tree designed for close contact and accommodating a woman’s pelvis. Then we provide mechanisms for the rider to adjust the seat shape, width, and pocket, as well as the position of the stirrups (forward or back).
If your knees and ankles hurt, try changing your stirrup length and/or pre-turned stirrups. Shoulder, hip, and heel alignment could also be a factor. EF saddles all come with pre-turned, padded stirrups. Additionally, we have reduced the bulk and stiffness of the fenders, so your knees and ankles aren’t fighting against that constant strain.
A saddle should allow you to align your shoulder and hip and heal. Many western saddles are built with stirrups too far ahead to achieve this. When the stirrups are too far ahead, it takes a lot more effort to post the trot, and it will cause back strain. It can also encourage bracing against the cantle, which in turn puts more weight onto the back tips of the saddle tree bars, causing improper weight distribution and discomfort for your horse. It will also cause you to lock your joints and lose the ability to move with the horse. Stand on the floor with your feet apart; bend your knees; move up and down like you are posting. This is a very balanced stance and is what you want to achieve when in your saddle. That said, if you are more comfortable with your stirrups slightly ahead, you should be able to achieve that too. Easy Fit saddles allow you to move your stirrups forward and back and adjust the shim under the seat to find the perfect position.
Our philosophy is that saddle fitting has two main elements: fit for the horse and the rider. If one element falls short, it will suffer from discomfort, affecting both performances.
Rider fit is important to your horse: a saddle that doesn’t fit you properly can affect your balance, which can cause the horse to compensate or move differently.
Horse fit is essential: A saddle that doesn’t fit your horse correctly will make him uncomfortable, grumpy, distracted and not move to his most total ability. For example, he may not want to pick up one lead.
EFS Remedy
Measuring your horse is the first thing we do when you order a saddle. That way, we get the tree right for your horse’s comfort. Beyond building the proper seat size and fender length for the rider, we provide mechanisms for the rider to adjust the seat shape, width, and pocket as well as the position of the stirrups (forward or back). That way, we get the saddle right for your comfort.
Rider alignment – Rider alignment refers to aligning your shoulder, hip, and heel and is the key to maintaining the most effective position in the saddle. Stand on the floor with your feet apart; bend your knees; move up and down like you are posting. This is a very balanced stance and is what you want to achieve when in your saddle. This position allows your body to utilize all the shock absorbers (ankle, knee, hip) most effectively.
EF Saddles have components that allow you to make adjustments to achieve alignment.
When you get all the following components right and get comfortable with this new feel in the saddle, you won’t be hearing those comments about your position from your trainer.
- Stirrup length – Too short stirrups may cause you to sit too far back in the seat and your lower leg forward, like sitting in a chair. Stirrups that are too long may prevent you from keeping your heels down. It may also cause you to constantly reach for the stirrups with your toe, and your leg will be too far forward.
- Stirrup position – Stirrups that are too far forward will cause you to sit back in the seat. It will take more effort to post the trot. Stirrups too far back will cause you to fall forward.
- Seat pocket position – Where that seat pocket is placed will determine the angle of your pelvis. To achieve rider alignment, the pocket position must be determined with your stirrup position.
- Horse asymmetry – Horses commonly have one shoulder more giant or one wither pocket more profound than the other. This will cause you and the saddle to fall to one side. You will need to look at shimming one side to even it up.
- Rider asymmetry – Most people are not perfectly symmetrical; you may have one hip that sits further forward, a foot that turns in, and one leg longer. How can you shim under your seat or change a stirrup to compensate for that? It will take some experimenting, but know that a small change can make a big difference.
EFS Remedy – We’ve got you covered! Not only do we have high-quality saddles in a wide variety of styles, built specifically for you and your horse, but you choose all the colours and finishes. Choose your saddle style, then pick leather colours, conchos, tooling, and accessories. Each saddle crafted by our experienced saddle makers is unique to the buyer’s specifications. Looking at our saddles, you will see similar styling, profiles, and materials used for hundreds of years in crafting Western saddles. The leather is quality American leather, and the tooling is all hand done. Materials are strength tested for durability. We ride our saddles to ensure all components function as expected. Colours and finishes are where you come in.
The width of the saddle twist is critical to hip joint comfort. With our seat shimming system, you can make the seat twist feel as wide or narrow as you like. (Men typically like a wider seat, but not necessarily.) A very thin shim can make an incredible difference in the angle of your thigh and how your hips feel when sitting in the saddle seat. Seat shims also allow you to position your pelvis in a neutral position, neither tilted forward nor back.
- Ways we have designed our saddles to accommodate a woman’s pelvis:
- The rise of the seat is low to accommodate a low pubic bone.
- Seat padding and seams are broad in the sit bone area.
- The twist has been kept as narrow as possible without compromising close contact with the horse.
- Saddle rigging & stirrup leathers have been minimized under the leg to reduce bulk and narrow the twist.
- You will be out riding more if you feel less strain from sitting in the saddle!
- Aligning your spine, hips, knees, and ankles puts you in a balanced position on the horse. And not having to accentuate the angles of your joints more than necessary when sitting in the saddle will prevent joint pain.
Feel the importance of alignment – Stand on the ground with your feet apart. Bend your knees several times as if you were posting the trot. Now sit on a mid-height stool with your feet apart but not aligned under your hips. Try “posting” from this position. Which feels easier? Most saddles do not allow the rider to adjust, so alignment can be achieved. Alignment is a key component in avoiding stress on joints.
The width of the saddle twist is critical to hip joint comfort. With our seat shimming system, you can make the seat twist feel as wide or narrow as you like. (Men typically like a wider seat, but not necessarily.) A very thin shim can make an incredible difference in the angle of your thigh and how your hips feel when sitting in the saddle seat. Seat shims also allow you to position your pelvis in a neutral position, neither tilted forward nor back, essentially putting the seat pocket where you need it.
EFS Remedy – Lift the seat leather to place the shim. Ride for a little while, then change the position and try riding it again. You can try adding a thicker or thinner shim.
Have someone on the ground analyze your riding position – Are you aligned (shoulder, hip, heel)? Changing the seat shim in conjunction with the position of the stirrup leathers (forward/back) will allow you to attain the best position for your body.
- FACT: 85% of riders are women.
- FACT: Saddles are constructed mostly for the male anatomy.
The anatomy of a woman, including their lower back, pelvis, and thighs, is constructed differently from a man, primarily because a woman’s pelvis must allow a baby to fit through the birth canal. Because of this, women will tend to have different physical difficulties when learning to ride, and it follows that riding techniques that work for men don’t always work for women. The saddle structure is critical in preventing discomfort or harming women riding.
A woman’s pelvis is designed to allow childbirth, so it is larger and broader than a man’s. Her pin bones (ischium) are further forward and wider apart than a man’s, and the pubic bone (pubic symphysis) at the front of the pelvis is further forward and sits lower. The portion of bone that joins these 2 points (inferior pubic ramus), is closer to horizontal than a man’s and makes more contact when sitting. Also, the placement of her hip socket (acetabulum) where the femurs are attached, is wider than a man’s, and women have more muscle on the inside of the thigh as opposed to a man’s located more toward the back. As a result, women’s femurs start wider at the pelvis and angle inward at the knees (Q angle).
A woman sitting in a man’s saddle often finds the twist too wide. (When looking at the saddle from above, it’s the narrow part of the seat just behind the swell.) This will cause her knees and hence her toes to stick out (potentially spurs in). A woman may also be inclined to sit in more of a chair position to find a comfortable position for her hip joints, putting her out of alignment for a balanced ride. Additionally, she may find that the seat rises in the front such that it causes pressure on the pubic area. Remember, the female pubic bone sits further forward & lower than a man’s. Seams in the saddle seat may be right where her pelvic bones make contact with the saddle, as a man’s pelvic contact is much narrower.
The hip sockets, lower spine, and seat bones of males and females function differently in the saddle. A man’s anatomical construction makes sitting trot and canter easier for him than for a female rider. Regarding the position of the rider, it is easier for a man to rest the inner surface of his thigh flat against the saddle since the hip sockets face more to the front than in women. Women’s thighbones tend to slant in from hips to knees. In a saddle built for women, the stirrup bars need to be placed differently from a saddle built for a man. Since most saddles are “male” saddles, it then seems that women are at a disadvantage due to their physical attributes and the features that are or aren’t in a standard saddle model.
So how can top female riders have the ability to win gold in a saddle built for men? Probably because they are talented and have a pelvic shape which allows them to sit more comfortably in a man’s saddle than most other women.
Aligning your spine, hips, knees, and ankles puts you in the correct riding position on the horse. And not having to accentuate the angles of your joints more than necessary when sitting in the saddle will prevent joint pain.
Feel the importance of alignment: Stand on the ground with your feet apart. Bend your knees several times as if you were posting the trot. Now sit on a mid-height stool with your feet apart but not aligned under your hips. Try “posting” from this position. Which feels easier? Most saddles do not allow the rider to adjust to achieve alignment. Alignment is a key component in avoiding stress on joints when riding.
Riders come in all shapes and sizes; what works for your friend or your trainer may not work for you. Male or female, big or little booty, natural lower spine curvature or very little, etc., are all different. Rider fit is also important to your horse; a saddle that doesn’t fit you properly will affect your balance, which will cause the horse to compensate or move differently. Our saddles can be adjusted to fine-tune fit for the rider.
Tush-Cush Seat Shims – Our saddle seat leather lifts, so you can place saddle shims under your saddle seat to contour the fit to your preference. The width of the saddle twist is critical to hip joint comfort. With our seat shimming system, you can make the seat twist feel as wide or narrow as you like. A thin shim under the top of your thigh can make an incredible difference in the angle and how your hips feel when sitting in the saddle seat. Shims under your seat allow you to position your pelvis in a neutral position, neither tilted forward nor back. Place the pocket where you like it by adjusting the shim.
Stirrup Leathers – Our stirrup leathers are attached with hook and loop fabric under the seat. This allows the rider to adjust their stirrups forward or back to position their legs and feet under them for optimal balance. Stirrups too far back will cause the rider to tip forward. Stirrups too far ahead, and the rider will have more of a chair position, often leading to bracing and sitting more on the cantle, which can be uncomfortable for the horse. Together, the seat shims and adjustable stirrups allow you to align your body to reduce stress on your joints and spine.
Feel the importance of alignment: Stand on the ground with your feet apart. Bend your knees several times as if you were posting the trot. Now sit on a mid-height stool with your feet apart but not aligned under your hips. Try “posting” from this position. Which feels easier? Most saddles do not allow the rider to adjust to achieve alignment. Alignment is a key component in avoiding stress on joints.
The seat size should allow you to sit in the middle of the seat with approximately 2 fingers width space between the swell and your thigh. The back of your seat to the cantle should be approximately 4”. If you ride with your feet out in front of you, a larger seat will be required than if you ride with your feet under you.
Most women don’t know that a western saddle can be comfortable! – It seems obvious, but women are built differently from men. That being said, why have women been riding in saddles built by men, for men, for so long? We have Saddles Built for Women, and a western saddle can be comfortable for women!
A brief summation of female/male pelvic differences – A woman’s pelvis is designed to allow for childbirth, so it is larger and broader than a man’s. Her pin bones (ischium) are further forward and wider apart than a man’s, and the pubic bone (pubic symphysis) at the front of the pelvis is further forward and sits lower. The portion of bone that joins these 2 points (inferior pubic ramus) is closer to horizontal than a man’s and makes more contact when sitting. Also, the placement of her hip socket (acetabulum), where the femurs are attached, is wider than a man’s, and women have more muscle on the inside of the thigh as opposed to a man’s located more toward the back. As a result, women’s femurs start wider at the pelvis and angle inward at the knees (Q angle).
A woman in a man’s saddle – A woman sitting in a man’s saddle often finds the twist too wide. (When looking at the saddle from above, it’s the narrow part of the seat just behind the swell.) This will cause her knees and hence her toes to stick out (potentially spurs in). A woman may also be inclined to sit in more of a chair position to find a comfortable position for her hip joints, putting her out of alignment for a balanced ride. Additionally, she may find that the seat rises in the front such that it causes pressure on the pubic area. Remember, the female pubic bone sits further forward & lower than a man’s. Seams in the saddle seat may be right where her pelvic bones make contact with the saddle, as a man’s pelvic contact is much narrower.
A seat built for women – Easy Fit Saddles have considered all of these physical characteristics and built a saddle seat for women. It is wide where it needs to be and narrow where it needs to be. Padding and relief points have been carefully considered. It is comfortable for all the pelvic bones to make contact with the saddle seat, and hip sockets will not be strained. Bulk has been minimized under the leg to keep the twist narrow and allow for close contact.
Customization – Not all women are built the same and come from various riding backgrounds, so some customization is required. With this in mind, we have incorporated a few more features to enhance comfort further. The first is a variety of shim pads available to place under the seat cover. These pads can be moved to change the seat’s shape until the rider finds their optimum comfort and balance point. Second, fenders can easily be moved forward or back so that the leg and foot are at the most optimal angle for comfort and alignment.*
Lightweight – Our saddles have one more feature that most women love – our saddles are lightweight. With stirrups and girth, they weigh in at just over 20 pounds. No more struggling to heft a saddle up onto your horse.
Easy Fit Saddles have built a saddle that is comfortable for women. We have used modern materials, providing our riders with a robust and durable product that is innovative on the inside with a traditional look on the outside, and we think you will love it!
*We can also customize to fit men.
Our stirrups can be lengthened and shortened and moved forward and back.
To change length, unbuckle the hobble strap just above the stirrup. The fender will now slide up and down on the stirrup strap. Twist the T-buckle 90 degrees and pull it from the slot. Reinsert the T-buckle into the desired position. Re-buckle the hobble strap, ensuring that you have put it through both the slot in the fender and the stirrup twister. The tighter the hobble strap, the better the stirrup twister will work.
To change the position of the stirrups forward or back, start by lifting the saddle seat. Follow the piece of Velcro down the side until you find the pull tab to lift the Velcro. It may be somewhat tucked under the tree. Lift the Velcro and move it to the desired position. ¼” can make a big difference, so do this in small increments. There is centerline stitching on the strap to help you keep it even from side to side. Press the Velcro back down, tuck the pull tabs in, and put the seat cover back down.
We suggest you try your stirrups in various positions in conjunction with the seat shim until you get it right. If you’re falling forward, your stirrups could be too far back, and/or your seat shim is too far back.
Your saddle has a seat shim that can be positioned to your preference. It allows you to put the pocket where you want it. Pushing the shim back up toward the cantle will cause your pelvis to tilt forward. Sliding it forward will cause your pelvis to tilt backward. You want to sit in the centre of the seat, not back on the cantle.
If your saddle has a short seat, you may find that the rise in the front of the seat is too steep and pressing on your pubic area. You can trim the front of the shim off, reducing the seat’s rise.
If you have very narrow hips or have hip problems, try using a thicker shim (even ¼” will make a difference). It will lift you a bit and make the saddle feel narrower.
If asymmetrical, you can put a small shim under one seat bone or even offset your stirrups to get your level in the saddle.
We suggest you try the shim in various positions in conjunction with the stirrup strap until you get it right. Ride for 15 minutes, then make changes and ride again. You will soon figure out where you feel most balanced. Have someone on the ground check you for alignment.
The hook and loop tape, not Velcro, is covered by the seat, so it collects very little debris, and what does collect can be easily cleaned with gentle sweeping action with a wire brush on the hook side and by using a vacuum on the loop side.
The tape is rated for 1000 pulls, but once you get your stirrups positioned where you like them, you won’t change them often.
Using suitable glue and staples as a mechanical fastener was the strongest method of attaching the hook and loop tape (tested to 2000 lbs).
We offer a plastic twister to connect the stirrup to the strap to pre-turn the stirrup; I also make the twister in an angle version to twist and angle the stirrups, which makes it easy on the knees and ankles.
- Their current saddle – muscle memory says it fits perfectly, rider’s acceptance of new ideas, are the benefits worth the cost & inconvenience of getting a new saddle.
- Position of the rider in the saddle – bracing against the cantle, leaning ahead, chasing stirrups, size of the rider muscle and padding- can place them in a different part of the saddle.
- Horses’ back length and/or whither length makes it difficult to provide enough flat seat area to accommodate proper seat area.
- Stirrup angle– Turning the fender puts pronation,https://easyfitsaddles.com/saddle-fit-for-the-rider/ and foot placement can influence thigh angle.
- The stirrup strap position is correct for the rider alignment.
- Stirrup length.
- Western saddle, the bulk of rigging, stirrup strap leather widening the saddle.
- No support for the thigh under the seat jockey. The seat jockey comes off an elevated seat and offers no support to the thigh.
- The seat height needs to rise to make the horse width comfortable for the rider.
- Rider thigh muscling, padding and Q angle.
- Neutral pelvis angle, how to measure and support.
- We are utilizing the back curvature to absorb movement.
- Most riders’ centre of gravity to the right pulls the torso forward and over.
- Most horses are asymmetrical to the left, with the shoulder rotated ahead
- Hip and/or foot stability problems, the right side is stronger and more prominent.
- Pelvis contact with the seat – seat width, balance the rider side to side and variable support for the pelvis front to back.
- Proper range of rider motion through various gaits.
- Hip, knee replacement and its effect on saddle fit.
Then get into the issues with fitting the horse. This is where a continuously adjustable piece of kit is potentially a great idea, and understanding that saddle fitting is a never-ending continuum. It comes down to working through what you can measure and modify. Create a series of tools to measure, software to record and recommend a good starting point. Easy to say, but a lot of work to create. If we believe that the rest of the horse world will follow the English model, that fit is important for top performance, then a fitting system similar to the bike model will be in demand.
Yes, They are adjustable for both horse and rider.
Custom Western Saddles
You’ll Love How We Build Saddles
At Easy Fit, we know a lot about custom western saddles. We’re known for top-quality, lightweight western saddles for women and men. And for our great fit for both horse and rider.
That’s why we take time to measure your horse and make a saddle tree that fits. Next, we make the saddle adjustable so that it continues to fit both of you. Then you make it your own with a selection of hundreds of options.
More than just another
pretty saddle!
Our saddles are COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE, so you can achieve that One-Of-A-Kind look you desire. If you’ve browsed our saddle gallery and found a saddle you like but doesn’t have the options you want, book a call.
Or fill out our no-obligation form for a quote on your next saddle.
