Pet Life Magazine, New Zealand Pet Life Magazine Issue 5 Summer 2017 | Page 13

of the saddle in the correct position (line from shoulder, hip to
heel for dressage; shoulder, knee, toe for jumping position). A
key exception to this rule is for tall, thin riders in small seated
saddles, which forces the rider to sit too far back in the saddle.
This creates increased pressure on the back of the saddle for
the horse, levering the panel on the horse's back
the problem. Your ASFA accredited fitter is trained to identify
whether the issue is fit, or they may recommend that you see
an expert in bodywork, an acupuncturist or physio, etc, if it
seems there may be something else going on.
Is it possible to change short girth points to be long girth
points and vice versa?
It's important to understand why we have short and long points
before making any changes. Short points are used primarily
for jump saddles to position the buckle behind the knee and
therefore out of the way for jumping. In dressage, the buckles
are lower and away from the leg.
Can the gullet be changed to make the saddle fit every horse?
Easy Change enables alteration of the gullet to fit the horse's
wither and shoulder. Gullet changes and panel adjustments
can aid in making saddles fit a variety of horses, however, not
every saddle fits every horse, eg saddles with a narrow gullet
will struggle to fit a horse with a wider-than-normal back.
Can I get one saddle to fit a couple of horses?
It depends. Horses are all different shapes and sizes like us,
which makes it difficult for a saddle to fit two horses. I can
assess a saddle for two horses and advise whether one fit
would be satisfactory – a main horse would need to be selected
with a compromise for the second horse. However, it's really
important that you understand that any changes in horse work,
feed, etc, will impact the saddle fit and both horses need to be
assessed to ensure the fit is still appropriate.
How often should I get my saddle fitted?
It is a different answer for new and older saddles. A new saddle
takes time to settle and needs to be refitted between three and
six months, depending on the scenario. Older saddles need to
be refitted every six to 12 months to accommodate changes in
work regime, diet and exercise.
My horse is really girthy – what should I do?
Girthiness is caused by many factors, and that can include sad-
dle fit. If you know the saddle fit is good then there may be an
issue with learned behaviour, or there may be something else
going on with the horse's anatomy such as ulcers or old skel-
etal injury. It's important that girthy horses are girthed slowly,
and it can help to lunge them first with a slightly loose girth
and then tighten it. If a horse tends to turn to bite, negative and
positive reinforcement can help control the behaviour. Give lic-
orice for not biting and a tap behind the lower front legs when
biting to distract the horse and take the focus off the game.
My horse has back pain – what should I do?
The first step is to have the saddle fit assessed to see if that is
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