Alliance Saddle Fitting

Preach! Often saddle slip can be helped out, but persistent slip can be a sign of hindlimb issues

The Great Saddle Slip Mystery🔍

Your saddle slips to the left.

So naturally, you buy a new girth.

It still slips.🤨

So you buy a fancy anatomical girth, a non-slip saddle pad, and perhaps a breastplate with enough straps to secure a small aircraft.

It still slips.😠

So you call a saddle fitter.

Then another saddle fitter.

Then one recommended by a friend who swears they transformed her horse's life.

It still slips.😖

At this point, many horse owners begin to suspect that they're somehow destined to spend the rest of their life searching for the mythical saddle setup that stays exactly where it should.

But before you spend another dollar on tack or lose respect for your latest saddle-fitter, let me tell you about some fascinating research by Line Greve and Sue Dyson.🤓

Because what they discovered put some very important information on the table to consider when you have a saddle slip issue.

The researchers investigated horses with persistent saddle slip and found that many of them had underlying hindlimb lameness.

Now, stay with me if you just rolled your eyes and think this isn't you case because your horse is clearly NOT lame....

The type of lameness identified was not the obvious kind where the horse is hopping around on three legs.

The subtle kind.🤔

The sort of issue that can quietly affect performance, behaviour, balance, and movement long before anyone recognises it as a soundness problem.

Why?

Because horses with discomfort or dysfunction or weakness in a hind leg often alter the way they move. They redistribute load, change how they push off the ground, and compensate through their body. Those altered forces travel through the horse's back and can gradually push the saddle off centre.

This doesn't just apply to horses with obvious injuries. It can occur in horses with mild lameness, asymmetries, weakness, developmental immaturity, or conditions affecting structures such as the stifle, sacroiliac region, suspensory apparatus, or other parts of the hind limb.

Now here's the part that many people find surprising.

The researchers found that saddle slip was actually associated with well-balanced saddles that had even contact and good flocking.😲

In other words, a saddle that slips isn't necessarily poorly fitted.

In fact, if you've had the saddle checked, adjusted, reflocked, replaced, and the problem keeps returning, there may be something else worth investigating.

The most compelling finding came when the researchers identified the source of the hindlimb pain and used diagnostic nerve blocks to remove the discomfort.

The saddle slip disappeared in 97% of cases.😱

Read that again.

Ninety-seven percent.😱

The saddle didn't change.

The girth didn't change.

The saddle pad didn't change.

The horse's movement changed.🤯

That's a pretty powerful clue.😎

One of the biggest challenges with horses is that we often focus on the symptom we can see rather than the cause we can't.

The slipping saddle becomes the problem.

The canter transition becomes the problem.

The spooky behaviour becomes the problem.

The horse drifting through the shoulder becomes the problem.

But sometimes these things are not separate problems at all.

Sometimes they are all clues pointing towards the same underlying issue.

So if your saddle consistently slips despite multiple fitting assessments and equipment changes, it may be worth considering whether your horse is trying to tell you something.

And if that saddle slip is accompanied by things like:
- Canter difficulties
- Resistance under saddle
- Reactive or spooky behaviour
- Struggles with engagement
then the possibility of an underlying soundness issue becomes even more important to investigate.⚠️

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned working with horses is that behaviour, performance, and movement are often connected in ways that aren't immediately obvious.

A slipping saddle may not always indicate a soundness issue...sometimes it can be a YOU issue, but that is for another article another day.

But if it keeps happening despite your best efforts to fix it, it might be worth looking beyond the saddle.💡

Sometimes the saddle is not the problem.

It's the clue.

References
Greve, L., & Dyson, S. J. (2013). An Investigation of the Relationship Between Hindlimb Lameness and Saddle Slip. Equine Veterinary Journal, 45(5), 570-577.
Greve, L., & Dyson, S. J. (2014). The Interrelationship of Lameness, Saddle Slip and Back Shape in the General Sports Horse Population. Equine Veterinary Journal, 46(6), 687-694.

Collectable Advice 226/365. Please SHARE or hit SAVE. Please no copy and pasting.

🐎May is nearly over, and June is already looking very busy!🐎

I’ll be heading off on a long overdue holiday to 🇮🇹 for 3 weeks in July, so if you think you may need an appointment before then, please get in touch as soon as possible so I can try to fit you in before I go away ✈️

Ensuring your horse’s comfort and helping you both perform at your very best is always my priority
Pictured is Leona & Hardy getting their dressage saddle checked - and a new jump saddle fitted! A glorious summer evening in remote Yorkshire!
☀️

☣️BIOSECURITY NOTICE☣️

Please, please, please — if your horse is showing any symptoms of illness or disease, let me know prior to your appointment so we can rearrange if needed.

Including but not limited to:

👉 High temperature
👉 Abnormal lethargy
👉 Nasal discharge
👉 Respiratory distress (coughing etc)
👉 Loss of appetite
👉 New skin lesions

Equine Flu is becoming far too close for comfort to the Durham area.

I do my part by disinfecting myself and my kit wherever possible, but diseases such as Equine Flu are highly contagious and can spread incredibly quickly between yards and horses.

Protecting everyone’s horses has to be a team effort, so please be honest about any symptoms or recent exposure before your appointment. Thank you for helping keep our equine community safe 🐴

Just a quick reminder that by booking an appointment with me, you agree to my cancellation policy.

Recently, I’ve had a number of last-minute cancellations, which has meant I’ve missed the opportunity to offer those slots to other clients—some of whom are waiting weeks for an appointment. Because of this, I’ll be reinforcing the policy moving forward.

I always try to keep my policy fair and as understanding as possible, because I know things can come up. However, there have been a few instances lately where it’s been taken advantage of, which isn’t fair on me or others waiting.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support 🤍

🐎 MINI SERIES: SADDLE FIT — PART 5: WITHER & SPINAL CLEARANCE

Next up… wither & spinal clearance

This is all about making sure there’s enough space for your horse’s spine and withers — so there’s no pressure where there absolutely shouldn’t be.

👉 The spine and the ligaments along it are not weight-bearing structures, so your saddle should NEVER sit directly on them.

So what are we looking for?
✔️ Plenty of space over the wither — not touching or pressing down
✔️ A channel (gullet) wide enough to keep pressure off the spine
✔️ Consistent clearance along the full length of the saddle

⚠️ Why it matters:
If there isn’t enough clearance…
❌ The saddle can press onto the withers or spine
❌ Cause pain, tension, and even long-term damage
❌ Lead to resistance, hollowing, or behavioural changes

But it’s not just about what you see when the horse is standing 👀

👉 Clearance can change when you’re in the saddle and when the horse is moving

💡 Top tip: Aim for visible space over the withers and check that the gullet maintains clearance all the way through — not just at the front!

Older saddles like the one pictured simply do not have enough space for any horses spine.

Good clearance protects your horse’s back and allows them to lift, move, and work comfortably 🙌

MINI SERIES: SADDLE FIT — PART 4: BALANCE & STABILITY

Now let’s talk about balance — one of the most important (and often misunderstood) elements of saddle fit for RIDERS

ℹ️ Saddle balance refers to how the saddle sits front to back on your horse — and whether it allows you to sit in a neutral, stable position.

When a saddle is correctly balanced:
✔️ The seat feels level
✔️ Your weight is distributed evenly
✔️ You can sit in a natural, aligned position without effort

Sounds simple… but when it’s off, it has a huge impact 👀

⚠️ If the saddle tips forwards:
❌ Rider is pushed onto the pommel
❌ Increased pressure on the horse’s shoulders
❌ Can restrict movement and cause discomfort
⚠️ If the saddle tips backwards:
❌ Rider is tipped behind the movement
❌ Increased pressure towards the back of the saddle
❌ Can contribute to instability and poor contact

And here’s the key thing…
👉 Balance, stability, panel contact and width are closely linked
If one is off, the others usually are too.

💡 Top tip: Don’t just look at the saddle — check how you feel in it. If you’re constantly fighting to stay in position, your saddle balance could be part of the problem.

A well-balanced saddle supports both horse and rider — making everything feel easier, more stable, and more harmonious 🙌

🐎 MINI SERIES: SADDLE FIT — PART 3: PANEL CONTACT

Next up… panel contact 👇

This is all about how the saddle sits along your horse’s back — and how evenly it distributes your weight.

👉 The panels are the parts of the saddle that lie either side of the spine, and they should make consistent, even contact with your horse’s back.
So what are we looking for?

✔️ Even contact from front to back
✔️ No gaps or “bridging”
✔️ No tight spots or excessive pressure in one area

When panel contact is correct, your weight is spread evenly — keeping your horse comfortable and able to move freely 🙌

⚠️ Common issues to watch for:
Bridging (contact at the front and back, but a gap in the middle)
❌ Can create pressure points and soreness
❌ Often linked to poor balance or incorrect tree shape or width

Rocking (the saddle tips or moves front to back)
❌ Leads to instability
❌ Prevents consistent contact

Uneven pressure
❌ Can cause muscle development issues over time
❌ May show up as behavioral resistance or asymmetry

💡 Top tip: Panel contact isn’t just about what you see when the horse is standing — it can change in motion, so always consider how the saddle performs when you’re riding.

Good panel contact = better comfort, better movement, and a happier horse 🐴✨

🐎 MINI SERIES: SADDLE FIT — PART 2: TREE WIDTH

Next up in our saddle fit series… tree width

This is all about how well the saddle matches the shape and width of your horse’s shoulders and withers — and getting it wrong can cause serious discomfort.

ℹ️The tree is the framework of the saddle, and its width determines how the saddle sits

So what are we looking for?

✔️ A tree that allows the saddle to sit evenly and comfortably around the withers
✔️ Enough space for the shoulders to move freely
✔️ Even contact — not pinching or dropping

⚠️ But here’s where it gets a bit more nuanced…
Tree width isn’t the only factor. Point length and overall tree design play a huge role in how a saddle actually fits.

– Longer tree points can distribute pressure differently and suit some horses better than others
– Shorter points may work well for horses with certain shoulder shapes
– Different tree designs (even at the same “width”) can feel completely different on the horse

So two saddles labelled the same width can fit very differently 👀

If the tree is too narrow:
❌ It can pinch at the withers and shoulders
❌ Cause pressure points and soreness
❌ Restrict movement (often seen as short, tense strides or unwillingness)

If the tree is too wide:
❌ The saddle may drop down onto the withers
❌ Create instability and lack of support
❌ Lead to pressure in the wrong areas

💡 Top tip: Always assess the whole picture — not just the stated width, but how the saddle sits, feels, and performs in motion.
Getting the right tree width (and design!) helps your horse move freely, comfortably, and confidently 🙌

🐎 MINI SERIES: SADDLE FIT — PART 1: LENGTH

Let’s start with one of the most commonly overlooked (but so important) aspects of saddle fit… length

A saddle that’s too long can put pressure on areas of your horse’s back that simply aren’t designed to carry weight — leading to discomfort, tension, and even long-term issues.
This is where T18 comes in 👀

👉 T18 (the 18th thoracic vertebra) - is a key anatomical landmark. It marks the last point of the horse’s weight-bearing back. Behind this, the spine moves into the lumbar region — which is not designed to support a saddle.

So what does that mean for you?

✔️ The weight-bearing area of the tree should sit in front of T18 (this is different brand to brand!)
❌ It should not extend past it

Even if a saddle looks like it fits, if it’s too long, it can:
– Restrict your horse’s movement
– Cause soreness or behavioral issues
– Impact performance and willingness to work

💡 Top tip: Finding T18 isn’t always straightforward, but a good rule of thumb is to locate the last rib and follow it up to the spine — that’s your boundary line. But don’t be fooled by a long back! Emma ( pictured ) has quite a small bearing area for a horse of her size,

Getting the length right is one of the foundations of a happy, comfortable horse 🙌