Saddle Fit - How much does it affect your horses back muscles? This study tells us!

Evening everyone,

So I stumbled upon this really interesting article today titled "Exercise's Effects on Horses' Back Dimensions and Saddle Fit" and it can be found here where you can read the full article

The research was done right here in Newmarket at the Animal Health Trust by Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS, and her colleagues.

Basically the jist of the article is that when horses exercise they get greater fiber hypertrophy (thickening) due to fluid shifts and work and that the how you ride your horse, fit of your saddle and the quality of work you do with your horse is extremely important in making sure your horses can get good muscle building and development. 

This in the long term is really detrimental to your horses top line and top line is what you want in a horse! It shows they're well muscled from work and exercise, that you're feeding them correctly (just like you'd feed a human athlete with good food, you do the same with horses) and that the 

Photo: Courtesy Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS

food you feed your horse contains essential and nonessential proteins, as well as the right vitamins and minerals!

But most importantly is your saddle fitting? Your saddle might look like it fits correctly when no-one is in the saddle, but how does it fit when you're in the saddle? I would recommend regular checks with a saddle fitter. Flocking in your saddle can compress and cause the saddle to either not fit properly or cause pressure points. With work and exercise your horses back will change shape. Have you had your horses saddle checked since they're gained a good top line?

Your weight. Have you gained weight that could be pushing your saddle into your horses back and withers causing pain? 

Now that I ride Beanie I've taken a really good look at myself and I know that I'm a bit too heavy for him so i've drastically changed my diet! And in under a month i've lost  significant amount of weight. Onwards and inwards ha ha ha!

This photo I got from Nine Acres Equestrian  where this photo shows the difference saddle pressure can have on a horses back. See that square at the front? That's from a numnah tab being tucked underneath. We'd notice something as our laces in our shoe and how uncomfortable it is. Just imagine that horse who cannot tell you that numnah tab hurts her!

Remember your GG's can't talk so we need to do these things regularly to make sure they're happy, comfortable and healthy.

Bit of good for thought!