How to Fit a Saddle to a Wide Mutton-Withered Horse

Proper saddle fit is essential for a horse to perform at its best. Poor saddle fit can cause a horse pain, discomfort, and can lead to lameness and/or behavioral issues. Finding the right saddle for your horse is always challenging, but perhaps more so for owners of wide horses with low or flat withers (sometimes called "mutton withers"). Fortunately, you can measure your horse's wither area very accurately using common household items. By properly measuring for saddle fit, you are certain to find the perfect saddle for your wide, mutton-withered horse.

Things You'll Need

  • Cloth measuring tape
  • Sidewalk chalk
  • 3-foot length of bendable wire, such as a straightened coat hanger or "artist's curve"
  • Large (approx. 3' x 2') sheet of sturdy paper
  • Medium- or fat-tipped marker
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Instructions

    • 1

      Stand your horse on firm, level ground, tied so he can hold his head in a neutral position.

    • 2

      Standing at the horse's shoulder, place the end of your measuring tape directly against the rear edge of the horse's scapula, and measure two inches back from there.

    • 3

      Use your sidewalk chalk to make a vertical line at that point, about one or two inches long.

    • 4

      Align your wire or artist's curve with the chalk line, and bend the wire up and over your horse's back, ending at the same point on the horse's opposite side. Be sure to keep the wire lying completely flat against the horse for an accurate measurement.

    • 5

      Remove the wire from the horse, being careful to keep the wire's shape.

    • 6

      Lay the wire on your sheet of paper and use your marker to trace an outline from the underside of the wire. Be sure to keep the marker pressed firmly against the underside of the wire and trace the entire length, end to end.

    • 7

      Take the tracing to your local saddle shop, or use measurements taken from your tracing to determine which brand and model saddle fits your horse the best.