How to Take a Wither Tracing

Riding saddles are not "one size fits all." A horse's breed determines its size and shape, which in turn determines which type and shape of riding saddle will comfortably fit the horse. In order to choose the right saddle for your horse, you ideally would bring your horse to the saddle shop and try on saddles until you find one that fits well. However, this is not usually possible. Instead, many riding supply stores encourage owners to bring a wither tracing into the store to aid with saddle selection.

Things You'll Need

  • Assistant
  • Straightened wire hanger
  • Large piece of cardboard
  • Marker
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Instructions

    • 1

      Position your horse on a level surface. Stand it squarely so that its front legs and back legs are evenly placed. Tie the horse or have a friend hold it so that it doesn't move away.

    • 2

      Locate the horse's scapula, or shoulder blade. This area is approximately where the front of the saddle rests. If the scapula is not immediately visible, run your hand over the withers until you feel the rear edge of the shoulder blade.

    • 3

      Bend the straightened wire hanger in half, being careful not to snap it. Lay the hanger over the withers at the scapula, bending the sides to fit snugly to the horse's skin. Try to keep the wire even on either side of the scapula to make tracing it easier. Once you've fitted the curve against the horse's withers, carefully lift it off. Take caution not to bend it from its current shape.

    • 4

      Lay the wire onto a piece of cardboard. Use a marker to trace the shape of the wire onto the cardboard. Trace from the inside of the wire to create an accurate representation of the horse's withers. Label the horse's right and left side on the wither tracing.