Instructions
Locate a tack store with many saddles to look at. Even if you do not buy a saddle at the store it is helpful for your child to be able to sit in many different saddles on a sturdy saddle stand. A boarding barn with friendly people may also be a great place to try saddles if the owners will allow the child to sit in their saddle. They may even allow him to ride in the saddles on a quiet pony.
Ensure the saddle is sitting level and have the child sit in the deepest part of the seat. Ask if the child is comfortable. Just because the seat is too long does not mean your child cannot use the saddle. Check to see if the stirrups can be adjusted short enough. Make sure the stirrups hang directly under the child's hips. If the stirrup hangs too far in front or behind the child's hips than the saddle is not balanced properly for your kid and will be very difficult to ride in. Ask the child if she feels like her thigh lies nicely on the saddle. If the twist of the saddle is too wide the rider's knees will be pushed out and she will feel like she cannot wrap her legs around the horse.
Choose a few saddles that seem well-balanced and not too wide and have the young rider try each one on a well-behaved pony or horse. Even young children know if a saddle feels secure or not once they try trotting a few laps. If the child is not an experienced rider it is best to at least have him be led around on the pony in a few saddles to feel the difference. Have a professional analyze the kid's posture in each saddle to decide which one works best.
Have a professional trainer or saddle fitter check to see that the saddle you are interested in also fits the horse or pony the child will be riding. Some horses are very sensitive to saddle fit and will buck if their back hurts because of an ill-fitting saddle.
How to Size Saddles for Kids
Kids grow fast so we like buying things they can grow into, but we also want our children to be safe and comfortable. If their T-shirt is too large it is not a big deal, but an important piece of equipment like a saddle must fit well enough to serve its purpose. Sometimes you can get away with putting a child in a saddle that is too big and sometimes you cannot. Regardless of the type of saddle you choose (English, western,etc) the following rules can help you choose one that will work.