How to Measure English Saddles
An English horse saddle is sized different from the more common western saddle. English saddles are becoming increasingly more popular in the United States. Purchasing the correct size saddle is very important for safety reasons. A saddle that is too small for a rider can make it difficult to get on and off the horse. A saddle too big will not feel secure.
Things you’ll need:
- Tape measure
- Towel
- Saddle rack
- English saddle
- Place the English saddle on the saddle rack and locate the pommel on the saddle. The pommel is the raised part located at the front and center of the saddle.
- Using the tape measure, measure from the center of the nail head to the back center of the saddle. There are two nail heads located on either side of the pommel. Either nail head can be chosen for this measurement. This will tell what the seat size should be for the saddle.
- Find the metal stirrup bar located in front of the pommel. You may have to lift the piece of leather coming off of the pommel in order to locate the stirrup bar. Measure from the center of the stirrup bar down to the bottom of the flap. This is the part that covers the rider’s legs when riding. This measurement will tell how long the flaps need to be.
- Remove the saddle from the saddle rack and flip it over. Place it on the towel upside-down. Locate the four felt dots that are on either side of the gullet (center) of the saddle underneath the front.
- Measure from one set of felt dots to the other dots across the gullet. This will give the dot-to-dot measurement, which is the width of the saddle.