How to Prevent a Horse's Saddle from Slipping

A correctly fitted saddle goes a long way to prevent saddle slipping.

Saddles slip for many reasons, but often improper saddling of the horse lies at the heart of slipping. A slipping saddle can cause the injury to the horse and the rider. The more often it occurs the greater the risk to the pair. You can prevent your horse's saddle from slipping by finding the reason it shifts around on the horse's back.

Instructions

1. Check the fit of the saddle. A correctly fitted saddle does not restrict movement or put too much pressure in one spot. With the weight of a rider in the saddle, the saddle should not show any visible signs of pitching or movement restriction. You should be able to fit two fingers between the pommel and the withers.

2. Saddle properly. The saddle should sit on the horse's withers with one saddle pad. Most horses have a triangle shape with a natural point. Adding two saddle pads, particularly thick ones, makes the horse rounder and easier for the saddle to slip side to side. The girth will go under the horse just behind the front legs. Use a breast collar if your saddle keeps sliding back off the withers.

3. Tighten the girth. Some horses take a deep breath before you tighten the girth and this leads to saddle slipping later. Tighten the girth before you mount the horse

4. Use a non-slip saddle pad. If everything else has been tired, you can use a Limpet or another form of saddle pad designed to halt saddle slipping. It may work for you and your horse, particularly if you've exhausted every other option.

5. Put the horse on a diet if he's overweight. Rounder horses have little or no withers for the saddle to mold around, making the saddle slip. Seek medical advice from your veterinarian on how much food to give your horse during and after the diet.

Tips & Warnings

• Have someone else saddle the horse. This way you can determine if the slipping results from how you are saddling.

• Ask your trainer for advice. He or she might recommend a type of saddle pad to use. You can find slip stopping saddle pads online and at tack stores.

• One quick way to get an idea of how well the saddle sits on the horse's back is to saddle him and ride him until he's sweating. Remove the saddle and look at the sweat marks made from the saddle. Ideally, the entire area should be soaked with sweat. If it's not, the sweat marks give you an idea where the saddle might be putting too much pressure on the horse and causing pain.

• If you are a novice, you should seek the help of a trainer to find the source of the problem instead of investigating on your own. He can help you determine whether the saddle fits and if you're saddling incorrectly.

References

• American Flex: Trouble Shooting Concerns

Resources

• Horse Saddle Shop: Western Saddle Fitting and Different Tree Sizes