Articles from Texas Horse Talk Magazine  

by Lew Pewterbaugh

March 2006 Issue

Those Saddle Things Called Bars

     OOPS! We missed a month, but I think it's important to continue our discussion on saddletrees. Old time cowboys didn't have a choice and horses often suffered sore backs, not to mention insecure fits. Horses were certainly tools to use and when used up, throw[n] away. Some of that attitude remains today. By carefully selecting the right fitting saddle, we can extend our horses useful life, make his job easier and more comfortable, also have a much more secure throne upon which to perch our tails.

     The saddletree, on average, has about 220 square inches of surface area. The idea fit is one that distributes most of the riders weight over that entire area. When you pull your saddle pad off and see dry spots, the area of those dry spots is where your saddle is concentrating most of the pressure, usually about 18 to 20 square inches. In that case, Less than 20% of your saddletree is carrying about 80% of the weight. NOT GOOD! Think of it as carrying 35 pounds of something in a backpack on top of two cans of Vienna sausage pressing into your back. Would you carry that all day? Not me!

     So what do we do? Start with a tree that your horse's confirmation. Now let me explain something; whaen a saddle is advertised as having "Quarter Horse bars" that doesn't mean it will fit every Quarter Horse. It should fit reasonably well on the "idea" Quarter Horse, but there are many different types of animals within that breed. Let's just run down the shapes of the most common Western saddle trees. Usually the shapes are referred to by the type or shape of the bars; the long pieces of the tree that fit along either side of the horse's spine.

     The standard bar tree (let me explain that the figures herein can vary from tree manufacturer to manufacturer) typically has a 5 1/2 inch gullet width. (The gullet being that opening or space between the horse's withers and the swells of the saddle, which holds the horn). The bars have a straighter angle and fit the old range horses or the ones who have been poorly bred. This tree is usually found in old saddles and ill seldom fit any of today's horses.

     Semi-Quarter Horse bars; these saddles usually have a 6 inch wide gullet with bars angled to fit the lean and high withered horses. These are often the thoroughbred or Appendices Quarter Horses.

     Quarter Horse bars; A little wider gullet with slightly flatter angle. The gullet is usually 6 inches wide and not quite as high. This tree fits a horse with good but not pronounced withers and a medium - wide back.

     Arabian bars; Will these bars will be wider than Quarter Horse bars? Yes! A well bred Arabian generally has low withers, wide shoulders, a straighter back that narrows quickly towards the croup and is often one vertebra shorter than other breeds. Because the "Arabian bar" often fits other breeds quite well, at least one company is calling theirs a "full wither" tree. This is so that non Arabian lovers will not be offended. Arabian bars are shorter, have less rocking and  the gullet is 6 inches wide.

     Full Quarter Horse bars; This is a 7 inch wide gullet and even flatter bars to fit the typical foundation type of Quarter Horse or horses in general with wide backs and lower of flatter withers.

     Other tree styles, which are readily available, are the mule, Tennessee Walking Horse, the Gaited Horse, the Draft, draft cross, Halflinger, and the pon[ie]s. Several companies offer custom designed trees, which are made directly from casts of your horse's back.

     A good saddle shop will offer saddle fitting as part of their service. You should be able to try several saddles and make sure the one you buy fits, your horses back, your body conformation and is designed to do the job for which you intend to use it.

     Next month we will continue with how to fit the saddletree to the horse's back.

January 2006 Issue

To Fleece or Not to Fleece - That is the Question

We do a lot of old saddle restoration as well as repair and the question of re-fleecing comes up about daily. Should you re-fleece your old saddle? Maybe? Maybe not.

The wool fleece on a western saddle was intended to cushion the horses back from a saddletree, also providing air circulation to a small degree between the blanket and tree. Synthetic fleece as used on newer low to mid price saddles, provides very little shock absorbency, no sweat absorbency, and no airflow.

If you have an antique or good classic saddle, as a general rule, you're better off keeping the original lining even if it is badly worn. There are two reasons for this.

   1. It's best if the saddle is all original.

   2. Many repair shops will not take the time and effort to pick out old the old stitches and go back through the original stitch holes. It's a lot of time and effort and sometimes, if the skirts are dry, the edges will break off or the stitches will pull all the way through the old leather. Some of the old saddles were sewn very close to the edge with a real fine stitch.

If you have a really good saddle of recent vintage - say from the 50's on up and you want to use it for regular riding, you may want to put new sheep wool on the skirts. If you do, make sure the repair shop you select will do it properly - remove the skirts, clean and oil them, take out the old stitches, completely glue the new fleece in, stitch carefully through the original holes, and trim the fleece after it's sewn down. We taper the wool at the edges of the skirts for a nice clean look.

With the pads we have available today, I often recommend just using a good 100 percent wool pad under your saddle. Wool molds to your horse's back, wicks moisture and allows heat to pass through the pad. A good wool pad will absorb more shock than most synthetic linings and will cost less than relining with either syntetic or the real fleece.

November 2005 Issue

Some Handy Tricks

After about a thousand years of hanging around horses, I've learned a few tricks that I want to pass along to Texas Horse Talk readers.

Do you have a saddle blanket that keeps sliding back under your saddle? Lots of folks have that problem and it's a minor annoyance for the rider, but a major one to the horse. Here's an easy and painless way to stop the problem once and for all. Just loop a thong through the front of the blanket and loop it over the horn.

Girth galls are a potential hazard for a long ride on a soft horse. If you happen to get one, here's a little tip that might help. If you have a girth with tongue buckles, remove your flank cinch, and using the flank billets, move your cinch back behind the affected area.

Remember, the reason for most equipment failure is due to lack of maintenance or excessive wear. Check your equipment carefully. Most muscle and skin related injuries are caused by improper fit or adjustment.

Your bit should draw one wrinkle in the corner of your horse's mouth. Your saddle should fit the horse with full contact  of the tree to the horse's back. The angle of the bars should be the same angle as the horse's withers, and the girth should lay a hand's width behind the horse's elbow.

We could do a book on what all should be done, but use common sense and pure neatsfoot oil (not too much) and hopefully you and your quadruped friend will get along just fine on the big ride.

Some Handy Tricks, Texas Horse Talk, November 2005.

October 2005 Issue

English Saddle Styles

So far we've talked about Western saddles, now it's time to give equal time to the English styles.

All Purpose Saddles

English Saddles are either all purpose dressage, which has straighter flaps that are still forward enough for small jumps. They are closest to the leg position of most Western riders and is best transitional saddle from one discipline to the other. Then there is the all  purpose jump saddle, which is a little more forward but not quite as forward as a forward seat jump saddle.

The all purpose jump saddle is a little more forward then the all purpose dressage, but is not quite as forward as a forward seat jump.

Close Contact Saddle

The close contact saddle has a very flat seat with little or no knee roll and generally close fitting foam padded panel under the saddle to absorb shock. This is usually the saddle of choice for show horses in English pleasure and equitation classes, but primarily is designed for Hunter/Jumpers in the arena or stadium. 

Dressage Saddle

The dressage saddle has a deep seat, straight flaps, and is designed for classical riding of training maneuvers on the flat.

Exercise Saddle

This is not truly an English saddle but is a cross between a riding saddle and a race saddle. It is used for galloping racehorses in exercise and training.

Forward Seat Saddle

This is a pure jump saddle with forward knee rolls, shorter flaps, and a secure seat. This saddle is generally used in the jumping phases of eventing and in the hunt field. 

Lane Fox Cut-Back Saddle

This saddle is used for saddle seat equitation on Tennessee Walking Horses, American Saddlebreds, Morgan, and Arabian gaited horses as well as some other breeds. It has a very flat seat to transfer weight off of the front so the horses can elevate their front.

Polo Saddle

Polo requires a bigger seat, not as deep as you would expect because polo players have to move all over the place, turn around backwards, hang upside down, stand, sit and roll over in their saddles. It is really not suitable for any other purpose although they may make an adequate trail saddle for a good. rider.

Race Saddle

The horse racing saddle is really not anything more than a pad with a little quarter tree to keep the saddle from rolling over and a place to to hang the stirrup leathers. The saddle is extremely light and has no real seat as since the jockey is perched over the horses' center of gravity and doesn't sit in the saddle.

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