To allow the best opportunity for your horse or pony to feel their best and perform at their best, then it is vital that you ensure that you allow them to feel and experience the best environment that you can.

  1. What are they thinking ?
  2. How can I make them feel the most comfortable that they can be?

What is really important with saddle fitting is 3 vital factors.

  1. The selection of the best option saddle and that it is correctly fitted and positioned in the most comfortable position on your horse or pony. This is so important and this process is essential. They are flight animals and once we put saddles on them we minimize their ability to move as freely. So our collective task is to try and minimize the feeling of restriction through the best option saddle choice. It is no longer acceptable to say that “near enough is good enough”, our horses and pony’s deserve the best we can offer them.
  2. The selection of the most suitable saddle cloth- it has to be a shape that does not dig in to the spinal processes at all and it has to be a material that your horse or pony is comfortable with. We would not wear clothing that did not fit us or wear a material that we were not comfortable wearing, neither will your horse or pony. Some prefer natural material, some prefer synthetic, you need to try to find the best solution for your horse or pony.
  3. The selection of the most suitable girth. There is such a wide variety of girths on the market, some more suitable than others. Once again research needs to be completed to ensure the best result and maximum comfort for your horse or pony. Some girths are straight, some are anatomical, there is different materials and your horse or pony will have a preference. The more free and relaxed your horse or pony is then we have a great result.

They do not have to let us ride them, it is our responsibility to ensure that we go through the 3 step process to maximize the comfort physically and mentally for your horse or pony and therefore the safety and enjoyment for everyone.

If you are not sure about any of these options then please contact us through email at gary@bonnetts.com.au or call me on 0419 860 139 to discuss your horse or pony’s requirements.

They are all individuals that have different physical shapes and thoughts, the more you can understand this with your horse or pony the better the experience is going to be.