Three Counties Saddles

02/08/2025

Today I've put on my brave pants because equine welfare is important to me.... as is being kind, compassionate, supportive and understanding to my fellow riders. This topic is emotionally charged, but it's a conversation that is necessary and sticking our heads in the sand won't help ourselves or our horses.

🧠 Fat Shaming vs. Equine Welfare: Let's Clear This Up 🐴

In the equestrian world, conversations around rider size can quickly become uncomfortable. But here's the thing: talking about load limits isn’t about fat shaming — it's about equine welfare. There’s a big difference between targeting a person’s body shape and discussing what a horse can physically carry without risking pain, injury, or long-term damage.

📣 Your amount of body fat or how much you weigh does not need to be discussed. In fact, a tall muscular person can weigh more than a shorter person who has higher adipose tissue (bodyfat).
This is not a conversation about anyone’s worth, appearance, or character. It’s about physics and biomechanics (which is measurable and does not change), and the welfare of our horses.

📊 The Research Is Clear
Multiple studies support the 20% rule: horses should carry no more than 20% of their bodyweight, including tack and rider. Beyond this point, horses begin to display observable signs of stress and unsoundness — regardless of how balanced the rider is or how well the saddle fits.

🔬 Key Findings

✅ Clayton (2020) found that even with a balanced rider and appropriate tack, horses showed increased gait asymmetry, higher heart rates, and signs of discomfort when load exceeded 20% of their bodyweight.

✅ Greve & Dyson (2013) observed that exceeding this threshold often led to lameness, saddle slipping, and altered movement patterns, even in well-conditioned horses.

✅ Powell et al. (2008) demonstrated that horses carrying 25–30% of their bodyweight had significant increases in muscle soreness, heart rate, and fatigue compared to those carrying 15–20%.

⚖️ Yes, There Are Other Factors Too
It’s not just about the numbers. Factors like the age of the horse, their back health, fitness level, the type and duration of activity, and rider skill and balance all matter. A fit, skilled, and light rider may impact a horse less than an unbalanced one — but weight is still weight, and the research shows even the best riders cannot eliminate the risk once past the 20% threshold.

🤝 No Room for Bullying
There is absolutely no place for abuse, bullying, or humiliation of riders. Conversations around appropriate rider-horse matching must be sensitive, kind, and thoughtful. It’s essential to create space for honest, supportive discussions without shame.

🐴 But We Must Do More to Protect Our Horses
Our horses can’t speak up when they are struggling. It is our duty to advocate for them, to keep their welfare front and centre, and to ensure they are not placed in situations where physical harm is inevitable.

If you’re unsure whether you're within your horse’s safe load limit, consider:

✅ Weighing yourself and your tack

✅ Knowing your horse’s actual weight (not just guessing)

✅ Speaking with a vet, bodyworker, or qualified saddle fitter

✅ Exploring different breeds or horse types that better match your riding needs

🥰Let’s keep these conversations kind, factual, and horse-centred.
Protecting our horses is not up for debate.

25/06/2025

First leather saddle energy hits different when it's actually made for young riders 🤝💫

17/03/2025

𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗨𝗥 𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗦

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗗𝗬𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗖 𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚

What do you do when you buy a pair of shoes? You select the shoes of choice, try them on and then have a little walk around in them to see how they feel and fit. You wouldn’t purchase a pair of shoes without trying them on and walking in them first. We should afford the same level of detail to our horse’s saddle fit when purchasing a new saddle, or having an existing saddle refitted.

“One of my concerns is that there is a belief that you can fit a saddle statically (without riding), and from an evidence-based perspective, that doesn’t make any sense,” says Russell MacKechnie-Guire. “A saddle that looks in balance statically can behave very differently when it is girthed up, has the weight of a rider and the movement of the horse underneath it. Riders need to ensure that they are present/able to ride for a saddle fitting assessment as riders can’t expect their saddle fitter to make an informed, reliable decision based on the horse stood in the stable.

“We know that lateral saddle slip occurs during motion, particularly in walk and canter and only on one rein and there is no way you can get that level of information from just looking at the saddle on the horse in the stable.”

Russell advises that if you’re having a saddle fit done and the saddle fitter doesn’t request that you are seen ridden in the saddle, you should go as far as terminating that assessment; “it is not acceptable to be able to determine the fit of a saddle without seeing it being ridden in and tested under the conditions in which it is going to be used,” he adds. “So, that should be walk, trot and canter on both reins including circles in a dressage saddle and similarly in a jump saddle but with the added bit of actually jumping in the saddle too. The saddle fitter should stand in the middle of the arena to see the side, front-to-back balance and then in the corner on the long side to see the left-to-right balance. I would advise saddle fitters to use smart phone technology to reinforce what they are seeing providing they conform to GDPR with videos.”

There are rare occasions when you can’t ride the horse during a saddle fitting such as if a horse is recovering from injury that prevents it from being ridden, and if the horse is young and unbacked, but otherwise, every saddle-fitting should include a ridden assessment. Owners need to be mindful of this and challenge the saddle fitter if they say they don’t need to see you ride in it.

“Good saddle fitters should automatically ask you to ride in your saddle, and if they don’t it should be a red flag,” says Russell. “You are paying a reasonable amount of money for a saddle and for the fitting, so you want to know that you are getting a thorough assessment to ensure optimal back health. Given what we know with the affect that saddle fit, design and balance can have on the horse, we are incumbent to ensure that we employ the most detailed possible assessment to ensure the best chances of optimal back health with saddle fit.

“We really must work with our qualified saddle fitters in fitting saddles and avoid the temptation of buying online and fitting by a video or pictures or not at all because the hands-on skills that a qualified saddle fitter have are invaluable to ensuring and safeguarding the horse.”

We all have a duty to safeguard our horses and part of that duty comes discussions. Horse owners need to feel empowered that they can have that relationship with their team to ask that question.

“If your saddle fitter says they don’t need to see you ride in it and you feel uncomfortable demanding that they do, you could say that you want to check that the saddle is comfortable for you as a way out of a confrontational discussion,” advises Russell.

Historically, saddles have been fitted to a horse without a pad or numnah underneath, but thoughts on this have changed.

“It’s fine to see a saddle on the horse without a numnah as a baseline visual, but it’s also important to see it with the equipment that the rider will be using with the saddle because your numnah might have an extra layer of wool which may make the saddle fit differently,” says Russell. “A saddle should be fitted with the girth, pad and any other equipment that will be used. It’s a fit to perform test.”

If you’re having a brand-new saddle fitted, you will go through the same fitting procedure (as a refit) of a static and dynamic assessment, but after an eight to twelve week window to allow the flocking to ‘bed-down’, your saddle fitter should come back to reassess the fit and make any necessary adjustments.

07/05/2024

🐴🌟 Don't overlook the comfort of your 4 legged friend! Regular saddle checks are crucial for both horse and rider. 🌟🐴

Just like we have items fitted to ourselves, a horse's saddle should be checked every 6 months for optimal fit and comfort. Why? Because a well-fitted saddle ensures your horse moves freely and comfortably, enhancing performance and preventing discomfort or injury. Plus, it makes your ride comfier and more enjoyable!

Remember, horses can change shape due to various factors like age, fitness level, or even season. So, keep those saddle checks on your radar to maintain harmony between you and your trusty steed. 🌟💼

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07/05/2024

🐴 Are you and your equine companion ready for the perfect fit? Look no further! Three Counties Saddles, Where comfort and performance unite for a ride like no other. 🌟

We specialise in professional horse saddle fitting services tailored to meet the needs of both horse and rider. 🏇 We are dedicated to ensuring optimal comfort, balance, and performance for every partnership.

Whether you're a professional or just a happy hacker, a well-fitted saddle is essential for both horse and rider. 🌿 With a passion for equine welfare, we're here to help you achieve the perfect fit.

Why choose us? ✅ Expertise: Fully qualified and insured ✅ Each appointment is tailor made to suit the individual needs of each horse and rider. ✅ Comprehensive Assessment: From fitting to adjustments, we provide thorough evaluations to ensure a perfect fit. ✅ Your satisfaction and your horse's comfort are our top priorities.

Don't let anything compromise your riding experience 🌈 Contact us today to schedule your consultation 📞📆

06/01/2024

Bit of Jargon busting for you

Having a knowledge of the terms your saddle fitter might use when discussing your saddle fit will help you understand and appreciate the process of saddle fitting. It will also avoid any confusion if you have to chat on the phone if you’re both talking about the same parts!
Use our handy jargon buster - this is part 1 - part 2 will follow tomorrow.