Sweet Seat Saddle LLC

08/03/2026

Angle vs Width
This is an under discussed and under educated point of saddle fit. Shoulder angle and shoulder width are so often lumped together as one thing, but they are two very different and very important considerations in saddle fit. They are two different planes of measurement. Either one can be too wide or too narrow. One can be too wide while other is too narrow.

The most common incorrect fit I come across is a saddle that is too narrow in width and too wide in angle. I see this in all disciplines. If you subscribe to the belief that saddle angle should match wither angle then you may not see anything wrong with that. But, if you believe that saddle angle should match shoulder angle then you will see this all the time. In my opinion the shoulder must have the freedom to move back and forth and so the saddle angle needs to match the shoulder angle.

There is a lot of discussion about long vs short tree points. While I think tree point length does need to be taken into consideration, I believe it can be either one depending on the horse. I believe the problem lies more in the incorrect angle than in the length of tree point.

If the saddle is too narrow in width and too wide in angle then there will be more pressure along the top of the panel. The weight distribution will not be even on the whole panel which is one of the main goals of correct saddle fit. I believe this is what is causing a lot muscle atrophy and other fitting issues, not the tree point length alone.

Making sure you find a saddle with correct width AND angle is essential to a well fitting saddle.

07/26/2026

I am often asked about sweat patterns, here is some good information:

Walk into almost any tack room and you'll hear someone say, "The sweat marks look even, so the saddle fits." Equally, a dry patch is often immediately blamed on a pressure point.The reality is far more interesting.Sweat patterns can provide valuable information, but they cannot tell you whether a sa...

07/22/2026

So excited to have had the opportunity to participate in a dissection through the Vluggen Institute in FL. Learning so much about how saddle fit affects horses on the inside! Excited to have many of my theories confirmed. And bonus Clayton Wilbur of Florida Farrier Service was also there to teach just some of his wisdom on feet. Grateful to my partner in crime Shell Shoff for her friendship, hospitality and hauling my rear end back and forth to the airports! (Just a few photos are of actual dissection so caution if you’re sensitive)

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July!! 🇺🇸

06/11/2026

The Great Saddle Slip Mystery🔍

Your saddle slips to the left.

So naturally, you buy a new girth.

It still slips.🤨

So you buy a fancy anatomical girth, a non-slip saddle pad, and perhaps a breastplate with enough straps to secure a small aircraft.

It still slips.😠

So you call a saddle fitter.

Then another saddle fitter.

Then one recommended by a friend who swears they transformed her horse's life.

It still slips.😖

At this point, many horse owners begin to suspect that they're somehow destined to spend the rest of their life searching for the mythical saddle setup that stays exactly where it should.

But before you spend another dollar on tack or lose respect for your latest saddle-fitter, let me tell you about some fascinating research by Line Greve and Sue Dyson.🤓

Because what they discovered put some very important information on the table to consider when you have a saddle slip issue.

The researchers investigated horses with persistent saddle slip and found that many of them had underlying hindlimb lameness.

Now, stay with me if you just rolled your eyes and think this isn't you case because your horse is clearly NOT lame....

The type of lameness identified was not the obvious kind where the horse is hopping around on three legs.

The subtle kind.🤔

The sort of issue that can quietly affect performance, behaviour, balance, and movement long before anyone recognises it as a soundness problem.

Why?

Because horses with discomfort or dysfunction or weakness in a hind leg often alter the way they move. They redistribute load, change how they push off the ground, and compensate through their body. Those altered forces travel through the horse's back and can gradually push the saddle off centre.

This doesn't just apply to horses with obvious injuries. It can occur in horses with mild lameness, asymmetries, weakness, developmental immaturity, or conditions affecting structures such as the stifle, sacroiliac region, suspensory apparatus, or other parts of the hind limb.

Now here's the part that many people find surprising.

The researchers found that saddle slip was actually associated with well-balanced saddles that had even contact and good flocking.😲

In other words, a saddle that slips isn't necessarily poorly fitted.

In fact, if you've had the saddle checked, adjusted, reflocked, replaced, and the problem keeps returning, there may be something else worth investigating.

The most compelling finding came when the researchers identified the source of the hindlimb pain and used diagnostic nerve blocks to remove the discomfort.

The saddle slip disappeared in 97% of cases.😱

Read that again.

Ninety-seven percent.😱

The saddle didn't change.

The girth didn't change.

The saddle pad didn't change.

The horse's movement changed.🤯

That's a pretty powerful clue.😎

One of the biggest challenges with horses is that we often focus on the symptom we can see rather than the cause we can't.

The slipping saddle becomes the problem.

The canter transition becomes the problem.

The spooky behaviour becomes the problem.

The horse drifting through the shoulder becomes the problem.

But sometimes these things are not separate problems at all.

Sometimes they are all clues pointing towards the same underlying issue.

So if your saddle consistently slips despite multiple fitting assessments and equipment changes, it may be worth considering whether your horse is trying to tell you something.

And if that saddle slip is accompanied by things like:
- Canter difficulties
- Resistance under saddle
- Reactive or spooky behaviour
- Struggles with engagement
then the possibility of an underlying soundness issue becomes even more important to investigate.⚠️

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned working with horses is that behaviour, performance, and movement are often connected in ways that aren't immediately obvious.

A slipping saddle may not always indicate a soundness issue...sometimes it can be a YOU issue, but that is for another article another day.

But if it keeps happening despite your best efforts to fix it, it might be worth looking beyond the saddle.💡

Sometimes the saddle is not the problem.

It's the clue.

References
Greve, L., & Dyson, S. J. (2013). An Investigation of the Relationship Between Hindlimb Lameness and Saddle Slip. Equine Veterinary Journal, 45(5), 570-577.
Greve, L., & Dyson, S. J. (2014). The Interrelationship of Lameness, Saddle Slip and Back Shape in the General Sports Horse Population. Equine Veterinary Journal, 46(6), 687-694.

Collectable Advice 226/365. Please SHARE or hit SAVE. Please no copy and pasting.

03/10/2026

It Depends….
I’m asked various general questions all the time. What size saddle does my horse need? What girth should I use? What seat size do I need? My answer is always the same. It depends. There are no real industry standards in the saddle world. Every horse is different, every rider is different and every horse and rider team is different. Every saddle manufacturer has different specs that they use to classify their saddle sizes. This applies to Western, English or Endurance. In saddle fit you have angle and width both of which can be too wide or too narrow but they are different planes of measurement. Both need to be taken into account. Manufacturers might have the same angle but a different width on the same size saddle. Or the same width and a slightly different angle. So every saddle in consideration should be tried on the horse and assessed both statically and dynamically. Saddles are like jeans even within the same brand and the same model a saddle can fit slightly differently. That visual can also apply to seat size. I often tell clients not to get hung up on seat size. It depends on what is comfortable for you. Again a 17.5” seat in one brand may feel very different in another brand. So I recommend sitting in several different saddles so you can get a feel for what you like and what you dislike.
Now onto the girths. Different horses like different girths there is no magic formula. I have tried at least five different girths on my own horse to learn what she likes best. I know you don’t want to spend tons of money on girths, but if you can borrow some from a friend or buy one or more second hand. I had to go through the same process, but it’s worth it to see what works best for your horse. I am happy to help my clients navigate all this and more.

02/17/2026

Continuing education and learning more about the potential effects of saddle fit on the horse’s body! Whole Horse Dissection. Invaluable information presented with care, compassion and expert knowledge and skill by Lorre of Trinity Equine Services assisted by Victory Equine Services hosted by Sun Coast Equine Veterinary Care.
Our subject was donated by his owner who bravely knew that he had so much to teach us and I am grateful to have been a part of it and get to meet some great people.
(I have added just a few photos, please be aware this was a true dissection and some may be sensitive to some of the photos so please view with care and caution)

01/02/2026

Happy New Year!!! Thankful for all of you! Wishing you all a great year ahead filled with lots of time in the saddle!