Let’s clarify adversity: if you have ever called a saddle fitter and told them you were having trouble finding a saddle to fit and then the word “Arabian” came out of your mouth you could almost hear the crickets against the silence. In the saddle fitter world Arabians are known for being tough to saddle fit, not impossible but tough. Some saddle fitters relish in the challenge, others slowly back away never to be heard from again. It isn’t that Arabians are not particularly suited to being ridden, quite the contrary but the modern Arabian Sport Horse has become so athletic it has some unique fitting challenges to go with that athletic conformation and quite frankly many saddle manufactures just haven’t caught up. I thought I would pass on a little bit of knowledge I gained over the years trying to fit the impossible to fit Arabians.

For starters an Arabian horse in general has a straighter top line…please note I said in general, I currently have one Arabian that has anything but a level top line. The modern Arabian sport horse also in general has wide broad shoulders, a well sprung rib cage, a short back that is also well muscled with an equally well muscled and active loin. These horses are short coupled with well laid back shoulders and being fantastic elastic “back movers” it is amazing we don’t need super glue and duct tape to keep a saddle on them.  Arabians in general do not have substantial withers. The good news is all these features make a spectacular riding horse.

The first thing I learned over the years of having Arabians is: there is no such thing as an Arabian saddle. I know, I know, before you yell “But there is the Arabian Saddle Company and Circle Y makes a Western Saddle on an Arabian tree/bar”,  yes, I know there are companies who market saddles for Arabian horses.  That said that does not mean it will fit YOUR Arabian. While there are some generalities every horse has its own unique conformation so just because a saddle is labeled “Arabian” doesn’t guarantee its fit. Is it a good starting point? Maybe. While there are some generalities I will describe we know Arabians all have their own unique conformation, like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike. The problem is saddle fit is also like shoe fit, it must be perfect or it pinches, rubs, and shifts, and makes your horse miserable, and like shoe fit most of us can’t afford custom. If you have spent one day in a pair of ill fitting pair of shoes then you understand the importance for our horses.

I am “ok” with making  a few generalities about Arabians but remember there are exceptions and it should be about evaluating the conformation in relation to the breed not the breed itself. One of the most common generalities in Arabian saddle fitting is the fact that many Arabians have a shorter back or more specifically 22 vertebrae versus 23 (five lumbar 17 thoracic) that you see in many other equine breeds. Keep in mind this doesn’t apply to all Arabians. Another generality is many Arabians are flat backed, primarily because they have well sprung ribs. If your horse also has little to no withers (mutton withers) saddle fitting these guys is a bit like finding a saddle to fit a small propane tank. If your horse has moderate withers it more than likely also flattens out immediately after the wither “joins” the back.

Here are some examples of a true “flat backed” Arabian:

Please notice the point billet is correctly named as the billet comes of the “point of the tree, or more correctly the gullet points” while the “V” billet acts as a counter balance to discourage rocking which can cause the saddle to travel on to the shoulders. In some saddles the saddle maker actually runs the point billet down through the knee roll, this is good for extreme cases but generally overkill. Some argue that a point billet puts unnecessary pressure over the scapula. First, I argue the point of your tree should not be ON the scapula but behind it, second, I never tighten a point billet as tight as I do the corresponding “V” billet, always one notch looser. This allows for complete freedom of the shoulder while still doing its job of keeping the saddle balanced. That is just my experience, but every horse has a different comfort level and if the saddle fits well in other areas it shouldn’t be creating undue pressure. I find an ill fitting saddle that travels onto the horse’s shoulders intolerable by most horses and something that should be an immediate concern to address if your horse is having that issue. It is also a safety hazard for you, as these horses may rear, bolt, or buck to evade the pain. Now here are the most common reasons a saddle travels forward: it is too narrow, or most common in arabians, the base of the pommel arch is too narrow, or not flat enough, or does not become flat enough for said horse. If you have ever girthed up what you thought was a plenty good fitting gullet/tree, lined up with the shoulders, great angles, and then the horse walked…. and “pop” goes up the back end of the saddle, you have experienced a pommel base problem (it could also be too wide). (An ahaaaa moment just happened didn’t it?) So what’s a pommel base? Well you know that “twist” riders are always asking about? Well in the same area we develop the seats twist, below that is the pommel base, and it determines how quickly a tree narrows, or flattens. So with a rare few exceptions (saddle manufacturer wise), you can’t have a narrow twist on a horse who needs a wide pommel base. So get to yoga, start your stretches, because you bought a wide horse, and a wide horse you shall ride.

Where exactly does this horse’s withers end…oh yes about mid-point of his back. Keep in mind the channel of the saddle must be wide enough to accommodate the withers AND the spine all the way down, including the nerves and ligament that run along-side it. If you have long, wide mutton withers that taper well in to the back then you need two things, at least a hand widths channel if not more (depends on the horse) and a saddle where the scoop of the tree is slightly sloping, deep seats are a “no no” on these types of horses because seat profiles generally match tree shape…where they don’t you have so much padding between you and the horse is makes for a complete lack of contact something in my opinion you can’t afford not to have when riding Arabians…just my two cents. There are exceptions of course:.

This mare has moderate withers; they are long, but just when her withers end her loin begins! Not to mention she is a broodmare so she has a dippy back from foaling. A curvier tree was an absolute necessity on this mare until proper training improved her top line. What would happen if I put a saddle with straighter panels and rails on this mare? It would bridge creating pressure points. Also while we all know Arabians have short backs, this mare has the shortest back of any horse I have ever seen…that is a ruler 12 inches long.
Fine ok, so Arabians just need a hoop tree, a wide tree, and/or modified hoop tree? Now you are really going to hate me….the answer is not necessarily. See this guy right here is a purebred Arabian too: