It is always at this time of year that I start to see horses and ponies that are enjoying the summer grass – maybe a little too much! Apart from the obvious health hazards (laminitis etc), it is so difficult to fit saddles to overweight horses, and saddles tend to roll around and bounce when ridden in. Although there are measures we can take to minimize saddle slippage, the best remedy is to monitor and regulate your horse’s weight. The judicious use of electric fencing can limit paddock size, and muzzles can also be used to great effect.
With that being said, today’s range of adjustable saddles can suit horses whose weight fluctuates with the changing seasons. In the old days when fitting saddles to hunters we used to talk about one saddle for the late summer fittening work and another for hunting – hopefully, less necessary now!
