How do make sure Western saddle fits my horse correctly?

Question

The saddle "seems" ok when I ride, but what measurements are important to consider? I have bought this saddle second hand, it is a "horse size" (i.e. not for pony/cob). What other things do I need to consider when riding on Western saddle (as opposed to European saddle)? I'd appreciate any advice.

Answer 1

This is the horse racing section.

Answer 2

Sata:

If you'r used to the euro-english fit, western saddles will look and feel odd. Fitting is a matter of Shoulder to croup,and they are made to accomodate just about anything.Pad to fit.

Girth: not too close to the arm ( stretch the leg to remove little wrinkles that wll gall)

  Length: Squarebacked is traditional for normal horses,with the round skirt for arabians and ponys.

  Size: if your used to a 17 in english, that is a 16 in stock/western lingo.

Secondhand is great, its had a bit of softening up. Try setting your stirrups with a broom handle thru them at a 3/4 turn to save your knees later.( turning the stirrups)

  Latigos: long leather strings you can tie all kinds of stuff to,like your saddle bags and water bottle,snacks and maps. I put the maps in  a large clear ziplock bag and roll them.

  Saddlebags: A few styles to choose from, everything from pack it in/out  to refrigerated 6-packs on the go.

The largest thing to get used to is the weight: average western saddle is 22-26 pounds, your english was 6-8 pounds. A good gel or fleece pad will help. I put a clean baby crib sized sheet under the pad, work horse a bit, then look and see where the pressure points or sweaty patches are. These are potential pain places and you can adjust pads accordingly.

*Glad you asked here in Horses:sport/racing rather then the horses: "pets" area. Who wants advice from a goldfish and puppy expert? Horses are a sport.

ps I keep my cell phone in a pocket when hitting the trails: you never know:)