Saddle fit on a young horse?

Question

I have a Paint that turned 3 in July. She has not been worked under saddle yet, but I am planning to start in the very near future. If I get her a saddle that fits well now, will it still fit in a year or two? When do horses stop growing, exactly? (I am planning on going western, if that makes a difference)

Answer 1

Horses usually stop growing from 5-6 yrs...I've had my barrel saddle on about 10 different horses, and it fits them all correctly....it just depends on the saddle, some will flex a little to conform to the horse, others will pinch or flatten out...yuck....if you are concerned about her outgrowing her saddle, maybe buy a used one for now until she stops growing and then buy a newer one (if you have too...)  

Good Luck & Happy Trails!

Answer 2

Horses have a tendancy to grow UP until they are 4, then they fill OUT until they are 6.  Look at her sire and dam and that will give you a good idea of how she'll grow up.  I've normally used a semi QH tree on all my AQHA horses and it's never been an issue.

Answer 3

It depends on the fit. If it fits nicely and it has a large skirt, chances are it'll last her a while. Make sure you get a fiberglass lightweight saddle, especially at such a young age. It depends on how tall and wide she's going to get, but I wouldn't particularly worry about it. Horses generally stop growing around four or five years old, so you don't have much more growth to expect.

Make sure you keep her on a balanced diet so she doesn't get too large in the girth as she ages. Good luck, and I hope she brings you lots of enjoyment!

Answer 4

At three, a horse has grown most (80% to 90%) of their height and length. Their fullness (girth/weight/musculature) will still grow/increase but  that should only affect the length and adjustment of the girth (and breastplate if you so choose to use one).

If you are just starting to train her now you should have another number of months of ground work before you should even start thinking of fitting her with a saddlle. By that time her height and length should be close to maturity.

Regarding the saddle selection: To start it is best to work with a either light training/bareback/child's saddle when first ‘gentling’ your horse.  See if you can buy a used one, because most people use one for a few months themselves and then sell it because they have no further use. You will also be able to sell it easily for the same reason.

English/western, there is no difference when it comes to the age and maturity of the horse regarding their physique and rate of growth versus the fit of the type of saddle.

It is best to work with a lunging/driving surcingle/roller/harness first. TRY NOT to skip this step it is SOOOOOO important to training your horse no matter what discipline you ultimately use them in (i.e. western, english, pleasure, performance, reining, hunter, jumper, barrels, roping, polo, dressage, racing, driving, equitation, trail, ...You name it) The basics are all the same and used by all the top knowlegable experienced trainers throughout the world for all disciplines. (DO NOT let anyone tell you different) The difference in both you and your horse will be a drastic improvement. Take time to learn about each step and how to implement it in your training. From lunging to ground driving. You will be using both throughout the life of your horse, from beginner through intermediate to advanced training and continuously in conditioning your horse. Even when they get too old to ride and need the exercise from lunging and ground driving.  

At this point you should still have a few more months of ground work while under ''empty/riderless saddle'. Using again either a light training/bareback/childs saddle before fitting her with a full size saddle, fit the lunging/driving surcingle/roller/harness  right over the saddle once she is properly 'gentled' to the saddle and has had sufficient early basic and advanced ground work,(remember to remove the stirrups at this stage of her training)

Good luck ...and remember start slowwwww  and use a blanket/saddle pad first when 'gentling' your horse. SLOW and steady with a lot of patience and you will win and keep her trust/confidence in you  forever.

REMEMBER ......They love to learn ....and are very inquisitive so let them sniff, nuzzle, and inspect everything and they will trust you and appreciate your love and patience.

(If u can not find a training/bareback/child's use as light a saddle as you can to start if possible. Then switch to a full size saddle when they are working calmly and comfortably.)      

    

    ;o)  have fun!!

Answer 5

They continue to grow until the age of 5 or 6.  More importantly, as they are ridden and worked, the topline can change dramatically.  So, a saddle that fits well now may not fit well at all as your horse develops.  I would not invest in an expensive custom fitted saddle for a horse this young and early in training for that reason.