Sizing your Horse

If the dealer cannot come to you and your horse, then you can measure for your saddle. The advice of an expert should be your first choice however! Please call us for an appointment for an expert saddle fitting 1-866-745-6135

You will need these items to measure your horse:

1. An assistant to hold your horse
2. A flexible drafters ruler (available from the dealer or in the art and office supplies trade) or flexible wire.
3. White paper large enough to hold the tracings
4. A marker or a felt-tip pen

Place your horse straight, with raised head, on an even surface. Make sure that the horse stands evenly distributing its weight on all four legs (no resting).

How to do a wither tracing;

1. Find the end of the shoulder blade. If you need help doing this, pull the horses leg forward so you can see the blade). At the back edge of the shoulder blade, about 2" from the shoulder blade you place the flexible ruler perpendicular to the ground. Mold the flexible ruler to your horses back up and over the withers. Immediately trace this onto the paper on a flat surface, be careful not to affect the measurement by allowing your flexible ruler to change it's shape as you transfer onto paper. Mark a spot on the wither corresponding to where you took the measurement. Label this measurement A.

2. Go back approximately four inches (a palms width) and take a second measurement the same way above. Immediately tracing it onto paper, taking care not to affect the measurement in the process. Mark where you took this measurement on the horse. Label this measurement B.

3. The next measurement is at the horses spine at his deepest drop. Immediately trace onto paper taking care not to change the measurement in the process of transferring onto paper. Label this measurement C.

4. The last measurement should be taken at the last thoracic vertebrae directly under where the cantle would lie. Trace this onto paper. Mark where you took this tracing on the horses back. Label this measurement D.

5. Go back to your horses spine, and with your flexible ruler, lay it along the top of the spine. Mark onto the flexible ruler where all of your tracing points were taken, then trace this curve onto the paper immediately. Make sure that all of the points are marked on the tracing as A,B,C, & D.

Deliver this tracings to your nearest Dealer or for further questions please fill free to call us at 1-866-745-6135

we will be able to determine the gullet size from these measurement, but be aware this is only an approximate determination and the best way is to have a saddle expert be present.

email us at:

sales@medicinebowsaddlery.com