04/15/2024
Clients will often hear me talking about rail angle and why it matters (despite what several saddle companies and fitters would like you to think).
The saddle tree needs to parallel your horse’s angles in order to avoid pressure points. A common issue I run into is that the tree points are the right width for the horse, but the rails are too upright.
Why do manufacturers sometimes push saddles with upright rails? Twist width! The twist is the area on the rails right behind the stirrup bars. Riders are buying wide horses and ponies and when they sit in saddles that actually fit, often times they complain that the twist is too wide. Some companies have tried to shave the twist width down using various methods (and to varying degrees of success). Ultimately though, if your preference is a narrow twist, you need to ride more narrow horses.
To ensure maximum stability and make riding a pain free experience for your horse, every aspect of the tree needs to fit. This includes the rails.
Here are some photos of trees on Benny’s back. He is quite wide, so saddles that aren’t made for wide horses do not work for him. He’s shedding, so ignore the hair!
