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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet J / The influence of the width of the saddle tree on the forces ...
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2006; 173(3); 578-584; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.02.005

The influence of the width of the saddle tree on the forces and the pressure distribution under the saddle.

Abstract: As there is no statistical evidence that saddle fit influences the load exerted on a horse's back, this study was performed to assess the hypothesis that the width of the tree significantly alters the pressure distribution on the back beneath the saddle. Nineteen sound horses were ridden at walk and trot on a treadmill with three saddles differing only in tree width. Kinetic data were recorded by a sensor mat. A minimum of 14 motion cycles were used in each trial. The saddles were classified into four groups depending on fit. For each horse, the saddle with the lowest overall force (LOF) was determined. Saddles were classified as "too-narrow" if they were one size (2 cm) narrower than the LOF saddle, and "too-wide" if they were one size (2 cm) wider than the LOF saddle. Saddles two sizes wider than LOF saddles were classified as "very-wide". In the group of narrow saddles, the pressure in the caudal third (walk 0.63 N/cm(2)+/-0.10; trot 1.08 N/cm(2)+/-0.26) was significantly higher compared to the LOF saddles (walk 0.50 N/cm(2)+/-0.09; trot 0.86 N/cm(2)+/-0.28). In the middle transversal third, the pressure of the wide saddles (walk 0.73 N/cm(2)+/-0.06; trot 1.52 N/cm(2)+/-0.19) and very-wide saddles (walk 0.77 N/cm(2)+/-0.06; trot 1.57 N/cm(2)+/-0.19) was significantly higher compared to LOF saddles (walk 0.65 N/cm(2)+/-0.10/ 0.63 N/cm(2)+/-0.11; trot 1.33 N/cm(2)+/-0.22/1.27 N/cm(2)+/-0.20). This study demonstrates that the load under poorly fitting saddles is distributed over a smaller area than under properly fitting saddles, leading to potentially harmful pressures peaks.
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Publication Date: 2006-04-24 PubMed ID: 16632390DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.02.005Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper studied the effect of the saddle tree width on the distribution of pressure on a horse’s back. It determined that poorly fitting saddles distribute the load over a smaller area, leading to potentially damaging pressure peaks.

Study Design and Purpose

  • The study was conducted to assess if the width of the saddle tree influences the pressure distribution on a horse’s back. The researchers hypothesized that the saddle tree’s width significantly alters this distribution and performed experiments to test the validity of this claim.

Methodology

  • A total of 19 horses were ridden in saddles of different tree widths at both walk and trot paces on a treadmill.
  • Kinetic data from beneath the saddle was measured using a sensor mat placed under it. A minimum of 14 motion cycles were observed in each trial for acquiring a robust data set.
  • Depending on the fit, saddles were grouped into four classifications. The saddle with the least overall force exerted on the horse’s back was identified for each horse and used as a reference to determine the ‘too-narrow’, ‘too-wide’ and ‘very-wide’ saddle categories. The ‘too-narrow’ saddles were one size (2 cm) narrower than the saddle with the least overall force (LOF), and the ‘too-wide’ saddles were one size wider. Saddles that were two sizes wider were classified as ‘very-wide’.

Key Findings

  • The study found that narrow saddles exerted significantly higher pressure in the caudal third (the hindmost region) of the saddle compared to the LOF saddle.
  • Similar discrepancies were observed in the middle third of the saddle, with wide and very-wide saddles exerting more pressure compared to the LOF saddle.

Conclusions

  • The research concluded that poorly fitting saddles distribute the load over a smaller area than correctly fitting saddles. As a result, this uneven distribution of weight can lead to potentially harmful pressure peaks on the horse’s back. This highlights the importance of an adequately fitting saddle for the horse’s comfort and health.

Cite This Article

APA
Meschan EM, Peham C, Schobesberger H, Licka TF. (2006). The influence of the width of the saddle tree on the forces and the pressure distribution under the saddle. Vet J, 173(3), 578-584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.02.005

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1090-0233
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 173
Issue: 3
Pages: 578-584

Researcher Affiliations

Meschan, Eva M
  • Movement Science Group, Department V, Clinic of Orthopaedics in Ungulates, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1210 Wien, Austria.
Peham, Christian
    Schobesberger, Hermann
      Licka, Theresia F

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Back / physiology
        • Biomechanical Phenomena
        • Exercise Test
        • Female
        • Gait / physiology
        • Horses / physiology
        • Humans
        • Male
        • Physical Conditioning, Animal / instrumentation
        • Physical Conditioning, Animal / methods
        • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
        • Pressure
        • Weight-Bearing / physiology

        Citations

        This article has been cited 10 times.
        1. Pfau T, Scott WM, Sternberg Allen T. Upper Body Movement Symmetry in Reining Quarter Horses during Trot In-Hand, on the Lunge and during Ridden Exercise. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 27;12(5).
          doi: 10.3390/ani12050596pubmed: 35268165google scholar: lookup
        2. MacKechnie-Guire R, Fisher M, Mathie H, Kuczynska K, Fairfax V, Fisher D, Pfau T. A Systematic Approach to Comparing Thermal Activity of the Thoracic Region and Saddle Pressure Distribution beneath the Saddle in a Group of Non-Lame Sports Horses. Animals (Basel) 2021 Apr 13;11(4).
          doi: 10.3390/ani11041105pubmed: 33924326google scholar: lookup
        3. Masko M, Borowska M, Domino M, Jasinski T, Zdrojkowski L, Gajewski Z. A novel approach to thermographic images analysis of equine thoracolumbar region: the effect of effort and rider's body weight on structural image complexity. BMC Vet Res 2021 Mar 2;17(1):99.
          doi: 10.1186/s12917-021-02803-2pubmed: 33653346google scholar: lookup
        4. MacKechnie-Guire R, MacKechnie-Guire E, Fairfax V, Fisher D, Fisher M, Pfau T. The Effect of Tree Width on Thoracolumbar and Limb Kinematics, Saddle Pressure Distribution, and Thoracolumbar Dimensions in Sports Horses in Trot and Canter. Animals (Basel) 2019 Oct 21;9(10).
          doi: 10.3390/ani9100842pubmed: 31640213google scholar: lookup
        5. Soroko M, Zaborski D, Dudek K, Yarnell K, Górniak W, Vardasca R. Evaluation of thermal pattern distributions in racehorse saddles using infrared thermography. PLoS One 2019;14(8):e0221622.
          doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221622pubmed: 31449556google scholar: lookup
        6. Marlin D, Randell O, Mayhew E, Blake R. The Effect of Girth Design and Girth Tension on Saddle-Horse Pressures and Forelimb Stride Kinematics in Rising Trot. Animals (Basel) 2025 Aug 29;15(17).
          doi: 10.3390/ani15172540pubmed: 40941335google scholar: lookup
        7. Haussler KK, le Jeune SS, MacKechnie-Guire R, Latif SN, Clayton HM. The Challenge of Defining Laterality in Horses: Is It Laterality or Just Asymmetry?. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 21;15(3).
          doi: 10.3390/ani15030288pubmed: 39943060google scholar: lookup
        8. Clayton HM, Hobbs SJ, Rhodin M, Hernlund E, Peterson M, Bos R, Bragança FS. Vertical Movement of Head, Withers, and Pelvis of High-Level Dressage Horses Trotting in Hand vs. Being Ridden. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 16;15(2).
          doi: 10.3390/ani15020241pubmed: 39858241google scholar: lookup
        9. MacKechnie-Guire R, Williams JM, Fisher D, Nankervis K. The Role of Equestrian Professionals in Saddle Fit for Horses and Riders in the United Kingdom. Animals (Basel) 2024 Aug 28;14(17).
          doi: 10.3390/ani14172495pubmed: 39272280google scholar: lookup
        10. Smirnova KP, Frill MA, Warner SE, Cheney JA. Shape change in the saddle region of the equine back during trot and walk. J R Soc Interface 2024 Jun;21(215):20230644.
          doi: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0644pubmed: 38916112google scholar: lookup
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