# position in saddle



## mahalopele (Jun 30, 2013)

Hi everybody, I'm back. Thank you for your amazing advice last time; I really appreciate it! If you don't mind, could you please tell me what more could I do to improve my position in the saddle? I know my heels aren't down...

I would also like to apologize for the poor picture quality. I realize not all of these pictures are at good angles...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Are these the photos you posted before or new ones?

the saddle looks pretty much too small for you.


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## mahalopele (Jun 30, 2013)

These are new ones. My instructor said it was a 17' saddle, so I don't know what more I can really do about that, short of ordering a custom made saddle...Any suggestions?


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

That is not a 17" saddle. If it were, your svelte self would still have enough room to play solitaire between you and the horn!

Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm. How to get you to sit a several saddle with a good set of eyes on the ground to help you assess fit?

If you don't have a friend or know of a kindly older horseman who has several to let you try... Any chance you can get to a saddlery? A real one, not one of these new ranch stores that hire only part-time kids and only have two or three saddles. Or even a pawn shop in a rural area. Not sure where you are located.

Anyway, if you can get to a saddlery tell them you are starting to ride, and working toward getting your own tack. Tell them you get mixed messages on what size seat you need (because you sure are!) and can they tell what things to look for. 

Sure you'll get a sales pitch, but that's okay. You'll be hearing information that will help when you do purchase. I hope you run into some kindly, knowledgeable horsemen. 

But what you're in in that photo would make being in a comfortable, effective position difficult.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I don't believe 17". Measure it yourself:

HOW TO MEASURE A WESTERN SADDLE SEAT

A rough guide to sizing:

Western Saddle Seat Sizing Chart

Also:

Western Saddle Seat Calculator

Those guides say I should use a 15.5-16 inch saddle. That is pretty accurate. The exact shape of the seat and what a person likes will affect things a little, as explained in the horsesaddleshop link. I can ride a 15" but feel it is a little tight. A 16 inch is good for how I like to ride. Anything larger would have me sliding around.


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

Yep, I agree the saddle looks a bit small. Your heels also look a bit high.


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## mahalopele (Jun 30, 2013)

Thank you very much everybody! I'll try my best to find a larger saddle to use, as well as to keep my heels down  Is there anything else I can do to improve my position?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

once you have a saddle that is big enough, you'll be better able to sit back a bit, less on your pelvic regions.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I suggest "The Complete Guide to Western Horsemanship" by J.P. Forget. Available for $4 including shipping. It isn't 100% in line with everything I experience, but it has a lot of very good information on everything from bridling to position to types of bits to giving cues. It is probably the best book on western riding I've found.

VS Littauer, who taught jumping, said the tests of your position are two-fold: Do you move in balance with the horse? Can you give the cues you need to the horse? If both answers are yes, you're doing your part. He said position is static. Balance is fluid. A horse in motion is fluid, so we need to think about balance.

I'm very much a self-taught backyard rider. FWIW - which may be not much - I'd like to see your thighs more vertical. That would lengthen your leg, make you more secure around the horse, lower your heel and have more weight carried by the thigh than the rump. I think it also makes it easier for your hips to move with the horse instead of being dead weight. But my idea of a great ride is a walk/trot around the neighborhood. I'm not an instructor, competitor or anything other than a backyard rider.

Also, my favorite book on riding is "Common Sense Horsemanship" by VS Littauer. It is about English riding and jumping, but it covers a whole lot more. If I could only own one book on riding, that is the one I'd want.


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

I'll add one more thing....Look out ahead of your horse, don't look down at his head. I am guilty of this sometimes as well especially when I am concentrating hard on something.  If I only had a dime for every time my trainer reminded me........


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I think your stirrups need lengthened and then that will give your thigh more room.


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