Ill-fitting saddles are a major cause of chronic back pain in ridden horses, with regular saddle fitting assessment essential for horse welfare in any ridden discipline.
Saddle fit welfare is a major but often invisible cause of chronic horse suffering. Horses cannot verbally communicate pain, and behavioral expressions of back discomfort - reluctance to work, bucking, hollow back - are frequently attributed to 'naughtiness' or training deficits rather than physical cause. The result is that many horses work in chronic pain from ill-fitting saddles while receiving escalating training pressure rather than welfare assessment. Regular saddle fit checks - at least annually, and whenever the horse's shape or behavior changes - represent a fundamental welfare responsibility for anyone who rides. Using a qualified saddler is worth the investment.