Poor saddle fit is a major and underappreciated cause of back pain and performance problems in horses. Regular saddle assessment by qualified saddle fitters improves welfare significantly.
Saddle fit welfare is chronically underappreciated because horses cannot directly communicate the source of their discomfort. Behaviour problems attributed to training resistance, personality, or other causes are frequently resolved by correcting saddle fit issues. Localised pressure from poor fit causes nociceptive pain during every riding session, conditioning horses to associate work with pain. Regular assessment by Society of Master Saddlers qualified fitters, combined with prompt response to behaviour signs suggesting discomfort, prevents the chronic welfare compromise of riding horses in ill-fitting saddles.