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The rib cage

The majority of the saddle sits above the rib cage of the horse. Here's what the bones look like and how they are connected under all that muscle.
Subscribe to RSS Feed The only section of the skeleton we haven't talked about in previous posts in this series is the rib cage, so here it is.  Considering that the rib… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/the-rib-cage/

Of sagging backs and tickling tummies

Research shows that a horse's back sags under weight. One commonly taught "rule" of saddle fit says you have to get a horse to raise his back from a standing position to mimic how the horse really moves. Here's our treemaker's view on these contradictor…
Subscribe to RSS Feed Way back when I started this blog I wrote a couple of posts about a study (1) done where they showed that a horse's back sags under the weight of the… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/of-sagging-backs-and-tickling-tummies/

Speaking of surface area...

A comparison of surface area between a Ralide tree, an old Bowden tree, our little kid's tree and our regular and Wade bar patterns.
Subscribe to RSS Feed Our third Principle when it comes to saddle fit is to spread the Pressure over as much surface area as possible.  Something you will notice on… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/speaking-of-surface-area/

Can the loin of the horse carry weight?

Saddle fit "rules" say that you can't have weight on the horse past T18, but almost every western saddle extends onto the loin of the horse. Which is correct?
Subscribe to RSS Feed If you read or watch anything about saddle fit on the internet, you will come across the "fact" that saddles have to stop at the last rib or T18 or… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/can-the-loin-of-the-horse-carry-weight/

Thoracic spine anatomy, movement and saddle fit

Thoracic spinal anatomy is the basis for spinal movement, which is a huge factor in saddle fit. Here's some of how it works.
Subscribe to RSS Feed We ended the last post with the idea that the shape of the vertebrae is important in the movement of the thoracic spine and therefore the thoracic… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/thoracic-spine-anatomy-movement-and-saddle-fit/

Of cutlery and saddle fit...

We are always looking for good analogies to help explain the basics of saddle fit. This is one we use often.
Subscribe to RSS Feed We are no longer building saddle trees, but we have two videos about how Western saddles fit horses available on our westernsaddlefit.com website.… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/of-cutlery-and-saddle-fit/

How does pressure cause tissue damage?

Too much pressure under a saddle can cause damage to the muscles and other tissues. But how does it do it? Guess what, nobody knows for sure... But here is the one that tops the list.
Subscribe to RSS Feed We all know that too much pressure between a saddle and a horse can cause pain and damage to the horse. In a previous post I explained why we don’t… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/how-does-pressure-cause-tissue-damage/

Is this what a horse feels?

My chair has bolts that go through the solid support and into the padding, but my pin bones find them through the padding just fine. Is this what a horse feels when nails and screws come through the bottom of the bars?
Subscribe to RSS Feed A few years ago Rod surprised me with a very nice desk chair as my birthday present.  It is great.  It goes up and down, spins around, tilts back… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/is-this-what-a-horse-feels/

Taking the shoulder to hip measurement

This measurement helps figure out maximum bar length for short backed horses. Here's how we do it.
Subscribe to RSS Feed If people are concerned about bar length, one of the things we often ask for is the shoulder to hip measurement on their horse(s).  It can be… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/taking-the-shoulder-to-hip-measurement/

Saddle fit - How much pressure is too much?

We know that damage occurs if there is too much pressure under the saddle. So how much pressure is too much? I have been looking for an answer for a while and now know that there isn’t one. And the more I learn, the more I realize that maybe this is th…
Subscribe to RSS Feed When you read about saddle fit, you find numbers quoted as to how much pressure is acceptable under a saddle and how much is too much, and those… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/saddle-fit-how-much-pressure-is-too-much/

Saddle fit and the bell curve

If I get a saddle to fit THIS horse, will it fit other horses too? We change the Factors that Affect Fit so our trees fit diffferent body types of horses - and every horse, unless they are congenitally deformed or have been damaged, fits into a body typ…
We had another discussion within the last week with a customer who is wondering if a tree that fits “this horse” can be used on other horses.  So I sent him this explanation,… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/saddle-fit-and-the-bell-curve/

False "saddle fit rules" regarding the shoulder blades

As you read books or the internet, you will find lists of “saddle fit rules”. Many of these “rules” are just simply wrong. Based on the anatomy and biomechanic information already covered, this post counters three of them.
As you read books or the internet, you will find lists of “saddle fit rules” that everyone is supposed to follow or check when determining how well a saddle will work on a horse.… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/false-saddle-fit-rules-regarding-the-shoulder-blades/

Movement of the shoulder blades and saddle fit

Since the shoulder blade rotates back a bit when they move, how come we say that the bar of a Western saddle tree should sit right behind it? Won't that cause muscle damage and interfere with the horse's movement? Nope - and here's why.
Subscribe to RSS Feed We are no longer building saddle trees, but we have two videos about how Western saddles fit horses available on our westernsaddlefit.com website.… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/movement-of-the-shoulder-blades-and-saddle-fit/

How we use the Dennis Lane Equine Back Profiling System numbers

How do we decide what tree specs will fit the horse when we get sent numbers off the Dennis Lane cards that have been tried on the horse? We did our homework and know what body type the numbers represent, and what specs of ours will fit that body type.
We are no longer building saddle trees, but we have two videos about how Western saddles fit horses available on our westernsaddlefit.com website. Comments: Posted… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/how-we-use-the-dennis-lane-equine-back-profiling-system-numbers/

Effect of weight on the horse's back - Part 2

Conclusion of the summary of a paper that tested out how tack and weight affects a horse's back shape and movement.
We are no longer building saddle trees, but we have two videos about how Western saddles fit horses available on our westernsaddlefit.com website. Last post I told you about… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/effect-of-weight-on-the-horses-back-part-2/

Effect of weight on the horse's back - Part 1

Summary of a paper that tested out how tack and weight affects a horse's back shape and movement.
We are no longer building saddle trees, but we have two videos about how Western saddles fit horses available on our westernsaddlefit.com website. There are many people who… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/effect-of-weight-on-the-horse-s-back-part-1/

Saddle Trees - from Shop and Desk

Welcome to our blog! We will be sharing with you what we have learned, both in the shop and from our research and reading.
We always like to share with others what we have been learning and doing, and this blog gives us the opportunity to do that.  We plan to share pictures of what we have been… https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/saddle-trees-from-shop-and-desk/

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