The difference is in the “rock” of the trees. The rock is the contour of the bar of the tree, and the back of the horse or mule, from front to back. Typically, mules have a straight back with very little rock. They inherit this conformation trait from their donkey parent. Horses have more contour or sway in their back when compared to a mule. Horses can range from straight-backed (some may use mule trees) to extreme rock (swaybacked).
Seat size is highly subjective and depends on your height, weight, body type, type of saddle, riding discipline, and personal preference. We always recommend a little extra room in the seat over a seat that’s too snug.
To help us assess your saddle fit as accurately as possible, please send the following 360° videos to our Customer Service team at: [email protected]
For each video, please make sure your horse is standing naturally on level ground with their feet square. Slowly walk around your horse so we can clearly see them from all sides, and make sure the entire horse is visible in clear, well-lit footage.
These videos give our team the best view of how the saddle and pad sit on your horse and help us provide more accurate saddle-fit guidance.
Once your videos are ready, email them to our Customer Service team for review.
Start by looking at your horse’s overall conformation, including wither definition, shoulder width, body type, and back length.
As a general guide:
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Regular Tree: Best suited for more refined or narrower horses with more defined withers.
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Wide Tree: Best suited for broader, foundation-type horses with rounder withers.
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Extra Wide Tree: Best suited for very broad horses with a wide overall build and round withers.
Tree fit should always be evaluated together with the horse’s full conformation, not by wither shape alone.
A Regular Tree is generally designed for horses with more defined withers and a moderate overall build.
This may include horses that are:
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More refined or narrower through the body
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More defined through the withers
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Less broad through the shoulders and back than a foundation-type horse
A Regular Tree is typically a better starting point for horses that do not have a particularly wide or round build.
Your horse’s conformation plays an important role in determining saddle fit. When evaluating fit, consider the horse’s:
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Wither definition
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Shoulder width
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Overall body type
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Back width
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Back length
A horse with a narrower build and more defined withers may need a different tree fit than a broad, round, foundation-type horse.
Skirt length should be based primarily on your horse’s back length.
A standard or longer skirt may work well for a horse with an average-to-longer back when there is enough room for the saddle to sit properly.
For a shorter-backed horse, consider a short or round skirt, regardless of whether the horse needs a Regular, Wide, or Extra Wide tree.
In many cases, yes. A short or round skirt can be a better option for horses with shorter backs because it reduces the overall length of the saddle.
Tree width and skirt length should be considered separately. A horse may need a Wide or Extra Wide tree while still benefiting from a shorter skirt because of their back length.
The primary difference is the type of horse conformation each tree is generally designed to accommodate.
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Regular: More refined or narrower horses with more defined withers.
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Wide: Broader, foundation-type horses with rounder withers.
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Extra Wide: Very broad horses with a wide overall build and round withers.
These are general guidelines, and the horse’s entire conformation should be considered when choosing a saddle.
TOO WIDE
If the front of the saddle is resting on your horse's withers or if there is only room for one finger between the withers and the gullet, that's a good sign the saddle is too wide, and a narrower tree is needed to distribute the rider’s weight.
TOO NARROW
If the front of the saddle is perched up on the horse's withers that's a good indicator that the saddle is too narrow, and a wider tree may be needed.
SWEAT MARKS
Sweat patterns can give an indication of how the saddle fits. Ideally, the sweat pattern will be even, without dry areas that indicate pressure points, areas where the hair has been rubbed off, ruffled hair, or swirl marks than indicate excessive movement. Keep in mind that damage from past saddle fit issues can cause areas of dry spots or white marks. Ask yourself: has this horse ever sweated there before? Is my brand-new wool
pad doing its job and soaking up the sweat?
All saddle trees are built to fit the average build. If your horse's conformation is outside of average, he'll need a pad solution to create a better saddle fit.