Saddle Fit and the Heavier Rider

sits in a saddle that is too small she has no chance for a pliable seat and will not be able to swing through her back in harmony with the swinging of the horses back this effectively doubles her natural weight. Riding in a saddle that is too small can also cause rider health problems including slipped discs constant back pain recurring bladder infections impotence and hip damage even to the point of requiring hip replacement. Damage to the horse can include lameness sacroiliac sublaxation vertebral damage and pinched nerves along the spinal column all painful conditions that can result in behavioural issues such as bucking stumbling and refusal to work
Ideally the heavier rider should look for a horse that has a large enough saddle support area the weight bearing surface on which the saddle sits to accommodate the bigger saddle required by the riders conformation. A saddle that is too long for the horses back and extends past the saddle support area which ends at the 18th thoracic vertebra will impinge on the horses kidneys or in mares the ovaries causing significant discomfort and pain for the horse. The horse will be understandably reluctant to move forward and round his back and may react by bucking stumbling or rearing instinctive reactions to pain rather than a conscious effort to misbehave. On more stoic horses the back may sink into a swayback. This effectively doubles the riders weight as the rider becomes unable to swing with the movement of the horse using the natural four curves of her spinal column.
It is critically important that the saddle also be adjusted to the horse and that his needs are taken into consideration. The gullet must leave enough room all around the withers that when the horse is in motion and the muscles begin to grow contract and expand the saddle doesnt pinch. The tree points need to have the same angle as the shoulder to allow freedom of movement here as well think of sliding doors and not injure the horse by chipping off the sensitive shoulder cartilage.
In addition to saddle length tree width not to be confused with tree angle is critical when considering saddle fit for the horse. Heavier riders will need softer padding in their saddle panels and sometimes even additional saddle pads as long as the tree is wide enough to accommodate this extra padding. more of an issue