In order for you to get the best fit with your saddle and help you resolve any issues you may be having, here are some tips to guide you when saddling with a flex panel system.

1.  Select a saddle pad that is no more than 1/2" thick.  A heavier pad will decrease the width of the gullet.  Also, a thick pad will not allow the saddle panels to "feel" the movement of the horse.

2.  Place the front of the panel up on the horse's shoulder 1" to 1 1/2".  This will allow the shoulders free movement and rotation underneath the flexible panel.

3.  Off set the saddle to the right when placing it on the horse to counteract pull to the left when cinching.  When you tighten the girth, the saddle will pull to the center of the horse.  If you don't do this and your saddle is not centered when you are sitting it in, it is very difficult to get it back in place without getting off, adjusting the saddle and then remounting.  Be sure to pull the pad up into the gullet of the saddle so that it does not pull down tight across the withers while riding.

4.  When tightening the girth place your left hand against the yoke and gently pull the latigo strap out with your right hand, then up so as not to peel and pinch your horse's skin.  Do not jerk and pull as this can irritate your horse and make him uncomfortable.

5.  Tighten the girth so that it is snug but not overly so.  When you are sitting in the saddle you should be able to pull the rigging away from the horse's body about 1".  By not having the girth snug enough you will allow the saddle to "spring" which can cause friction soring.  DO NOT use a girth with any elastic in the ends.  It will allow the saddle to "bounce" which will in turn cause friction soring.

6.  Do not put a knot in the tie strap - use the tongue of the buckle by placing it in a hole in the tie strap to secure the saddle.  By not using a knot, you will have a nice smooth line from the saddle to the girth without any "lumps" which can be a potential source of soreness.

7.  When cinched up your girth should be no more than 6" away from the D ring on a Western saddle.  For an English saddle, the girth should be halfway up the billets on either side.  However, the girth should be long enough that the buckle of the girth is up and away from the movement of the horse's elbow.  Do not use a girth that is so long that you don't have any billet or tie strap against the horse.

8.  When girthed the front strap and the back strap on the adjustable rigging should both be tight.  Those straps are designed to pull the saddle down evenly on both sides to one point which helps to level the saddle and distribute the weight evenly across the horse's back.

9.  Be sure that you have the saddle level.  You should be able to stand up in the stirrups and not be pitched forward to backward.  If you can be then you aren't level.  This means moving the saddle more forward or backwards.  You may also have to adjust the rigging.  Ideally the girth should come about 2" behind the horse's front shoulder.

10.  Step up into the saddle and reach down and check the girth tightness.  Once you sit in the saddle it will flex and drop to the horse's back which will in turn seat the saddle (like a gasket) and loosen the rigging.  This is especially important with a new saddle that is not broken in.  It is not unusual to be able to tighten up another 4-5 holes once you sit in a new saddle.  A saddle that seems tight from the ground will invariable be much looser than you thought once you've mounted and the horse gets sweaty.  On a flex panel saddle, a loose cinch can cause the saddle to bounce which can cause loin rubbing and girth chaffing.  The panels are designed to be ridden snugly against the horse's back.

If you can't tighten the girth from the saddle, have someone else do it for you.  If you get off to do it, it will come back up and tighten up.  If you get off of your horse for lunch or a break, be sure to loosen up the girth to allow your horse to be comfortable with your weight out of the saddle.

Using the Adjustable Rigging

1.  First locate the back edge of the horse's scapula (shoulder blade) and place the saddle so the TREE of the saddle is behind this point.  If you are having a difficult time finding the back edge of the scapula, ask someone to pick up the horse's front leg and stretch it forward while your hand is on one shoulder.  You will be able to feel it move and find the back edge.  On most horses proper placement of the saddle will position the front edge of the FLEX PANEL sitting slightly over the rear of the scapula (about one inch).  The flex panels will allow the shoulder to rotate and move comfortably under the saddle.

2.  Start with the adjustable rigging in the 7/8" position.  This position will have one hole showing behind the Blevins buckle of the adjustment strap.  Make certain both sides are set at the same position.

3.  Making sure you have the saddle in the correct position with the TREE behind the horse's shoulder, tighten the girth slowly, checking to see if the girth is falling in the girth groove a few inches behind the horse's elbow.  You want to avoid having the horse's elbow bump into the girth while moving as to prevent soring.

4.  If the girth is not in the correct position, you may adjust the rigging forward or back based on the horse's conformation, making certain both sides are even.  The position with no holes showing behind the Blevins is the full position, 7/8" has one hole, 3/4" has two holes and the center fire position has thee holes showing.

5.  You may find the most often used position is the 7/8" position with some horses needing the 3/4" or center fire position depending on their conformation.  You will also find that a back cinch is optional because the rigging is attached to the tree at both ends of the bars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the saddle always seem to fall to one side over the other, no matter how tight you make your girth?
Do the balls of your feet burn when you ride?
Do you feel like you are riding with a hollow back?
Do you feel as if you are falling forward?
Is it easier to post to one diagonal than the other?
Does your hose prefer to take one lead over the other?
Does he track up more on one side in the rear than the other?
Does your horse have swirls or broken hair on the back after riding?  Perhaps more on one side than the other?