Category: About the Horse

If you’ve ever spent months—or even years—searching for a saddle that actually fits your horse, you know the feeling. The frustration. The second-guessing. Even the guilt, wondering if you’re doing something wrong.

Many riders come to me after trying saddle after saddle, each one leaving pressure points, white hairs, or a horse that refuses to move freely. Some spend thousands of dollars, chasing a solution that always seems just out of reach.

It’s not just about money—it’s about your horse’s comfort and the emotional toll it takes on you. You want to ride without worry. You want peace of mind that your partner isn’t hurting. And you want confidence that you finally made the right choice.

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Why Saddle Fit Is So Complicated

Here’s the truth most riders aren’t told:

• Most saddles are still built to one variation of the “standard” tree shape, even though horses come in endless varieties.
• Gaited breeds, mules, Arabians, and even broad-backed Quarter Horses often don’t fit that mold.
• Horses change shape with age, conditioning, and season. A saddle that “worked” last year may now cause pain.
• Many designs are focused more on tradition or style than actual equine biomechanics.

So if you’ve struggled, it’s not because you’re doing anything wrong. It’s because the saddles themselves often aren’t built with your horse in mind.

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A Different Approach

That’s where Evolutionary Saddles come in.

Instead of forcing your horse into a rigid design, these saddles adapt to your horse.

• Flexible panels move with their body, reducing pressure points and encouraging free movement.
• Custom fitting options ensure a match for both horse and rider.
• The fitting-first process guarantees the saddle is chosen for your horse’s real shape—not for tradition’s sake.

This isn’t about selling “just another saddle.” It’s about solving the struggle so both you and your horse can move forward in comfort and confidence.

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Stories from the Barn

Every rider who comes to me carries a story.

• A sweet mare who pinned her ears every time the saddle came out.
• A gelding who refused jumps—not out of stubbornness, but because he was hurting.
• A trail horse who grew spooky and sour, simply because every step caused discomfort.

When we finally found the right fit, the transformation was immediate: soft eyes, a willingness to move, and riders who could finally breathe again.

Because when the saddle fits, everything changes—the ride, the bond, the partnership.

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Moving Forward

If you’ve been living this saddle struggle, you’re not alone—and there is a better way.

I invite you to learn more about how my saddles work, the fitting process, and why so many riders finally found peace after years of searching.

Explore Our Saddles!

Have you ever observed your horse or a group of horses in motion, gracefully moving around the pasture? Notice how their muscles flex and ripple along their entire body, from nose to tail. It’s fascinating to witness such fluidity and grace. Yet, despite this natural fluidity, we often place rigid trees on these magnificent creatures.

Throughout the centuries, saddling our horses has primarily focused on the comfort of the rider. As a result, various saddle designs have emerged across different disciplines, creating interesting and diverse saddles. Unfortunately, the comfort of the horse has been somewhat neglected, leaving them to endure ill-fitting attire unlike any other animals.

Of course, saddlers have made attempts in the past century to improve saddle fit for horses. However, there are limitations to what a rigid tree can do for a constantly moving and changing back. On top of that, horses are expected to be obedient and docile while wearing contraptions that we would never subject ourselves to.

A Look at a Horse in Motion

Take a moment to watch the video above and observe the horse’s back, shoulders, and croup. Notice how the muscles ripple beneath the skin as the horse moves? Observe how the horse travels on a curved path, slightly bending from poll to tail. Now, consider how our typical fixed tree saddles, whether English or Western, rest on both the stationary and moving body of the horse.

Saddle fitters do their best to accommodate a moving body with an immovable object that carries weight while in motion. However, there are limitations when it comes to fitting a horse while it’s in motion.

Riders often feel more secure and perform better in a rigid tree saddle, while horses prefer a saddle that doesn’t poke, pinch, or restrict their movement. Is there a compromise that needs to be made?

Will a Compromise Need to be Made?

Watch the video above, focusing on the transition from trot to walk. Observe how the horse’s hind end comes under to carry the body through the transition and settle into the walk. Now, imagine the same transition with a rider in an ill-fitting saddle or a saddle that’s fitted while the horse is standing still. It’s impossible for a saddle that’s fitted to a stationary horse to remain well-fitted throughout the horse’s movement. That’s a fact.

So, what can we do as riders to address this issue? Is there something we can do to help our equine companions carry us better, longer, and more comfortably? How can we prevent shoulder blade pinching, girth galls, and sore spots forming behind the saddle?

Spine Relief

For a while, treeless saddles gained popularity as they eliminated the rigid fixed tree and offered a molded leather seat for a fairly secure feeling. However, they provided no spine relief for the horse.  Placing the rider directly on the horse’s spine and leading to additional back issues caused by poorly balanced riders.

Panels for Horses in Motion

Then came the panel saddles, featuring broad panels that promised more even weight distribution. While providing a secure feeling with their rigid tree, these saddles could fit a wider range of horses and offered necessary spine relief. The whole saddle was effectively lifted off the horse. This marked the beginning of the evolution that led us to the innovative saddles at Evolutionary Saddles.

At Evolutionary Saddles, we have taken the panel saddle concept to the next level. Our saddles feature movable panels that move and flex with the horse’s back as they move and change shape. The sturdy yet highly flexible panel allows for better weight distribution across the entire panel, eliminating the appearance of white hairs and pressure points often seen with rigid tree saddles.