More Than Width

One comment we often hear from customers is “My horse needs a wide/medium-wide/36 centimeter tree.”

And my reply is always, “In which saddle?”

Now, I’m not trying to be smart or sarcastic – I really do want to know, because there’s very little standardization when it comes to tree widths, whether you’re talking about saddles designated “wide” or “medium”, or with saddles measured in centimeters.  If you have a working knowledge of a number of different saddles, you can get an idea of fitting needs based on a “wide Albion” or an “32 centimeter Stubben” … but otherwise, those designations don’t mean a whole lot.

You see, saddle trees are sized before the saddle is built.  Trees made to British Equestrian Trade Association specs are sized according to the angle of the opening of the pommel arch:  a narrow is between 75° and 84.9°, a medium between 85° and 94.9°, a wide between 95° and 104.9°, and an extra wide 105° and up.  Saddles measured in centimeters are usually measured between the ends of the tree points … but if a tree has short points, like the Passiers, a 28 cm. will measure much more generously than a long-pointed 28 cm. tree, such as the one Stubben uses:

To further illustrate, here’s a stack of saddles.  The bottom saddle is a 32 cm. Schumacher, the middle saddle is a 32 cm. Stubben, and the top saddle is a 36 cm. Prestige:

Quite a lot of difference there.

In addition to tree point length, the type of tree comes into play, as well.  A hoop or freedom head tree that’s broader across the pommel arch will fit far more generously than a standard tree.  Remember the 36 cm. Prestige in the photo above?  Well, that saddle has a standard “peak roof” shaped tree; here it is, sitting on top of a 36 cm. Duett with a hoop tree:

 

Again, quite a big difference.

It’s the same story with saddles designated as medium, wide, etc.  In the photo below, the saddle on top is a wide regular tree, and the one on the bottom is a wide hoop tree:

 

Panel configuration comes into play as well.  A full front gusset or wither gusset will make the saddle fit a bit less generously.  The two saddles below are both the same model, both on a medium-wide tree, but the one on the bottom has a wither gusset, which changes the fit quite a lot:

 

 

 

A full front gusset narrows the fit quite a bit, too.  The saddles in the photo below are the same model, both on a wide tree, but the one on the bottom has a full front gusset:

 

So – as you can plainly see – there’s no single universal “wide” or “xx cm.” tree … though it would make one facet of saddle fitting much simpler if there were!

NEXT MONTH:  Exploring tree shape and delving further into panel configuration.

 

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