Saddle Fit: Exploring The Ramifications Of Rider Sex

Over the past couple of years a large number of social media forums have appeared dealing with saddle fit issues. Unfortunately most of the questions asked have to do with saddle fit to the horse – posting pictures of the saddle on someone’s horse from various angles (although inevitably never the right ones!) and of course totally disregarding the necessity to actually determine fit dynamically. A saddle which may look like it fits while the horse is standing still may actually be causing huge issues once the horse is in motion. Another part of the equation is also usually the rider. Rest assured that if the saddle does not fit the rider – for whatever reason – the rider’s discomfort will translate down to the horse and impede its performance and ultimate well-being. Saddle fit is such a comprehensive topic that determining fit to rider is just the first part of the conversation.

One would hope that people working as saddle fitters all have a comprehensive understanding of equine biomechanics and how saddles need to fit to prevent long term back damage in the horse, but unfortunately few also have a good understanding of how rider anatomy impacts saddle fit. For many many years, saddles have been traditionally made for me – by men. Although even today there are some “equine professionals” who will argue that there is absolutely no difference between male and female requirements in finding a saddle which fits. We beg to differ. At the end of the day, although of course there are now issues with gender decisions (not getting into that!) male and female pelvises are what they are at birth – and are used to identify sex in cases where only skeletal remains are left to determine identity after death.

So let’s look at what some of these anatomical differences are and how they should absolutely be taken into consideration when determining saddle design and fit. Here is a diagrammatic visual of the anatomical skeletal differences between male and female.

1. The width between the upper inner thighs affects the width of the twist you will need in your saddle. The twist is that part of the saddle where your upper inner thighs sit against it. Because of a phenomenon called “Qflexion” (whereby female thighs tend to angle outwards at the hip and back inwards at the knee), women will carry more weight on their upper inner thigh than a man. The leg is pushed forward, and the knee and toes are out at 45 degree angle when a woman sits on a male saddle that is too wide between her upper inner thighs. The position results in a leg that goes out and forward, and it is difficult to achieve the ‘shoulder-hips-heels’ straight line. This is different when you see a woman on a female saddle, where the toes point forward and there is more upper leg on the barrel or sides of the horse.

Hip pain can result when the twist of the saddle is too wide for the rider.

2. The ratio of the length of the upper leg to the length of the lower leg will determine the position and/or length of the stirrup bar. Most women have a longer upper leg than a lower leg. The analogy here is that the stirrup bar acts like the fulcrum and the stirrup leather is the pendulum. With a regular stirrup bar positioned normally, the female’s leg will usually end up being too far forward (“get your leg back!” – does this sound familiar?) because the leg will fall according to its centre of gravity. Therefore, for women an extended stirrup bar (or sometimes even an extra-extended stirrup bar!) allowing the stirrup leathers to be positioned further back will ensure that the leg hangs in the correct position. One common result is sitting in the ‘chair seat’. Most men have pretty equal leg lengths so that they do fine with the normal stirrup bar length and position.

This saddle that was made for a man gives the female rider no other choice but to sit in a chair-seat position.

3. Women’s hip bones are articulated onto the pelvis at the joint differently. Especially female adult amateur riders, who started riding later in life or who don’t ride regularly, are challenged to have their legs hang straight, because the articulation causes the legs to naturally angle out. Men’s legs hang straight naturally, but changing the angle of the flap and possibly also the position of the thigh roll can address this with a female saddle. If the flap is too straight, the knee comes too close to the front of the flap, and in motion the leg will actually go over the flap. Forcing this (“get your leg back!” – again!) can move the pelvis forward, resulting in back pain and discomfort. Proper flap positioning is another small point in accommodating the female anatomy in saddle design.

The balance point of the rider or center of gravity is farther forward for women and more in the center for men. Women balance as if on a tripod using their seat bones and pubic symphysis; men can balance on their seat bones only. The axis of balance can be drawn in an imaginary horizontal line on the pelvis between the two hip joints.

4. One of the areas in saddle fitting where the most mistakes occur during measurement is the width of the twist and the width of the seat. The twist is that area of the saddle which is actually located between your thighs, whereas the width of the seat is determined by the space between the seam running along the edge of the seat. In the male pelvis, the seat bones are much closer together and the distance between the two seat bones is much smaller, therefore he fits into the padded part of pretty much most saddles very comfortably.

   This is shown with the help of butt casts which we use when making full custom saddles.

The “butt casts” clearly show the differences in their pelvic points of reference. The male (right) has two points of contact on the saddle at the seat bones, which are closer together than those of the female (left). In addition, the female pelvis has a third point of contact at the front (her pubic symphysis).

5. The female pelvis has the seat bones much further apart, which means that if she is riding in a ‘male’ saddle, she will likely be sitting on the seat seaming, which is generally pretty uncomfortable. Often this seat twist and seat width are mixed up, and she will end up buying a saddle with a wide twist rather than the wide seat she needs to accommodate her pelvic shape. As a result, the knees and hips will angle out instead of being able to hang straight down (remember, the twist is that area between the thighs), and she will not sit comfortably for both reasons – the twist is too wide, and the seat is too narrow. You need to look at the distance between the seams on the seat, which should be wide enough to allow the female seat bones to sit on the padding – if this is too narrow, it feels like you’re sitting on a ridge, or that your seat bones are falling off the edge of the seat.

Female seat bones (left) are farther apart to accommodate birth canal. Male seat bones (right) are closer together.

6. The last area of consideration is at the pubic symphysis. The male pelvis has a relatively higher pubic symphysis (ps) – when he sits in a balanced position with his spine perpendicular to the ground on the saddle, his ps will be tipped upwards and not in contact with anything. In contrast, when the female sits on the saddle with her spine perpendicular to the ground, her ps is much lower and closer to the front of the saddle – to the point of contact and rubbing. This can result in recurring bladder infections even to the point of bleeding. The pelvic tilt is also affected by the saddle model and the saddle balance. You want to ensure that the four natural curves of the spinal column are positioned in such a way as to act as shock absorbers – as they were meant to be. Incorrect positioning will result in the very commonly occurring lower back aches some riders experience.

The balance point of the female pelvis (left) is farther forward with a shorter pubic symphysis. The balance point of the male pelvis (right) is in the middle of the pelvis on the seat bones with a higher pubic symphysis.

7. When a male rider sits on a male saddle, he can balance on his seat bones as on a bipod, whereas the female finds her balance on a male saddle in a tripod position – which means her ps will be in contact with the front of a saddle. Oftentimes because it simply hurts for a woman to sit on her pubic symphysis, she collapses at the hip to escape the pain – resulting in a chair seat, and the coach yelling “sit up straight, get your leg back!” (or something along those lines!)

8. Besides the usual height, weight, leg measurements, you need to take into consideration hip circumference, length of leg hip to knee, knee to heel, thigh circumference, and position of leg in the stirrups for the discipline the rider prefers.

   
   

   So in summary here are nine of the reference points on the saddle itself that can assist in determining proper saddle fit to the male or female rider.

Specifically, these are the points as they relate to proper saddle fit:

1. The rear of the seat (cantle needs to be wider to accommodate a wider pelvis and support the higher (and larger) gluteus maximus muscle

2. The saddle skirt needs to be attached lower on the seat leather, with extremely flat seaming to avoid pressure and pain to the upper inner thigh and the proximal end of the gluteus muscles.

3. The twist is usually narrower than that for a man to allow the upper leg to hang straighter down and to counteract the natural turnout that occurs because of the rounder quad shape in the female rider and due to the hip joint articulation.

4. The waist seaming is usually wider and the pommel is at a much flatter angle to avoid hitting the pubic symphysis. This allows the female to balance on her ‘tripod’ of pubic symphysis and seat bones.

5. The seat foam has to be formed to support the shorter female tailbone and the higher gluteal muscles.

6. Seat size is often chosen too small to achieve the necessary support if 5) is not done properly. Area six needs special treatment to avoid any pressure in the sensitive area of the crotch for both men and women.

7. A higher cantle can provide even more support for the female rider.

8. The position of the female pelvis usually requires a saddle that has its deepest point more forward than what is found in a ‘male’ saddle. (forward balance saddle)

9. Stirrup bar position to accommodate upper leg length.

Saddle fit to horses is the second part of the equation and is dependent on many individual facets in the circle of influence to the horse – including breed, gender, nutrition, training etc. But two of the most important aspects are saddle length to ensure the saddle stays within the saddle support area between the base of the withers and before the 18 th vertebra, and accommodation of the necessary width and angle of the shoulders.

Links to learn more about saddle fit for the rider:

Saddle Fit for the Rider by Schleese Saddlery

Rider Bone Structure

Importance of Saddle Fit to Rider

Female Saddle Indicators

How Can I Tell if a Saddle Is Made for a Male or Female Pelvis

More video resources are available on the Schleese Saddlery YouTube channel:

SCHLEESE SADDLERY - YouTube

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About Jochen Schleese and Schleese Saddlery Service Ltd.

Jochen Schleese got his certification as Master Saddler in Germany at the age of 22 and came to Canada in 1986 to establish and register the trade of saddlery in Ontario, Canada. With over 100 different models designed over the years, Schleese Saddlery Service Ltd is the world leading manufacturer of saddles designed for women, specializing in the unique anatomical requirements of female riders. Schleese authorized representatives provide diagnostic saddle fit analysis and saddle fitting services across the globe to maintain optimal saddle fit to horse and rider and together they have enriched the lives of over 250,000 horses.

He and his company have been the recipients of numerous business and industry awards over the years and have been featured in the Wall Street Journal , twice on the Discovery Channel as well as PBS. He has also won a “Winnie” award for his DVD “Beyond the 9 points of saddle fit” as best educational video in 2017 at the EQUUS Film Festival in NYC as well as one in 2019 for best educational book for his best-seller: Suffering in Silence: The Saddle Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses. His online curriculum through Saddlefit 4 Life has been recognized by various veterinary organizations around the world and has been given accreditation for up to 150 hours of continuing professional development credits for equine veterinarians.

He is a regular guest lecturer at various equine and veterinary colleges around the world as well as at trade shows, collaborative livestreams and online lectures. He has a popular Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channel with millions of visits.

For more information about Jochen Schleese and Schleese Saddlery Ltd. please go to www.saddlesforwomen.com or https://saddlefit4lifeacademy.com/

This article is from the April 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine