The best way to make sure your saddle will fit and be comfortable for your horse is to get the tree right. Our saddle trees are suited to most modern Australian horses. Our SQH (semi-quarter horse) pattern suits Australian Stockhorses. We also have a FQH (full quarter horse) pattern for heavier Stockhorse types and Quarter horses.
Wire tracings can help us ensure that the tree will fit your horse before we start building your saddle. We can check the measurements against our trees and, if they don’t fit, we can get a custom-made tree to suit your horse.
To make a wire tracing:
- You will need three pieces of old fencing wire or a coat hanger (anything that is flexible and easy to bend)
- Find the measurements shown in the diagrams. Measurement 1, 2 and 3 go over your horse’s back and then we need to know the space between them for Measurements 4 & 5. Measurement 6 is along your horse’s back (along the muscle beside the spine) where the saddle sits so that we can get an idea of the rock swoop.
- Measurement 1 – Across the back of your horse’s shoulder blade
- Measurement 2 – Across the lowest point of your horse’s back
- Measurement 3 – Across the back where the end point of your saddle sits
- Measurement 4 – The distance between Measurement 1 & 2
- Measurement 5 – The distance between Measurement 2 & 3
- Measurement 6 – Along the horse’s back between Measurement 1 & 6
- Trace the wires onto a piece of cardboard, making sure you label each of the measurements
- Post the cardboard to: Riverina Saddlery, 3/24 Houtman St, East Wagga Wagga NSW 2650