Expert Saddle Fit Evaluations
Free help finding the perfect saddle for your horse
With over 60 years in the saddle-building business, we know how important it is for you and your horse to have the best saddle fit possible. We've designed a variety of trees to best fit most horses, no matter your riding discipline. Every High Horse tree is made in Yoakum, Texas, from Colorado pine and available in regular, wide, or extra wide fits.
If, after reading our Saddle Fitting Guide, you still would like guidance on finding the perfect saddle fit, you can send tracings into our saddle fit experts for their evaluation. They'll pair you and your horse with a saddle from your chosen discipline.
There's no charge for the expert evaluation, all evaluations are done in the order they arrive, and we'll contact you with our recommendations as soon as possible, generally 2-3 weeks after we receive your tracings.
How to Measure Your Horse's Back
Watch this video to see how to measure your horse's back and send in your tracings. Our experts will pair your horse with a tree based on fit and your preferences.
Let's Get Started
Gather Your Tools
You'll need the following:
- Flexible Curve (commonly found at office supply stores, or other similar devices, flexible enough to shape to the horse's back but able to hold that shape while traced)
- 4 large pieces of paper (tracings can't overlap as we may need to cut them out)
Prepare Your Horse
- We recommend you get a helper for this part.
- To get the most accurate back measurements, have your horse on level ground and stand square. That means his head should be level, feet together directly underneath him, and all bearing weight (do not let him cock a hip) for all tracings because any other positions can change the shape of the back or create asymmetry.
- Take photos of your horse from both sides (front and back optional) without a saddle - these will need to be mailed or emailed in.
Fill out the Saddle Fitting Form
This form gives us important information about you and your horse. It can be printed and mailed with your tracings or emailed to our customer service team.
Our team will use this information to pick out the best tree possible for you and your horse, given your riding discipline, goals, and horse. This can also help us understand any correctional padding needs your horse may have.
- Tracing A - Start with the flexible curve behind the shoulder blade, the middle of the flexible curve should be at the withers so the tracings are even on both sides. It may help to mark this spot with horse-safe chalk or paint. Flatten the flexible curve against your horse's back to get the exact shape, and then trace it on one of your sheets of paper.
- Tracing B - Move the flexible curve 7 inches back from Tracing A, and repeat the previous steps, making sure to flatten the flexible curve to your horse and trace it onto new paper. Again, it may be helpful to mark this line with horse-safe chalk or paint.
- Tracing C - Move the flexible curve 8 inches back from Tracing B (15 inches back from Tracing A) and repeat the process from Step 4.
- Tracing D - Straighten the flexible curve and lay it against your horse's back, starting at Tracing A and going along the spine. Press the flexible curve down to match the exact curve of your horse's spine and trace it onto new paper.
Circle Y Saddles
ATTN: Saddle Fitting
P.O. Box 271
Yoakum, Texas 77995
We know you’re eager to get an answer, and we can't wait to give you the information you need. Please look for a phone call or email with the tree recommendation within 1-3 weeks after we receive the tracings. Our Saddle Fit Technicians will contact you as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, we cannot evaluate emailed tracings from a scan or photograph because the tracings can be distorted in sizing. With trees as little as 1/4″ apart, it’s important that we have the most accurate tracings possible, so we require hard copies mailed to us.