Saddles for Short-Backed Horses

A short back leaves little space for a saddle. If the skirt or bars run past the last rib, the saddle can dig into the loin and restrict movement. Arabians, Morgans and some ponies and part-bred types often have short backs, which is why skirt length deserves its own look.

Where a saddle is allowed to sit

The weight-bearing area of the back runs from just behind the shoulder blade to roughly the last rib. A saddle should rest within that area. Skirts that extend beyond the last rib are a common fitting problem on short-backed horses, even when the gullet and bars suit the withers.

To find the area on your horse:

1. Locate the back edge of the shoulder blade by lifting the foreleg and feeling the shoulder move.
2. Find the last rib along the side of the horse.
3. Mark both points with chalk or tape, then measure the distance along the spine.
4. Compare that figure with the skirt length on the listing.

This method is a general fitting technique, not Billy Royal guidance.

What the Sedona listing says

The Sedona Western Show Saddle is the Billy Royal model aimed at this problem. Its listing is explicit: "Specially designed with a 27 1/2" skirt length for shorter backed or petite horses." The listing adds that it balances the rider over the back, has a close contact cutout under the leg, and carries a lifetime warranty on the custom-made wooden, rawhide wrapped tree.

For comparison, the Pro Work Saddle II listing states a 28 1/2" skirt. That is one inch longer, so it may suit horses with a little more room.

Other Billy Royal listings in this catalogue do not publish a skirt length, so they cannot be compared on this measurement from the listing alone.

Arabians and "modern conformations"

Billy Royal listings repeatedly say their trees are modified to fit "modern horse conformations, from Arabians to Quarter Horses". Billy Royal also sells Arabian-specific tack, such as the Arabian Training Bridle and the Work Cavesson. These support the idea that Arabian owners are an intended audience, but they do not prove that a particular saddle fits a particular Arabian. Arabians vary in back length, withers and barrel.

Shortening the problem

• Seat size. A smaller seat has a shorter cantle and can free a little space. See Seat size.
• Pad length. A pad longer than the saddle adds nothing in the loin region, and one that is too thick can lift the saddle.
• Rigging. The listings describe in-tree and in-skirt rigging on different models, and rigging affects how the saddle sits under the cinch. Check the listing for the model you want.
• Check in motion. A saddle that looks fine standing may restrict the back at the trot. Watch the horse move after the first ride, as in Fit check.

When to ask a professional

Tell the fitter the horse's age, work level, weight changes and past soreness, then bring the numbers from the listing. A saddle fitter will check the horse in person and can advise whether a particular model is a reasonable candidate.

What we can't confirm

• Sedona is the only Billy Royal saddle here with a skirt length described for shorter backs.
• No listing states a maximum back length or a list of suitable breeds beyond the general Arabian to Quarter Horse language.
• The skirt figures above come from listing text. Dimensions in other fields (for example overall package size) are not skirt measurements, so ignore them for fitting.