Arabian horse saddles – for the hard-to-fit horse. Does your horse have a wide, short back? This saddle may be for you. Because of their versatility, the Arabian horse competes in an array of fields of equestrian sports.  Arabian horses are known for dominating the discipline of endurance riding because of their stamina. They’re the most popular breed in competitions such as the Tevis Cup.

They also participate in endurance events worldwide, including the World Equestrian Games.   But the Arabian horse is not built like traditional horses. So, you need to buy the right saddle, or your Arabian will suffer terribly.  You need to buy an Arabian Horse Saddle.

Arabian Horse Saddles – What Kind of Saddle Should You Buy?

Saddling up an Arabian horse with a traditional western saddle is a mistake. The Arabian horse has a short, broad back and low, flat withers.  Saddles with full quarter horse bars (like the Fabtron Arabian Saddle in the picture below) are designed to fit horses with wide, fairly flat backs.

While saddles with semi-quarter horse bars are designed to fit horses with medium-sized backs. The main difference between the two sizes is in the angle at which the bars are positioned and how wide the gullet is.

Features and Benefits

Arabian horse saddles are specifically designed with the Arabian horse’s body in mind. Arabian saddles are designed so that the gullet doesn’t rub on the horse’s withers. Low gullets can hit the withers during movements and cause extreme pain.

Also, the skirts and bars are not long like traditional saddles, which put pressure on the horse’s loins and cause chafing.

Arabian Horse Saddles – Shorter Bars

The shape of the bars in a horse saddle determines the way the saddle fits your horse. Arabian horses require shorter bars. So, the saddle tree with Arabian bars are shorter, set wider, and have more curve to fit the curvature of the Arabian horse’s back.

In addition, Arabians need plenty of rocker (the amount and type of curve in the bar from front to rear), which is not provided by the standard saddle design.

Arabian Horse Saddles – Rounded Shorter Skirts

The skirts for the Arabian saddles are no longer than 27 inches and are usually rounded to fit this horse’s shorter back. The rounded skirt allows freedom of movement.

Wider Gullet

The gullet is the tunnel underneath the fork. It straddles over the withers of the horse. The way the fork is designed and the angle of the bars of the saddle tree determine how wide and how high the gullet will be.

Arabian saddles are designed so that the gullet doesn’t rub on the horse’s withers.  Low gullets can hit the withers during movements and cause extreme pain.

Now if there’s not enough clearance over the withers, it causes problems. For instance, if the height of the gullet is too low, the saddle will rub against the horse’s withers.  And if the gullet is too wide, the saddle will sit too low on the horse’s shoulders and rub against the horse’s withers.

This puts the horse in excruciating pain.

A Variety of Styles

The Arabian horse saddle comes in different brands, types, and styles, including endurance, trail, and show versions. Trusted brands like Circle Y Arabian Saddles, Dakota Arabian Saddles, American Saddlery,  Big Horn Arabian Saddles brands all carry high-quality Arabian saddles both new and used. If you’re looking for the perfect saddle fit for your Arabian horse, visit the Horsesaddleshop.

What’s your experience in buying an Arabian horse saddle? Please leave your comments below.  I’d love to hear from you.