How to Buy a Child's English Saddle

Buying a Child's Saddle

• 1

  Decide what kind of saddle your child will need. Most children learn to ride in jumping or all-purpose saddles (all-purpose saddles are recommended by the U.S. Pony Club), but if your child is not interested in jumping, a dressage saddle might be a good choice. If you cannot afford a new saddle, consider used saddles or synthetic models.

• 2

  Take your child to a tack store to determine the appropriate size. Your child, sitting in the deepest part of the saddle, should be able to place a hand between herself and the back of the saddle without her hand falling short of the edge or falling over it. Also, her knee should be right behind the knee roll, not over it or too far behind it.

• 3

  Determine what size tree you need for the horse or pony. If your child is riding a horse, the normal range of tree sizes will apply (narrow, medium and wide). Ponies, however, sometimes use pony trees. The best way to discover what size tree (they vary among manufacturers) your child's mount needs is to take saddles on trial and test them on the pony.

• 4

  Place the trial saddle on the pony without a saddle pad to check the fit. Look down the saddle's center from the front and back; you should be able to see daylight from both ends. The deepest part should be in the saddle's center. When your child is mounted, run your hands under the front of the saddle. It should not pinch your fingers, and you should be able to fit two fingers between the animal's withers (the top of the shoulder) and the center of the front of the saddle.

• 5

  Ask your child to stand in the stirrups while the horse or pony is trotting. There should be no struggle to sit comfortably in the saddle.