How not to get bucked off your youngster!

If you back your youngster using a saddle that doesn't fit, you could be creating problems that take months or years to resolve.

Recently I've visited 3 youngsters in the process of being backed, none of whom have had the saddle fit checked for the horse (but all of whom have recognised that physio is a beneficial part of the backing process, so we'll done to these owners!). This is one of the most crucial times to ensure that your horses saddle is comfortable for him, when you're first introducing him to saddle and rider. If he learns from the beginning that the saddle causes him pain, you've got your job cut out convincing him otherwise at a later stage.

I'm not saying you should go out and spend thousands on a saddle - of course your horse will develop and change shape. But to have a saddle that is sitting down on his withers, or tipping the weight of the rider to the back of the rib cage, or pinching his shoulders, or with a gullet that is bruising his spine, is simply asking for trouble. There are many options available, including adjustable gullets, and an experienced trainer might be able to check the fit on a short term basis for you if you're not keen on getting the saddle fitter so early on.

A saddle that fits is an investment - you wouldn't spend long walking in a pair of shoes that didn't fit, or wearing a belt that rubbed, please don't ask your horse to suffer in silence what must surely be a similar discomfort.