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Measuring Your Horse

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MEASURING YOUR HORSE

At Tucker Trail Saddles, we believe proper saddle fit and comfort for the horse or mule is the first priority. We offer a variety of tree fits for your trotting, gaited, foundation, or draft horse and mule. We use the back tracings to evaluate which tree will fit best so the accuracy of the measurements is imperative. Once we receive your horse's tracings they'll be added to a queue in the order they arrive and evaluated by Tucker's tree experts. They'll review your horse's back and make recommendations from Tucker Trail Saddles, Circle Y Saddles, High Horse Saddles, and Reinsman, based on your horse and riding preferences.Let’s get started!
 

 

Measuring Your Horse

Tracing Evaluations by Tucker Trail Saddles

 
 

Please include the following content in your shipment:

  1. Gather your tools.
    • 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, the tracings cannot overlap (they may need to be cut out for further evaluation).
  2. Prepare your horse.
    • It may be a good idea to get a helper for this part, saddle fit is only able to be accurate if your horse is standing square, with his head level, feet together, for all tracings. 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.
  3. 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 on one of your sheets of paper.
  4. 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 onto new paper.
    • Again, it may be helpful to mark this line with horse-safe chalk or paint.
  5. 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.
  6. 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 onto new paper.
  7. Fill out the Tucker Trail Saddles Fitting form and pack the form, tracings, photos of your horse, and any additional material you would like us to have (such as photos with the saddle on).

 

You will then send this package to:

Tucker Saddlery,
P.O. Box 271,
Yoakum, Texas 77995

We know you’re eager to get an answer, 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 contact you as soon as possible.

We are not able to evaluate emailed tracings, as scanning or photographing the tracings can lead to distortions 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.

In the meantime, check out the revitalized Classics and luxurious Horizon saddles.