What seat size should I buy?

Western saddle sizes: How to measure your western saddle

Finding a Western saddle that fits both you and your horse can be a challenging task. The most important thing to remember is that you are not only purchasing a saddle for yourself, but for your horse as well. Thus, determining your seat size is only a part of finding the correct saddle.

Determining your seat size:

MEASURE YOUR PREVIOUSLY TRUSTED SADDLE

If you already have a Western saddle that is comfortable, but you do not know the seat size, measure it yourself. Take an ordinary measuring tape, stand next to your saddle and stretch the measuring tape from the back of the pommel, just below the saddle horn to the outside seam of the cantle. This should give an indication of what seat size you have found comfortable in the past. And remember, saddle seats are named and measured in inches.

GENERAL SIZE CURVE

If you do not already have a Western saddle and you are a first time buckaroo, or if you grew out of your previous saddle, below is a very general size chart for a Western Saddle, according to height and weight:

(Remember: this way of determining your seat is generalized and may vary from person to person)

If you are extremely tall and very slim, rather consider your length when deciding on a seat size.

MEASURE YOUR FEMUR

Another method of determining your seat size is to measure your femur length. This means the length from your knee to your hip joint. The length of your femur should give you an estimated seat size FOR A WESTERN SADDLE. English saddles are normally bigger than Western saddles and you can add about two inches to your Western seat to get your English seat size.

A general guideline to convert Western to English (vice versa):

Remember: if you are not exactly sure which size to buy, it is always better to go with a little too big size than a too small size.