Saddle Fitting
English & Western
About
My goal with Saddles in Balance is for every one of my clients to come away with a good understanding of how their horse is put together, how their saddle fits their horse and how the saddle fits them as the rider. We discuss bones and muscles of the horse and why they are important and what role they play in carrying the saddle and rider. Due to the amount of information we cover, the evaluation takes between 1-2 hours. Horses bodies change just like our bodies change so its important to understand your horse and how to recognize when your saddle doesn’t fit with behavior and checking your saddle fit.
What will your saddle fitting evaluation include?
Evaluating fit
Evaluating the horse with mapping the bones and muscles, evaluating the saddle alone, the rider in the saddle, and then the saddle on the horse.
Dynamic Assessment
Lunging the horse without the saddle and rider to get a baseline on how the horse moves, each gait both directions circling to the right and circling to the left. Then the rider tacks up and repeats to get an overall on how the horse, saddle, and rider all come together.
Written report
A detailed written report for understanding current and future saddle fit, informing future purchases, and providing makers with necessary measurements for custom saddles.
Meet Cindy
As a dedicated saddle fitter in the St. Louis area, I know firsthand the difference a well-fitted saddle can make for horse and rider. I became passionate about helping others after realizing my heart horse of 28 years was uncomfortable for years due to a poorly fitting saddle. My goal is to educate and support horse owners in ensuring their horses are comfortable and happy. Each client I work with is an opportunity to prevent unnecessary discomfort and strengthen the bond between rider and horse. My commitment to this cause is reflected in the necklace I wear in memory of my beloved heart horse, Dutchman, who continues to inspire me every day and comes with me in heart and spirit to every fitting.
Happy Horses
“Cindy came and did a saddle fitting for us, and we cannot thank her enough. We learned so much about our horse, and all of our saddles! She took her time, answered all of our questions, and was extremely helpful! We never realized just how much goes into a saddle fitting our horse correctly. We highly recommend reaching out to Saddles in Balances, very thankful we did.”
“I want to thank Cindy Cope and Robin at Golden Horseshoe Equestrian for their unwavering commitment in fitting Jack (and me) in a saddle. We both love it!”
Cindy was incredible! Her knowledge is so impressive. Thank you, Cindy for helping fit me and my horse for a saddle!”
