How do I measure a saddle gullet?

The writer behind the Equine Ink saddle-fit blog explains that the channel bridges the horse's spine, and that many people confuse it with tree size, which is a different measurement: the distance between the bottom of the points of the tree, given in centimeters or as medium, medium-wide and so on.

A third meaning comes from the saddle trade itself. Some saddles have interchangeable gullet plates in the front of the tree. Our PDS XCH Gullet System Plate listing says the rider can change the width of the tree with a screwdriver, and the Collegiate Gullet Series III plates listing describes sizes from Narrow to X-Wide. So when someone says "I need a medium-wide gullet," they usually mean a plate or a tree size, not the width of the channel underneath.

That is why searching "how to measure a saddle gullet" gives answers that don't match each other. They are measuring different things.

That is all this check does: it tells you about the saddle, not about your horse. A qualified fitter still decides whether it fits him.

What number are you looking for? Deborah Witty, a Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Fitter writing on the Practical Horseman site, gives a minimum of about 2.5 inches, or three fingers, in the length of the channel, with no lateral pressure against the sides of the withers or spine. The Equine Ink writer also calls three fingers a good starting point and puts the ideal width at 2.5 to 4 inches depending on the horse. Both are guidelines, and they say every horse differs.

Why check three places? Because the width can change along the saddle. Equine Ink points out that on some saddles the channel is wider at the pommel and narrows toward the back, and it shows one old saddle where you can barely fit two fingers. A very narrow gullet, the writer says, can pinch the muscles beside the spine. A gullet that is too wide is described as fairly unusual, and it is a problem only if it shrinks the panels so far that they can't spread the rider's weight.

• Put the saddle on a stand, or upside down on a clean surface.
• Look down the channel from the pommel to the cantle. Does it stay the same width, or narrow toward the back?
• Measure across the channel at the front, middle and back with a tape, or stack your fingers, and write down all three numbers.
• Compare with the guideline of about 2.5 inches or three fingers, and note anything narrower.

Equine Ink says some makers give a centimeter number while others use words like narrow, medium and wide, that they don't all measure the same way, and that "medium" means different things from one maker to the next. For a used saddle, it says people often quote the distance between the D-rings, which may or may not match the tree points but is useful for comparing saddles, and it warns that a used saddle's marked tree size can be off, since trees can have been adjusted or can stretch over time.

If your saddle has plates, the plate itself is marked by size name or color. The catch is that colors don't match between makers. The table uses the listings on our site as the examples.

The same color means different things depending on the saddle, so buy by make and model, not by color. The Collegiate listing says the plates are used in older Collegiate styles and to check your saddle before purchasing, and the PDS listing says its plates fit PDS and Ovation dressage XCH saddles.

The SMS-qualified fitter who wrote the Practical Horseman piece lists seven points to check, and the gullet is only the first. The others include clearance through the pommel, whether the angle of the tree matches the angle of the horse's body, and point pressure at the ends of the tree points. A saddle can pass on channel width and still be wrong on the rest.

A plate may change less than you expect, too. Writing about one popular interchangeable system, Equine Ink says the plates are inserted at the front, change the angle of the tree and may change the front of the gullet slightly. That is the writer's account of one system, not a universal rule, so ask your fitter about your particular saddle.

Horses also change. Horse & Hound lists weight, muscle, fitness, age, workload and seasonal grazing among the things that alter fit, and says the saddle itself can change through flocking compression, wear or tree movement. Horse & Rider (UK) suggests a changeable gullet for young horses or those whose weight varies a lot, and says there should be clearance in both height and width so no part of the saddle touches the spine.

If a plate or a pad seems like a quick fix for a saddle that doesn't fit, our half pad page covers why a fitter should look first.

Horse & Hound, in June 2026, asked a master saddle fitter who sits on the board of the Society of Master Saddlers assessors how often to book. Her answer: at least every six to 12 months, in line with the Society's guidance, and more often for horses in regular work, young horses, those changing shape in training and those coming back after time off. She says to look for a fitter qualified through the Society, such as a Qualified Saddle Fitter, and adds that ongoing professional development and insurance are good signs. Horse & Rider (UK) likewise advises a fitter who is qualified and insured.

What happens at an appointment? US Eventing's account of a fitting describes the fitter talking with the rider first, feeling the horse's body for soreness or bumps, checking the saddle is structurally sound, taking templates and measurements and comparing them with older tracings, assessing the horse standing square, then watching a ridden assessment. Horse & Hound says a standard check takes 45 to 90 minutes and includes templating and checking the flocking and balance, with adjustments made that day or booked for later. Adjustable saddles can be changed on the spot.

Is fitting an exact science? Not entirely. A 2017 study in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science had 20 qualified fitters assess saddle fit on 10 horses using the Society's seven-point checklist. They agreed substantially on clearance at the front, top and rear, but only slightly on tree width and length (agreement of 0.12 on a scale where 1 is perfect). The authors concluded that the criteria with weak agreement should be standardized. It was a static assessment, not a ridden one, so it says nothing about any one fitter. It does show why tree width is the hard part to judge by eye, and why it is worth asking a fitter to show you the templates and explain what they see.

Some signs a saddle may not fit as well as it should, according to the Horse & Hound fitter: uneven sweat patterns, dry patches, ruffled hair under the saddle, reluctance to be tacked up, resistance under saddle, hollowing, a change in performance, muscle wastage and soreness around the saddle area. Those can have other causes, so soreness, a changed way of going or a sudden dislike of the saddle is also a call to your vet. A pad or a different gullet won't diagnose anything.

Western saddles use their own terms and measurements, so follow the maker's sizing guide or ask a qualified fitter. You can browse English saddles and gullet plates on our saddles and accessories page and look at the PDS gullet plates and saddle.