Remote Saddle Selection Guide

Find the scapula - The easiest way to find the scapula is to run your hand down from the start of the wither about 10cm, run your hand forward about 30cm and then pushing in with moderate pressure slide your hand back until you feel the scapula. 

Place 3 fingers behind the scapula and place your flexicurve over the withers.

Flatten your hand and use it to mold the flexicurve to the shape of the horse.

Ask a friend to hold the flexicurve in place as you go to check the other side. Or if you are alone, chalk mark both sides and check both sides yourself.

Once you are happy, carefully transfer the flexicurve to your paper and mark out the template on the inside of the curve.

Finding the last thoracic rib, known as the T18 (or 17 for some horses) is tricky as it is dependent on the angle the last rib runs up on as to where you find it.

For the purpose of the template and to keep it simple & replicable, we use the rain line.

The rain line is the area in front of the flank where the flank hair meets the belly hair, and a natural line runs down the horses' side.

Locate the top of the rain line and draw your finger straight up to the spine. This is where we put the mark/flexicurve to draw the T18 line. Place the center of the flexicurve on the center of the spine, lining up with the rain line each side and press down to copy the back shape.

Check the other side again and then transfer to your paper. when you place the flexicurve on the paper, put the "B" marker where the wither template was in the top left corner, move your flexi-curve so your finger on the T18 spot is on the paper and move it down the page to the corresponding finger width (Ie.1 Finger) from the top of the page, draw a X on the page at this mark and then draw your line on the topside of the flexi-curve from the wither to the X.

Using a 'B' mark on the flexi curve, place it on the point where you took your wither template. Shape the flexi-curve along the horses back to the place where you templated the T18.

Stand arms length back, and placing fingers one at a time, visualise how many fingers you need on the flexicurve at T18 to create an imaginary straight horizontal line to the wither (usually 1/2 a finger to 3).

Using the tape measure, wrap it around your horse, using the lowest point of the wither, measure around the horse down through the girth groove and back up to the other side.