Welcome to Parelli Saddles

- your thighs are not restricted by the fork, buck rolls (thigh rolls)
- the seat is relatively flat and open as opposed to angled narrow in the "twist", but you should feel VERY securely balanced when sitting on a Parelli saddle. Like a martial arts athlete, able to anchor from the core...so that when your horse zigs, you zig...when he stops suddenly, you don't pitch forward, you stop with him, leading with your tailbone.
- stirrup fenders are twisted to allow legs and feet to sit in an "open" position vs having toes pulled inwards and changing balance point

Even in the case of short-backed horses, the most important thing is that the saddle fits YOU (so that you can move fluidly with your horse's body in motion) and that it is positioned properly on the horse's back.

The first weight-bearing part of the tree (where the stirrup adjustment straps go over the tree bars) should sit back from the shoulders, behind the furthermost backswing point of the horse's scapula. (Please read our 4-page brochure about "Saddle Placement and Balance", which you'll find under the DOWNLOAD button on our home page.)

The first weight-bearing part of the tree (where the stirrup adjustment straps go over the tree bars) should sit back from the shoulders, behind the furthermost backswing point of the horse's scapula.(Please read our 4-page brochure about "Saddle Placement and Balance", which you'll find under the DOWNLOAD button on our home page.)

Our STANDARD WIDE gullet is quite wide, and will accommodate most horses, especially if you understand how to custom fit your horse's back with shims. It doesn't trap the spine nor its ligaments, distributes weight to the ribcage thus allowing the spine to arch and round. A wide gullet or channel gives the horse room to use and build his muscles.

HOWEVER, as of 2008, we introduced our SUPER WIDE gullet, when we realized that some of our horses were developing tremendous breadth of muscle, and we were receiving requests from so many people who owned very broad horses of various breeds. Our tests indicated that these saddles snug down beautifully across the broad back area, and that the rider feels very secure, too. It feels rather like riding a big horse bareback, but more securely! Even some broad-backed smaller breeds are loving this saddle: Icelandic Horses, Cobs, Arabians with wide-sprung ribs, etc.

We are finding that horses will be ready for our superwide Western saddle before they might be broad enough to require our superwide English saddle. Our English saddles are a little bit wider feeling because of the general slimmer-profiled tree skeleton and broad, softer panels. Our Western saddle tree is more substantive, firmer and better for rider/saddle weight distribution during more hours of riding time.

The shoulder area of the super wide gullet is also more broad, of course. It requires shimming, so that the front of the saddle does not flop forward, and the shoulders have tremendous opportunity for full range of motion. In the case of horses with very wide shoulders, we recommend shims that are turned horzontally and set back in the pad pocket, so the front of the saddle cantelevers out over the shoulders, while the saddle is elevated in front. If your horse's shoulder area is narrow, while the back is wide, it can be a bit tricky to shim, because you do not want the front of the saddle to flop down and put too much pressure on the wither or trapezius muscle. We would recommend a test ride if at all possible. Your horse will LOVE this saddle if he is wide and you get it right!

Our measuring guide: Superwide vs. Standard Gullet is pictured below, but it would be good to print out a copy of it from our DOWNLOAD button on the home page of this website. It will give you some help making your choice, based on our research in the field. Also, don't miss our 4-page brochure about "Saddle Placement and Balance" to see examples of different shimming pattern suggestions for different horses' back shapes).

Note: the pictures below show Pat on Vanna, his very broad QH mare. She's wearing the standard gullet NP in the photo on the left. She carried him in that saddle for more than a year before we decided to try to craft a super wide version. In the photo on the right (the very first ride he took on her with the prototype super wide), you can see that the front of the saddle is not perched so high on her shoulders, and the whole saddle hugs her back more comfortably. She prefers the super wide, of course, and Pat can feel the favorable difference in her athletic ability underneath it.

A Western saddle seat size is measured from the back of the fork directly across the seat's span to the center/top of the cantle where the leather rolls over toward the back. A rider will generally ride a seat labeled 1" smaller than an English size seat, because the English seats are measured on the diagonal.

Too, because of our buck rolls' positioning behind/below our "A"-shaped fork (also known as the pommel), you will probably ride a seat that is 1" larger than the measured seat of a "Normal" saddle that has swells in the fork. Our soft buck rolls are fabulous "thigh rolls", for use when you need security if your horse should make a sudden movement. You can hook your thighs up against them in an "oh no!" situation, rather than gripping with your calves/heels and worrying your horse further.

Also: Our Roper Saddles have much thicker forks, so the seat size is technically measured from the base of the thick roping horn to the place where the seat leather rolls over the cantle. You will probably ride a 1/2" shorter seat in the Roper than the Natural Performer. Too, the cantle "cups" your butt more closely than does the cantle of the Natural Performer.

We offer this chart as a general guide for you to have confidence that your saddle will fit you. It is highly unlikely that it would not fit your horse, ESPECIALLY WITH THE USE OF THE THERAFLEX PAD AND SHIMS, which work as an extremely effective customizing system. NOTE: THE BARS of the saddle tree (23-24 inches long) and underside from the horse's perspective REMAIN very close to THE SAME SIZE, no matter what seat size is chosen for the human's fit. The skirt dimensions are 1/2 inch larger per increased seat size.

Size is dependent on: body style, thigh and cheek size, and leg length! Leg length especially
refers to thigh length from hip to mid knee, as this is most affected by the size of the seat. All of these measurements effect hip angle/balance point considerations. WE MUST EMPHASIZE THAT you must self-assess whether or not you carry a good deal of your weight in your buttocks and thighs. If you do, we would generally recommend going to a larger size saddle so that you don't feel restricted in any way.

Note about above chart: We now have 2 extra size seats available: An extra small, size 15.5" seat, which is crafted on our smallest tree (16"), but the seat is built up a bit more with leather, to accommodate a very small person. We also offer a Size 18" seat, which has a cantle laid back a bit, crafted on our basic 17.5" tree (our largest tree).

1. XSMALL Seat Size: (15.5 inch seat) (Dimension along the topline from the horse's perspective: 24.5")
For VERY FEW, very small men and women of short to medium height and leg length, very small cheeks! Extremely small statured people...usually not for those taller than 5 foot 4 inches, because long thigh length might restrict a good center of balance because knees will be angled too far out in front of the fender.

2. SMALL Seat Size: (16 inch seat) (Dimension along the topline from the horse's perspective: 24.5")
For few men and many women of short to medium height and leg length, cute to medium cheeks! Fairly small statured people...usually not for those taller than 5 foot 4 inches, because thigh length is too long to allow a good center of balance because knees will be angled too far out in front of the fender. Linda Parelli rides this size, but also enjoys the 16.5, because she likes to have lots of room in a saddle.

3. MEDIUM Seat Size: (16.5 inch seat) (Dimension along the topline from the horse's perspective: 25")
For men and women with just right, medium to full cheeks!...and thigh length that is not too long. Usually not for a person taller than 5 foot 8 inches, and not too heavy in weight. This is overall, the most popular size saddle.

4. LARGE Seat Size: (17 inch seat) (Dimension along the topline from the horse's perspective: 25.5")
For heavier and/or taller men and still more substantial women. Probably best for people 5 foot 11 inches in height, and under 200 pounds in weight, unless backside, thighs and torso are bulky.

5. XLARGE Seat Size: (17.5 inch seat) (Dimension along the topline from the horse's perspective: 26")
For heavier and/or taller people generally above 6 feet in height and more than 205 pounds. Pat Parelli now rides this size, to give him a longer seat, especially for cutting.

6. XXLARGE Seat Size: (18 inch seat) Built on a 17.5" tree, with cantle laid out a bit further back. (Dimension along the topline from the horse's perspective: 26")
For heavier and/or very much taller people (above 6 feet in height) and more than 205 pounds.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FENDER LENGTH: Your inseam measurement is a critical bit of data that we need in order to craft your saddles fenders so that your stirrups will hang at the right length for you, giving you room for adjustments depending upon your preference and riding situation. We have 4 basic fender lengths, and also offer the short fenders with extra short stirrup adjustment leathers. (see diagram and measurements below)

WE HAVE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH INACCURATE MEASUREMENTS, which has resulted in expensive, time-consuming delays while awaiting the re-make of saddles because customers found that their fenders were too long or too short. We recommend that you have someone help you measure. We have found it best to hold a booklet (or something with a straight edge that can clearly be held level/parallel with the floor) between your legs while you stand with legs and body straight WEARING FLAT SOLED SHOES without heels, (or barefoot). Have someone else hold the measuring tape straight to the floor...and jot down the inches or centimeters...to the nearest 1/8" will be fine.

If you're really struggling with your decision about saddle size: we have a TEST RIDE program available in the USA. In addition, more and more Parelli Instructors all over the globe have saddles on hand.

TRUST LINDA:
"I need to ask for your trust here.", says Linda. "There should be no need to sit in the
saddle to know if it's right because it's designed to be right! And if for any reason it does not feel right to you when you get it, you have 10 days to send it back. You won't be stuck!"