Superior Saddlery — Andy Mashke
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Certified Used Saddles — David Solum
A bridging saddle feels like it fits at first glance — level, gullet clears the spine. But the saddle only touches at two points — front and back — while the middle floats above the back, concentrating enormous pressure at both ends.
A bridging saddle contacts the horse at the front and rear of the bars but not in the middle. It is caused by a bar rocker angle that doesn't match the horse's back. The result is extreme pressure concentration at both contact ends with no load distribution across the middle where the horse carries weight best.
Every saddle tree has a rocker built into the bars — a curvature that follows the arc of a horse's back. When the rocker is too flat, the bars touch at the front and back but arch away in the middle. Bridging is most common in horses with a pronounced sway back, an unusually short back, or a horse whose topline has changed since the saddle was fitted.
Reluctance to engage hindquarters. Hollow back. Short stride. Stiffness that resolves with light lunging but returns under saddle.
Pinning ears when the saddle is placed. Turning to bite when cinched. Cold-back behavior that eventually works out but returns every ride.
White hair or soreness at front and rear bar areas with healthy hair in the middle. Muscle atrophy beneath the middle bar area. Sweat pattern wet at front and back, dry in the middle.
Place the saddle on the horse without a pad. Press down on the pommel and cantle alternately — a bridging saddle rocks like a seesaw rather than sitting stable.
Place the saddle on the horse's bare back in the correct position. Press firmly down on the pommel. Release. Press firmly on the cantle. Release. Repeat several times. A correctly fitting saddle does not rock significantly. A bridging saddle rocks noticeably because it is balanced on two points rather than full bar contact.
Bridging from a flat-rockered tree on a curved back can sometimes be improved through reflocking — adding material to the middle of the panels to fill the gap. This is a temporary partial fix. Severe bridging from a fundamental tree mismatch requires a different saddle. Before discarding a bridging saddle, note that it may fit another horse with a flatter back perfectly.
David Solum has been evaluating saddle fit problems for 40+ years. Call, text, or email him directly — he can advise on whether it's a fit issue, a tree problem, or a saddle you should replace.
See also: Free Saddle Tools · How to Fit a Western Saddle · Parts of a Western Saddle · How to Buy a Certified Used Saddle