SADDLE FITTING INSIGHTS - JUNE EDITION
- Academy Team
- Jun 30
- 5 min read
Education Built Around Equine Welfare
June has certainly been one to remember. As much of the UK experienced an unprecedented heatwave, we welcomed another fantastic cohort of students to the practical phase of the IASF Professional Saddle Fitting Award.
While the soaring temperatures presented some unique challenges, they also reinforced one of our core values: equine and human welfare will always come first.
🎓 PROFESSIONAL SADDLE FITTING AWARD – PRACTICAL TRAINING COMPLETE
This month we were delighted to complete another practical training week for our Professional Saddle Fitting Award, welcoming students from a variety of backgrounds, all united by a passion for improving equine welfare through education.
The week culminated in practical assessments and examinations with students demonstrating exceptional standards of anatomical knowledge, clinical reasoning and saddle fitting skills. However, this course also presented an additional challenge...
☀️ Learning Through a Heatwave
With temperatures climbing to exceptional levels we adapted our entire timetable to ensure the safety and welfare of everyone involved.
Our approach included:
🌅 6:00 AM practical examinations, allowing horses to finish work before the hottest part of the day.
🕖 Early morning practical sessions to maximise cooler conditions.
🌳 Practical teaching conducted entirely in shaded areas.
💨 Cooling fans, misters and additional ventilation throughout the venue.
🚿 Regular cold-water hosing and cooling support for the horses.
💧 Constant hydration monitoring, electrolyte support where appropriate and mandatory rest periods for horses and students.
📚 Afternoon sessions focused on theory in cooler environments with frequent hydration breaks for students and staff.
The adaptability, professionalism and enthusiasm shown by both our students and our teaching team were outstanding.
It was a wonderful reminder that excellent education should never come at the expense of welfare.
❄️ EXPERT TIP – Keeping Horses Safe During Hot Weather
Summer brings longer days and more opportunities to ride—but it also brings increased responsibility.
When temperatures soar, horse welfare should always come first.
Top Cooling Tips
💦 Don't scrape off cooling water
Cold water works by drawing heat away from the horse's body. Allowing the water to remain on the horse enables it to continue cooling through evaporation. Continue applying fresh cold water until the horse's temperature and respiration begin to normalise.
🌫 Provide additional cooling where possible.
Stable misters and cooling fans can significantly improve comfort, particularly during prolonged periods of hot weather.
🌳 Prioritise shade.
Whether in the field or stable, horses should always have access to protection from direct sunlight.
🫁 Monitor respiration carefully.
A horse that continues to breathe rapidly after exercise may still be struggling to regulate body temperature.
🐴 Adjust your riding schedule.
Avoid exercising during the hottest part of the day. Early morning rides are generally far safer for both horse and rider.
Remember...
Heat stress doesn't just affect performance—it can also influence muscle function, hydration, posture and ultimately saddle fit. Horses often alter the way they move when they are fatigued or overheated, making this another important reason to reassess saddle fit throughout the summer months.
☀️ Hot Weather Checklist: Is Your Horse Coping?
Hot weather can quickly become dangerous for horses. As riders and caretakers, it is vital to recognize the early signs of heat stress and dehydration before they become an emergency.
🌡️ Watch Out For:
🫁 Heavy Breathing: Increased respiration that remains elevated even after prolonged rest.
🐴 Flared Nostrils: Marked effort, puffing or pumping when breathing.
❤️ High Heart Rate: An elevated pulse that is slow to return to normal baseline.
💦 Sweat Changes: Excessive, dripping sweat—or conversely, little to no sweat (anhidrosis), which means the horse can no longer regulate its temperature.
😩 Lethargy: Unusual fatigue, dullness, depression or a reluctance to move.
🌡️ Hot Skin: Skin that remains radiating warm despite being moved out of the sun.
💧 Dehydration Gums: Tacky, dry or dark gums instead of moist, pink ones.
🫳 The "Skin Tent" Test: Gently pinch a fold of skin on the neck or shoulder. In a hydrated horse, it snaps back instantly. If it stays "tented" for more than a second or two, dehydration is setting in.
⚖️ Stumbling: Poor coordination, weakness or instability (a sign of severe heat stress).
😟 Low Head Carriage: Standing quietly or despondently with the head held unusually low.
✅ Action Plan: If You Notice These Signs
If your horse is struggling, take immediate action to bring their core temperature down:
Stop all work immediately and move your horse into the shade or a well-ventilated barn.
Apply continuous cold water over the horse's entire body. Focus heavily on large muscle groups and major blood vessels—including the neck (jugular groove), chest, inside the forelegs and between the hind legs.
Do NOT scrape the water off! This is an old myth. Water is an excellent conductor of heat. Leaving the water on the skin maximizes heat removal through conduction. Continuously hose the horse, replacing the warmed water with fresh, running cold water to cool them down up to five times faster. Once the hosing stops, evaporation can start to take effect.
Offer fresh, clean drinking water and closely monitor their recovery.
Call your vet promptly if your horse fails to improve, shows signs of collapse or if their heart and respiratory rates remain high.
💡 Remember: A healthy horse should begin returning to a normal heart rate and breathing pattern within 10–15 minutes after exercise with proper cooling. Never ignore a prolonged recovery—heat stroke can escalate rapidly!
🌿 From External Conditions to Internal Understanding
After a month focused on adapting to challenging conditions and prioritising welfare during extreme heat, it’s a good reminder that every environment the horse works in—whether weather, workload or management—ultimately influences how they move, develop and interact with their tack.
With that in mind, we continue to deepen our understanding of the horse from the inside out.
🔬 EQUINE DISSECTION MASTERCLASS – BOOKING NOW OPEN
20th November 2026
Our upcoming Equine Dissection Masterclass continues to generate significant interest across the saddle fitting and equine professional community.
This full-day immersive experience is designed specifically for saddle fitters and equine professionals who want to deepen their anatomical understanding and strengthen clinical reasoning in practice.
The musculoskeletal structures influenced by the saddle and girth
Functional anatomy relevant to saddle fitting
Pressure, posture, and movement relationships
Translating anatomy into practical fitting decisions
This is a rare opportunity to deepen your anatomical understanding in a highly relevant, practical context.
🎟 Places are strictly limited and booking demand has been extremely high.
If you’re serious about developing your understanding of the horse beneath the saddle, this is an event not to miss.
🎓 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The IASF remains committed to providing education that bridges the gap between:
Theory and practice
Anatomy and application
Welfare and professional responsibility
From webinars and case discussions to in-person training and anatomy education, our goal is to help saddle fitters build confidence, clarity, and clinical reasoning at every stage of their career.
🌍 JOIN THE IASF GLOBAL NETWORK
Education. Community. Exclusive Benefits.
The IASF Global Network connects horse owners, saddle fitters, and equine professionals who are committed to raising standards and protecting equine welfare worldwide.
Members Receive Access To:
Exclusive educational content
Discounted webinars and CPD
Priority access to limited-capacity events
Professional discussions and case studies
Ongoing support and collaboration
Whether you are just starting your journey or already established within the industry, the Global Network is designed to support your continued growth.
👉 Join the IASF Global Network today
Already a Member?
Make sure you are taking full advantage of your benefits:
Attend CPD sessions
Access member discounts
Engage with discussions
Continue investing in your professional development
✨ Until Next Time
As always, thank you for being part of a community that values thoughtful discussion, evidence-based learning, and horse-centred practice.
We look forward to continuing the conversation with you throughout the summer.
IASF – Working together for the good of the horse 🐴
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