I would lover to see some lessons on saddle fitting.Some people suggest that the western saddle should fit over the shoulders of the horse but others say the bars of the saddle should be well behind the scapula so as not to interfere with the horses movement and to prevent pain caused the shoulder hitting the bars as it extends its leg with each stride. Also one book I read said that if the saddle is sitting on the shoulder,the horse has to lift it
plus the rider in every stride making movement more difficult and twisting the saddle, eventually damaging the saddle.I would love to know Monty's opinion and his reasons.

I agree with Cheryl that a saddle fitting lesson would be beneficial to most of us. I would also like to have the different kinds of bits explained as to how they work and why we would use one rather than another.

I was doing some research this morning and there is a saddle called Freedom Saddle.
It fits us like a dressage, keeping us low and balanced but can be made as a western.
The secret is a built up crown. For women this is especially comfortable. It allows our hips to not be too far apart and allows our legs to fall naturally.
The higher crown also allows us to be lifed and find our seat more easily.
You can get your western saddle made to have this feature. It is comfortable for the horse and us women.
Have agood day,
Ronda

under the broad heading of tack, I would like to see a lesson that compares tack for various disciplines, whether English show jumping, dressage, western pleasure, reining, roping, hunter-jumper, etc. Each of these disciplines has different tack requirements and requires an understanding of what they are and how they are applied. How about some of the 'accessories' like a crupper, breast harness etc. With the lesson would come the explanation of the tack and the discipline it is intended for. It would also include the limitations of what should NOT be done with this particular tack so that the horse is neither confused or injured.
Hank

There were a number of videos made for the Uni on saddles and how they fit with thermography to show hot spots. I they did the same with saddle pads. Very interesting. See if you can fund it in the archives.

I have seen the lessons you mentioned. my perspective for this set of lessons would be broader than saddle only. it would look at the total picture. In another theme I mentioned the need to look at different bits used in different disciplines. It is a complete picture of the tack and the discipline blended to get the most from horse and rider partners. by understanding the tack and how it should be used, and more importantly, when it should be used, I would hope we as students, riders and potential trainers will be more able to guide the rider as much as the horse.
Hank

Recently, on the theme of bits, I had an unexpected lesson on correct bit when I had to call an Equine Dentist out to check my horse since we thought he might have an abscessed tooth. The good news was he did not, but the dentist pointed out that he was among a small percentage of horses with a low port. When I showed the dentist his bit, he showed me the horse's mouth and port and pointed out that the bit I had been riding with for over two years was the wrong bit! My horse required a 'low' port bit because of his mouth structure. I replaced the bit immediately and we are both doing well and the horse does not suffer any issues. Fortunately for both of us, my riding instructor had been militant about keeping out of the horse's mouth and I had adopted a habit of maintaining slack in my reins so the horse never felt the pull of the reins except in very unusual situations. The point is that we, as both riders and trainers, need to be aware of these kinds of details. My horse was one in four with a low port, the bit I had been using was perfectly normal and actually fairly benign for the remaining 3 of 4.
Hank

Very interesting, thanks for sharing this, can I display my stupidity and ask what is meant by "a low port"?