Fitting Qualifications for Saddle and Pad Fitting for Bobbie Hazard & Ray Miller. Bobbie was a preteen when she was allowed to buy her first horse. Ray started riding at a very young age as a toddler when his dad took him riding double with him.

Where is the best place to learn about saddle and pad fitting a horse? In my lifetime I would have to say a Saddle Horse and Pack String Outfitter or a Riding Stable. The second choice is a working ranch that uses the horse to get the jobs done that a horse or mule is needed for. I know in your mind you asking why? The why is sometimes thought of as saddle string, dude horse, rental horse, dude ranch horse. A lot of horses owners rental operations as the end of the line for a horse or mule. Which is far from the truth. The truth is that horse or mule is worth its weight in Gold. That horse can earn upwards of $640 a day at today's prices by working 8 hours a day. Most of those horses work 8 hours a day and they do it 7 days a week for a possible income of $4,480 a week, A monthly income of $17,900 in the riding season for people who rent a horse to ride for one reason or another. One day off or one month or several months off due to saddle sores that critter is not making any income and costing the owner money. So saddle and pad fit are very important. Not only from an income point of view but also for the comfort of the horse and the health condition of the horse. The majority of owners give these horses and mules the best care possible and the best saddle and pad/blanket fit they can. Besides the best housing, feed, farrier, and vet work. What better place to learn saddle fit from than an owner who respects the horse or mule and wants the best for his charges? Some of these stables, ranches, and outfitters run hundreds of horses and a few may own a thousand head. In the past, the Historic Bar X ranch ran 2000 head of saddle, pack, and wagon stock in Glacier National Park. Today many of the Outfitters in our National Park and Nation Forest run/rent horses and mules that number into the hundreds. As well as those in State, County Parks, City Parks, and private land. You don't want or need saddle sores!

Ray started learning about saddle fit when just a teen pup from Jack and Dixie Noland who owned Fantastic Stables outside of Springfield, Mo. They owned a string of around 25 horses and mules the numbers would increase and decrease as they sold and traded horses and mules. The next was working for Benjamin Stable/Trail Town/Kansas City Rodeo at Kansas City, Mo. for Howard and Bud Benjamin. The foreman at the time was Charles (Buz) McKellips. Buz taught me a lot about saddle fit and horses in general. The outfit would run up to 40/50 head off saddle horses. Plus teams of horses and Yokes of Oxen four assorted type of wagons and carriages. To this day Buz and I remaind good friends. The next stop on my way to learning about saddle fitting was from Bud Ellman owner of Rocky Mountain Outfitters HT Quarter Circle at Hungry Horse, MT Glacier National Park, Mt. I managed the Many Glacier Corral on the east side of the park. The entire outfit would run upwards of 200 head of saddle and pack stock. I would have 60 to 80 head of saddle horses and pack stock at the Many Glacier Corral. Bud, one year (1965) decided he wanted all new saddles for the outfitt. He contacted Keyston Bros Saddle Company. They then sent out a sales rep and saddle fitters to fit each horse with a bare saddle tree and then built on the saddle on that tree. The saddle was named for the for that horse or mule it was used on only that horse or mule. The 10 years I managed the HT Quarter Circle thoses saddle went on the horse it was fitted for. The bridles were also fitted to each horse. In all those years I had only one saddle sore and it was caused by a hand/wrangler not brushing the horse correctly. These horses and or mules would work upwards of 14 hours a day, 7 days a week for the season. After season they were turned loose on the Blackfeet Nation 2,285 sq miles to graze over the winter. In the spring we would gather them up at the Douglas Ranch Catch Pens and then trail the entire herd to the Many Glacier Corral. It took a full day from Sun up to Sundown to move then at Jog Trot, stopping for lunch at Fenners Corral fpr lunch, then on to the Many Glacier night corral. From the Many Glacier night corral half of the remuda was delivered by truck to Lake McDonald Corral and Apgar Corral. On leaving the HT Quarter Circle after 10 years I moved onto managing severall outfits and owning several in Colorado, Ariozona and Wisconsin where I was running up to 100 head of Saddle horses in addition to Draft and Light teams, several Spands of mules and a yoke or two of oxen. I have learned much about saddle fitting over the years. Roger at Brighton Feeds taught me a lot when I was buying saddles and tack from him for my outfits. At one time I think Roger was one of the largest saddle dealers in the country. At one point I helped Sandy Lockner start the Cayuse Shop in Sauk City, WI. Which became over time the largest Western/English Saddle Store in Wisconsin. At that point I started researching the history of saddle, saddle tree making from around the world, starting with Xenophon 430 to 354 BC and moving down through the years to the Archives of U. S. Army in development of the saddles for the Cavery in to the late 1940's. I continue to read new resarch papers publish and have also co-authered and written several articles on the horse and mule over the years. Later after starting EquiScan some 37 years ago. I met up with Sharon Saare through Bobbie Hazard (at the Saddle, Tack, Feed and Anamial Health Dept in the Farm Store as the Manager of that department.)and her Saddle Company. Sharon wanted me to test how her saddles fit horses. Out of all the saddles I tested for Sharon the only ones I found that were a poor fit were by someone who had bought a Sharon Saare Saddles second hand without the horse being fitted for a tree size, by a certified fittered. I also have completed research on saddles, saddle pads and blankets over they years for several companies. Have conducted a number of saddle fitting clinics as well as packing and outfitting clinics, equine and stable management clinics for a number of years at colleges, universities, horsemans asscoiations, saddle clubs, retail English and Western Stores and Horse Fairs. I returned to Glacier National and the Blackfeet Nation working for Mouse and Joy Hall at Glacier Gateway Outfitters 69 Montana Brand at East Glacier, Mont for 2011 and 2012 season. From Glacier National Park and the 69 Ranch. Bobbie I moved to the XL Ranch (100K+ acres) in the Texas Pandale where I was the General Headquarters Foreman for 8.5 years. Bobbie was exutive chef and ex house keeper at the Family Lodge. Now I co-manage the Diamond D Gypsy Vanner Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ with Bobbie. Licensed, Accredited, Certified: Auctioneer and Appraiser - Livestock, Personal Property
Articles, SA’s and Scientific written or co-authored and published by Ray Miller:Living with LamenessLaminitisHow to Keep Your FarrierHoof StructureGround MannersDiseases of the Hoof, Distal Phalanx & Associated Structures - Part 1Diseases of the Hoof, Distal Phalanx & Associated Structures - Part 2The Cost of Shoeing a HorseBody Type and Proper Movement Problems Within the Horse Industry
Scientific Papers co-authored and publishedCo-authored paper with Dr. James Rooney DVM on Causes of Club Foot in Horses.Co-authored paper with Dr. Mike Collier DVM on Pressure mapping for saddle fitting and rider balance.
For additional articles Google Search Ray Miller Farrier. Ray Miller appraiser, Ray Miller Auctioneer. Ray Miller Gaited Horse Test.
My additional Qualifications in the Equine Industry you can find at www.equineexpert.org.

Bobbie grew up on a small rural acreage near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. Her dad had a small dairy herd and honey bees. There were also dogs, cats and chickens, but no horses, much to her chagrin. After years of pleading and promises she finally got a horse, a little bay gelding named "Boots". A couple years later, her mother bought a two-year-old black and white pinto mare, realizing a childhood dream of her own. A year or so later the mare was bred and produced a pretty chestnut filly. Most of her horse knowledge at that time was from her father (he had farmed with horses early in life), her great great uncle, Karl, and a slim government-produced pamphlet titled, "Light Horses". That little book contained a wealth of information on the care and keeping of horses and was an invaluable resource for a novice. The art of horsemanship was learned at the "School of Hard Knocks" and through reading every and any book available on the subject. There were no riding instructors in the area so it was just a matter of fall off and get back on again! In time and with much determination she became a pretty good rider and gained enough experience to accomplish the saddle training of the pinto mare and her filly. Years later, she went to work at a high-end resort managing their horse program. A herd of approximately 60 horses included a saddle string, brood mares, stallions and young stock. She was responsible for arranging safe and enjoyable trail rides for resort guests, giving riding/horsemanship lessons, training the young horses, handling the breeding program, and ensuring the health of the herd. After several years, she was offered a position managing the tack and animal health departments of a farm store. Early in her 19 years in this capacity, she had the privilege of being introduced to Sharon Saare. Sharon was instrumental in expanding her knowledge of saddle fit and she incorporated bare tree fitting into the services offered by the store. Ultimately, she serviced an area that covered all of Wisconsin, the UP, eastern Minnesota and Iowa, and northern Illinois; helping people and their horses achieve comfortable saddle fit with Sharon Saare saddles. Have conducted a number of saddle fitting clinics, equine and stable management, bits and bitting for horsemans asscoiations, saddle clubs, retail English and Western Stores Privite owners. Also consulted and school a number of horses for other people over the years. Currently, she is co-manager of a private stable/ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Know as the Diamond D Gyspy Vanners Additional infomation on Bobbie can be found at www.equineexpert.org Bobbie on her Morgan Mare Dancer in the Bob Marshall Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger Distric, just outside Hungry Horse, Mt. She was working for two season in 2011/12 at Glacier Gateway Outfitters at East Glacier, Mt on the Blackfeet Nation guiding trail rides and working in the office. Second picture below is Ray on Bobbie's Morgan Gelding on Doddger at West Glacier, MT at Paul and Jennie Detoni's Mule Shoe Outfitters 2011. Before heading over to Glacier Gateway Outfitters.