Cantle Height ~ Low or High

Cantle height on a saddle is really a personal choice. Whether to get a low or high cantle on your saddle will usually depend on a couple of factors. Generally speaking a higher cantle is going to give you a deeper more secure seat and offer a little more support for your lower back. A lower cantle is going to allow you more movement in the seat. A taller cantle and a deeper pocket make a saddle feel more secure or smaller than a seat with a flat rise and a low cantle.

While a higher cantle gives a more secure feel you have to remember that it’s a little bit harder to get on and off especially in an emergency situation. If you have bad hips, going with a lower cantle might be the way to go. Another consideration is mountain riding. On steep downhills the cantle will poke into the lower back more than a lower cantle. Barrel racers usually like a higher cantle to help keep them in saddle when the horse explodes out of the barrels.

Cantle height for riders who want more mobility in the saddle is usually lower. Reiners and cutters for instance are constantly adjusting their balance in the saddle based on what the horse is doing so a lower cantle lets them get farther back in the seat when the horse’s front end is low to the ground. Trail riders who carry a backpack or waistpack usually go for a lower cantle also so the cantle doesn’t interfere with what they are carrying.