Pinching of the Gullet Plate Is Your Horse Fighting Your Saddle by Jochen Schleese

The purpose of the saddle tree is to distribute the rider s weight over the entire saddle support area on the horse s back. The purpose of the gullet plate is to protect the horse s withers so the saddle tree will not crush down on the spinal processes under the front of the saddle. The choice of saddle for a horse does not make a beginner or novice horse into an Olympic level horse, but the saddle does affect the horse s behavior and can turn a happy horse or an Olympic competitor into a cranky, illtempe