I have never ridden englsh before until this past week. Im in school for horse training and we have to learn both seats western and huntseat. Ive ridden western for the past six years but after riding english this week i really like it. The school i am at had a saddle that they never use its a Derby Originals and its really nice but i can not tell if this saddle fits my horse... I put it on him the pommel sits kindor high. I can put four fingers between the pommel and his back. i ran my hand underneath and its not pinching anywhere on his back but is the pommel too high is it applying pressure down on his withers?? I got him out and lunged him with it on and he didnt do anything out of the unordinary but he never does. Before i got him he was ridden with a saddle that was too tight and eventually it put a vertibrae outta place i rode him for a couple months not knowing and he never showed discomfort so hes not going to tell me if it fits or not. I took some pictures please let me know if you think it fits and please ASAP! im heading back sunday morning i only have two days with this saddle.

     

If the pommel is higher than the cantle, it's too narrow and you need a wider tree. I don't know, it looks like it sits really funny on him. I just don't quite like the look of it, but can't pinpoint why besides that it looks narrow. 

The obvious thing I noticed is that the lowest point of the seat is NOT in the center of the saddle, as it sits on your horse. That would throw you back and give you a chair seat (chair seat is where your legs are in front of an imaginary line draw from your shoulder, through your hip, down to where your heel SHOULD be). Ideally, that line should be straight and vertical. Even if the saddle fits your horse--and it doesn't sound like it does--it doesn't fit YOU, and the saddle throwing you back is not good for your horse, either. I would not keep that saddle if I were you.

No -- that saddle is clearly much to narrow for your horse at the withers.  He will need a wider tree to be ridden.  I would not even sit on a saddle that narrow on the horse.

I didnt sit in the saddle i figured it looked too narrow but i wasnt sure thats why i asked for opinions because i know nothing about english. I head back to school tomorrow and the saddles going back.

 

You are in the perfect position to use this as a learning experience.  Since you are in school to train horses take your horse to one of your instructors that is experienced with English saddles and have them show you how to properly fit a saddle.  They can probably even give you some examples with their own saddles, other students' saddles, or saddles that belong to the school.  If you want to train professionally you need to learn how to determine saddle fit with confidence and accuracy.  Imagine if you are starting a young horse and his first experience of being ridden is painful because you weren't sure to tell if the saddle fit was right?

Ask your instructors to help you will all regards to tack fitting and use.  remember you are there to learn!  Your instructors should be happy to help you out with this stuff.