Saddle Saddle The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other creatures. It is not known precisely when riders first began to use some sort of padding or protection, but a blanket attached by some form of surcingle or girth was probably the first "saddle", followed later by more elaborate padded designs. The solid saddle tree was a later invention, and though early stirrup designs predated the
Tree girth measurement is measured at a height of , , or . The base of the tree is measured for both height and girth as being the elevation at which the pith of the tree intersects the ground surface beneath, or where the acorn sprouted. On a slope this is considered as halfway between the ground level at the upper and lower sides of the tree. This "breast height" value is a measurement grandfathered from decades of forestry applications. It was developed because of the simplicity and ease of measurement. There is no one ideal height at which to measure girth. Tree