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        by Alan Plewis		 Return to Saddles Listing

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TYPES OF SADDLES - SADDLE DESIGN

GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES - CLOSE CONTACT SADDLES

DRESSAGE SADDLES - SYNTHETIC SADDLES - FITTING OF SADDLES

COUNTRIES OF MANUFACTURE

  

TYPES OF SADDLES
        W. Museler in his book, Riding Logic, writes that "there are three things to riding; balance, feeling and influence". G.H. Morris, the leading equestrian teacher in North America, defines the North American riding style as "a position suitable for riding over uneven ground or over obstacles, while remaining workmanlike and effective, while being as little burden to the horse as possible". The saddle's design, its size for you and the fit and comfort for the horse will be very influential in achieving the results described by these great teachers.
        The saddles built today, just as with most things in our society, are built on an assembly line. Parts are made of foam and plastic that were hand made of leather or wood thirty or forty years ago. The cost today of a saddle made the old way completely, would be double that of the saddles we see in the market place. In Canadian dollars an Asian made saddle will vary in price from $195.00 to about $695.00, with the main difference being the materials (leather and tree) used in construction. An Argentinean made saddle will vary from $595.00 to $2500.00, with the main difference being the leather and the design. The best Argentinean saddles are designed by top European or English saddle makers and the tanning of the leather is supervised by English trained master tanners(most of the chemicals used in tanning are now shipped anywhere that is required for great results in any country). The currying and rubbing in of fat to give the leather its strength and life is now almost comparable to English or European tanning processes. Many top name brand saddles made in Argentina today are made with flaps and seat of European leathers. An English or European saddle today will vary from $1500.00 to upwards of $4000.00. The high end saddles use the very best leathers and labour intensive methods of tree preparation but many parts for these saddles are also manufactured in plastic or foam. The better saddles usually last longer and hold the shape of the seat better over years of use. They also tend to give the rider a better position for the legs, since more care and work goes into shaping the seat, the panel and the flaps where they attach to the tree. A sewing machine is used to put much of the saddle together, instead of the traditional hand stitching. (Some people argue that in many cases this produces a better product.) Much of today's saddle construction is divided into groups of semi skilled people supervised by a few master saddlers. Even at some of the highly respected German and Swiss manufacturers, many parts are synthetic and some of the construction is performed outside the factories by a cottage industry. The final assembly of the saddle is completed by master saddlers with sections of the saddle supplied from this cottage industry. Having saddles in my riding school that were built more than thirty years ago by an esteemed German manufacturer, and saddles from the same manufacturer that are only fifteen years old and seeing and riding in new saddles from this same manufacturer, I must say that there appears to be no difference in the ride or feel, fit and apparent durability.
        Saddles fall into 3 main groups of design; general purpose, close contact and dressage. General purpose saddles have a rounded cantle (back of the saddle), usually a medium to deep seat for security and comfort, and  have a knee roll of some kind. Normally they have wool stuffing in the panels that rest the saddle on the horse's back. Close contact saddles received this name because they have thin panels on which the saddles rest on the horse's back. These panels are usually stuffed with foam and felt. Close contact saddles generally have fairly flat seats, when looked at from the side. The cantle is usually squared off and both the pommel and the cantle are much lower than on general purpose saddles. Dressage saddles look like general purpose saddles with long straight flaps. They are almost always stuffed with wool, have medium to deep seats, and have some type of knee roll.

SADDLE DESIGN and CONSTRUCTION
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        Knee design is very different from one saddle to the next. The knee area is composed of:
1. The flap which can be plain, or plain and moulded, or covered with a layer of doeskin, suede or soft leather each backed by more leather, foam or an air bladder.
2. The knee roll which can be short, long, thick or thin or even nonexistent, and can be filled with wool or felt or foam. In some saddles these blocks are attached with Velcro, and can be moved or removed easily.
3. The panel can be curved down a long way or a little straighter or much shorter. The panel can be thick or thin, wide or narrow. The panel can be stuffed with wool or filled with foam, or foam and felt and now the Bates saddles have a revolutionary Cair panel. Each type of construction will affect the shape the saddle takes on around the knee, as it breaks in.
4. The leather on the sweat flap can be thick or thin, soft or firm. The quality of the saddle and the saddle design, as well as how much care the saddler puts into building this area of the saddle, can make a huge difference in how the saddle will fit and either help or hinder your knee position and comfort. Many of the most popular name brand saddles fight with the rider's knee, as a result of the shape and construction of the panel filling (foam and felt) in the knee area, rather than coddle and support it. I don't know why the saddlers don't shave the foam at this spot so the knee finds a smooth transition from flap to panel, rather than the lump these saddles all tend to  have. If the saddle pushes the knee out of place even a little, it is hard to achieve the classic leg that should have an equal grip with thigh, knee and calf. (C.E.F. and A.H.S.A. Rule books)
        Seat design is the most important factor in rider comfort, and the rider's ability to influence the horse. A deep seat is usually more comfortable than a flat (close contact) saddle. Some saddles have quite a sharp bucket shape to the seat. This feature really dictates the position of the rider's seat and is not favored by cross country or jumper riders. The size of the seat is not as important in a flat saddle as it is in a deep saddle. Too small a seat in a deep saddle will be uncomfortable for the rider. Too large a seat will give the rider very little support for their seat position. The twist of the seat or waist(width of the front half of the seat as it rises toward the pommel) will determine how well the rider is able to get his or her legs down around the horse. A narrow twist is usually preferred for better influence by the rider's legs. To fit some horses, a wide tree is required for the horse's comfort and the saddle balance. A well designed saddle will still have a reasonably narrow twist but many of the saddles that I have seen get very wide in the twist as the tree gets wider. In choosing a saddle in which you plan to compete in equitation competitions or wish to ride for dressage training or showing, the twist is very important. (A wide twist will make it difficult to ride with long stirrups). Some saddles are designed especially for women. These are usually a little rounder through the twist and may be comfortable to sit in but I have not seen any women ride effectively in them. One German manufacturer has a special model for women dressage riders that is narrow still in the twist but has more padding in the seat and uses a softer version of a thick wrinkly leather from the neck of the cow to help with the comfort. I used to own one of this company's older model dressage saddles and feel it would have been much improved by the addition of a great deal of thick soft leather in the seat.
        Flap design and size each have a substantial effect on the rider's ability to influence the horse. Too large a flap can place the rider's knee over the girth or girth buckles, spoiling the rider's grip and comfort. The rider's knee will not be against the knee roll, if there is one, thus creating a looser leg. Too long a flap will place too much of the rider's leg on the flap, rather than against the side of the horse; therefore, making influence with the legs difficult. Thick flaps (both sweat and leg) will take a long time to break in and require more force to secure a good leg position. Many riders would rather replace the flaps more often so that they can mold the flap to their leg better. Dressage saddles have longer straighter cut flaps so that the rider can have a deep, relaxed, and influential leg position. Jumper and cross country saddles have forward cut flaps to allow  the riders to ride with    shorter stirrups and thereby use their hips and knees as hinges as the horse jumps. On a saddle used for jumping, the flap must be big enough for the knee position, to prevent the back of the saddle from hitting the rider in the seat as the horse brings its hind legs over the peak of the jump. Many trainers prefer their students to have flaps that have a grained surface leather to give more grip to the rider's leg. (I don't really think that the grip is that much different. A little glycerine soap rubbed on the side of the boots will give a better grip if required.) Well cared for, top quality leather will give a better grip than lower quality leather that is also dry.
        Tree design is critical to the comfort of the horse and the balance of the rider. The best tree designs fit more horses than many of the run of the mill designs seen in many of the saddles in the market place today. Traditionally trees were made from laminated beechwood, steel strips and pieces of spring steel. Today many trees are made from boxwood and do not have nearly the strength of the better trees. Some English and European saddle manufacturers have turned to synthetic materials for their trees. Some riders claim that these saddles do not have the same feel as saddles with wooden trees. In some cases the synthetic tree has more strength as well as more flexibility, this making it more comfortable for the horse as his back moves with each stride.
        Good tree design allows the front of the panels to give the horse's withers clearance at the sides without being such a wide angle that the front of the saddle drops down and lets the pommel press down on the top of the withers. Some trees have a cut back head (pommel) that allows a good fit on many different shaped horses. Proper fit of the panel to the horse is important with these cut back saddles, to prevent the withers being grabbed on the sides by the cut out in the pommel. It is hard to make the cut back head as strong as a regular tree design and even in top name brand saddles, failure in this area is not uncommon. This design also allows short legged riders to ride with slightly longer stirrups than they could use in a saddle with a normal head. A problem with cut back saddles also is that the stirrup bars may be set a little far back for jumping. In the case of one well known English make the stirrup bars are not very well recessed in the cut back models and may cause the rider some discomfort in the thigh. The head of the tree can be straight or slanted back. A slanted head may fit more shapes but puts the points of the tree forward and might interfere with the shoulder of some horses that are not ideally shaped, in the shoulder. The stirrup bars can be further forward on a slanted head saddle, making this design attractive to jumper and cross country riders. The EASY-CHANGE gullet system on the Bates and also on the Wintec saddles allows the rider to change the gullet (head of the tree). The rider can select the gullet that allows the saddle to best lay comfortably on the horse's back, while sitting level and clearing the withers. These saddles allow the most comfort for the horse of any saddles that I have seen. I am so impressed with this design that I have a Bates for myself. I know many horses that will benefit from this design and comfort.
        Today's close contact jumper saddles have a wider back to the tree. This allows for a wider panel that cushions the horse's back more, plus a little more seat to support the rider when driving to a jump. Equitation riders often find these saddles harder to ride with the stirrups long for flat classes.
        As a part of the tree, the stirrup bars are recessed to afford comfort to the rider's leg. The bars being recessed and being upward at a slight angle, keep the stirrup leathers from slipping off. The so called safety bar at the end of the stirrup bar should never be up in case a rider should fall and be hung in the stirrup. These bars must be down in order to allow the leather to slide off, thus releasing the rider. (Saddles many, many years ago had level stirrup bars that were not as recessed and therefore the safety bar needed to be up to keep the leather from sliding off the back of the bar, while riding along.)
        Some poorly made saddles from India or Pakistan, or other manufacturers making poor copies of good saddles, still have stirrup bars that are not properly recessed. I have seen these saddles leave large bruises on rider's thighs. On good dressage saddles the stirrup bar will be longer, or even adjustable, to allow the rider optimum leg position. On some dressage saddles the stirrup bars are set back further to allow the rider a better leg position.
        Several manufacturers offer adjustable trees. These are very useful at allowing the saddle to adjust to the horse's changes in fitness or structure as age changes his shape. The Wellup tree was popular in the 1980's but a few people had problems with them. (They probably adjusted the tree to its maximum and then rode enough to have the ends of the threads on the adjuster fail.) There are other adjustable trees available. (Thorogood Saddlery of England offers them.) These saddles also can fit different horses without having to use extra pads, in some cases, to make the saddle more comfortable for the horse. The Bates, Collegiate Convertible and Wintec Cair interchangeable gullet system takes the adjustable tree to a new level. Pessoa now offers a similar Xchange system.
        The panel of the saddle should mould to the horse's back. If the panel has a gap under the middle ( waist ) or grabs at the gullet, or rocks on the centre, the horse will surely become sore in the back and not perform well. When judging horse shows, I have noticed that many  riders do not have saddles that fit their horses. At a seminar, that I recently attended, the speaker, Dr. Peter F. Cronau, the German Olympic and World Championship Equestrian Team veterinarian, emphasized the importance of the saddle panels in the comfort and performance of the horse. In his clinic Dr. Cronau uses a thermographic camera to analyze the fit of the saddle by looking for "hot" spots on the horse's back immediately after being ridden. Horses that have pressure points from the saddle often have moderate to severe and even permanent back problems. The Cair system in the Wintec and Bates saddles when adjusted properly virtually eliminate the pressure points that cause back problems. In Dr. Cronau's clinic, the thermographs of horses' backs, taken after exercise sessions with Cair system saddles showed even heat patterns; therefore, indicating comfort as well as maximum performance potential for these horse/saddle combinations. The most common mistake that I see is a saddle that is too narrow for the width of the withers and then sits high in the front; therefore, the rider puts a keyhole pad or wedge under the saddle. The keyhole pads should be banned. They lift the back of the saddle up so that it is level for the rider, (great!), but the middle of the saddle is not supported and this set up transfers much pressure to the front of the panel, at the ends of the tree, which is too narrow. (That is usually why the back of the saddle is too low in the first place.) Two things happen in this case: the horse becomes sore and eventually the tree usually breaks across the middle. A better solution is to use a wedge pad that is tapered from front to rear giving the saddle panel support under its full length. These pads come in various sizes and widths. I prefer the ones which have a wide front and are therefore shaped more like the whole panel of the saddle and extend down below the points of the tree. Some horses have a pronounced spine area along the back. These horses need a tree with a wider channel down the whole length of the panels. The panel should also be thicker and put on to guarantee  there is plenty of space in the channel for the comfort of the horse's backbone. The best solution to this panel problem that I have seen, is the Bates and Wintec air panel Cair system. They have two open celled foam air bladder panels on each side of the saddle. This keeps the saddle from having any pressure points on the horse's back. The different gullets available on this saddle virtually guarantee a perfect fit on any horse no matter how he is built. (To supplement the fit on these Cair panels, wool flocking may be stuffed behind the panels or shims made by Bates added between the panels and the tree by a Cair Specialist Saddler, to complete the requirements of any horse.)
        Endurance saddles and military saddles have longer, wider panels to give the horse's back more protection by spreading the weight of the rider and saddle over a wider area. A well designed tree, selected for the shape of the horse on which the saddle is to be used, does not need a thick panel in most cases. A thinner flatter panel that conforms to the horse's shape is by far the most desirable for both horse and rider. If the saddle is to be used on one horse, then a wool stuffed panel will give the horse good comfort. If a thinner panel is desired for closer contact or the saddle is to be used on several horses, then a foam and felt panel, or an air filled panel is appropriate. The foam and felt panel does not need replacing for about 1500 to 2000 rides, whereas the wool panel should be re-stuffed after about 100 to 150 rides in a new saddle and then about every 300 to 500 rides after that. ( The restuffing is dependent on the weight of the rider and the tightness with which the saddler has pushed the wool into the panel.) Saddlers use different types of wool for stuffing, the best being merino wool which has more resilience and does not get packed as hard with use as some cheaper wool (I know of a saddler who uses shredded fluffy cotton string some of the time. He feels that this material does not lump up as much nor compress as much as the wool used by some of the other saddlers in our region.) The newer Wintec Flocked saddles and the Collegiate Convertible saddles made by Bates, have a synthetic flocking that resists insects and keeps more resilience than traditional wool when it is very compressed or has a few years of horse humidity collected and saved. Some expensive saddles use panels made entirely from layers of different foam instead of felt. These panels can be put together quickly and should keep their shape for a longer period. Some saddlers put these straight into the saddles just as they come from the molds; others shave the foam to a custom fit for the panel that they have made, thereby creating a slightly different saddle from the next saddler constructing the same saddle model. The panel leather is usually soaked in water then stretched and shaped to make a nicely rounded appearance. In some wool stuffed panels the panel leather is gusseted. (The panel is made from two pieces of leather with a stitched seam around the bulge line forming the panel.) This procedure allows a little more wool to be put in and may allow a little more contact area for the panel with the horse's back. This gusset takes less time than soaking and stretching and, in some cases, the panel is overstuffed, making the saddle sit high.  I have even seen panels  so stuffed, that they  became round and the area of contact greatly reduced.


TYPES OF SADDLES    Return to the top of this page
GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES
    The majority of saddles sold around the world are general purpose saddles. These saddles are suitable for flat work and jumping. Some manufacturers offer a VSD saddle, that is a general purpose toward dressage in the profile of the flaps, and a VSS saddle that is general purpose toward jumping with flaps that are slanted a little more forward. This latter profile is the most common among the general purpose saddles offered in stores. Most people who ride for pleasure, those who intend to ride with a hunt club, or those who intend to spend more than an hour at a time in the saddle  just riding around or hacking, would be best suited with a general purpose saddle. Even professional riders who use close contact saddles on all their show hunters and jumpers, usually prefer a general purpose saddle if they are going for a long ride or on a hunt.

CLOSE CONTACT SADDLES     Return to the top of this page
      In the show ring in North America, for the past 40 years, the most popular saddle has been the close contact design. The panels in these saddles are almost exclusively foam or foam and felt. (This material allows the thinner panel to create the close contact.) The manufacturers that use wool panels for close contact saddles are the exception (notably County Saddlery, and also one model of Crosby, both made in England and now the Collegiate Convertible saddles made by Bates and some of the Pessoa and Santa Cruz saddles). Some of these saddles produce a wonderful ride with close contact but require much more frequent restuffing adjustments to keep the horse comfortable and to keep the panel from losing its shape. I changed my daughter from one of the foam and felt well known saddles from England to a County with a wool panel. Six rides later, in this brand new saddle, she won a medal class on the "A" circuit. The comfort and position afforded by this saddle certainly helped her. (These saddles also have very supple rich feeling flaps). The Bates saddles and the Wintec saddles with their Cair panels are very close contact and offer great comfort to the horse. The fact that these saddles when adjusted with the correct gullet for the horse, and if necessary, shimmed by a saddler, are so comfortable with no pad or the thinnest of pads makes them the closest contact in reality.
        More recently the trend in design of close contact saddles has reverted back somewhat toward the design of the general purpose saddles. George Morris endorsed a saddle called the Hunterdon with a deeper seat. Nelson Pessoa endorsed a saddle that had narrow knee rolls and padded flaps. Ian Millar endorsed a saddle with a small thigh roll and a deeper seat called the Vision. Many trainers now suggest for some of their students, close contact designs that employ variations on the deeper seat and have padded flaps and or knee rolls. I know one trainer that has every student use exactly the same saddle regardless of the rider's shape or talent or strength of position.
        In a close contact saddle, the thigh of the rider is the most important part of fitting. These saddles are designed to post to the trot. To canter and gallop in a two point position and to jump with the saddle not getting in the way. The actual seat itself, being fairly flat, is not as critical a factor in the rider's comfort or the functionality of the saddle, as it is in the deeper general purpose or dressage saddles. I see many riders (especially young juniors whose parents try to save money by buying a saddle that will fit them in a few years) with their knee in the middle of the flap on top of the girth billets, rather than at the front of the saddle where the knee can work a lot better. When parents suggest that they wish to purchase a saddle that their child will grow into, I explain that this would be similar to putting the child in adult sized shoes and then expecting them to walk properly. If a saddle is too small for the length of the thigh, the rider's knee will protrude beyond the front of the flap or the saddle will hit the rider in the rear end over the middle of the jump (especially if the horse takes a big spot or has a fast round jumping action).
        Most of the close contact saddles are built on a medium tree; however, many of these medium trees are a little narrow for the horses in North America and do not conform properly to the horses' backs. This problem creates a vast market for massage therapists, acupuncturists, and wonderful kinds of adjustment saddle pads. Some people have no idea what they are doing. I have seen many cases where a saddle gullet is too tight around the withers and people have used a wither pad in an effort to make the horse more comfortable. This remedy is like having a pair of shoes that are too tight on the toes and then adding a second pair of socks. When I explain this situation to people they seem quite shocked. However, a large knitted wither pad may be used to fill in the arch of a saddle that is too wide for the horse as a temporary solution.

DRESSAGE SADDLES Return to the top of this page
        The best dressage saddles have long girth billets to ensure that the rider's leg, which is extended straighter in the dressage saddle, is not bothered by the girth and girth buckles. The stirrup bars should also be longer or set back further to allow the stirrup leathers to hang straight and the rider to have his or her leg under the hip, rather than in front, as in a saddle designed for jumping. Many novice dressage riders have saddles that suit grand prix riders but do not really suit them. A dressage saddle should assist the rider in finding a deep central seat. The rider's conformation might not be suited to some of the popular dressage saddles, especially if the rider has long heavy thighs. Some trainers advocate oversized saddles and then, to keep the rider in place, they use leather seated breeches and even replace the saddle seat with doeskin or suede. One argument for an oversized saddle is that with the large Warmblood horse, a larger saddle is required to fit around the withers. With the straight cut panel and flap there is less of a problem fitting some horses with upright shoulders, since the front of the saddle is less apt to interfere with the scapula (shoulder). Most dressage saddles have wool panels and these allow more of a groove to develop in the saddle for the rider's thigh, than with the foam and felt panels. The wool panels also give excellent back cushioning, necessary to keep the horse's back comfortable with the increased time spent at a seated position in dressage. The ultimate comfort for the back is provided by the Cair panels in the Wintec and Bates saddles. Most novice and intermediate riders that I have observed in dressage competitions should have a knee roll of some kind to help keep the leg steady and the seat and back relaxed and in the correct position. Some top riders use saddles with no knee roll so their fans and students often feel that this must be good so they buy the same design of saddle. Good trainers will suggest saddles that will help develop their students' skills.

SYNTHETIC SADDLES Return to the top of this page

        Today the synthetic saddle has been developed to the level of a good leather saddle, both in durability and usefulness. Thorogood from England or Wintec from Australia both offer a lower priced, well designed line of synthetic saddles. These saddles use synthetic trees that are almost identical to the top German or British saddle trees. These saddles are very light weight; water does not bother them since they are basically water proof and the current designs are quite satisfactory for the average novice rider or professional rider. The newest models look and grip just like leather, yet are easy care. (Typically they are a much better design and more durable than the Asian made leather saddles). The surface material is durable and offers an excellent grip. (Early synthetic saddles were very slippery when wearing jodhpurs or jeans and were better ridden with tall boots or chaps). The Wintec saddles are also available with the Cair panels and the interchangeable gullets, making a perfect fit possible on any horse.
        Many top professional riders use Wintec saddles every day for training their horses and customer's horses. They find that they fit the horses very well and the horses develop their muscles and their skills well.
        We have sold quite a few of these saddles to riding schools, since they fit most horses comfortably and are reasonably economical and durable. The early saddles were sold in many colours; however this idea soon fell into the useless novelty category, now most synthetic saddles are only offered in a charcoal black or brown colour.

 

FITTING SADDLES Return to the top of this page
     Everyone is an expert with saddle fitting. There are even high priced saddlers that frequently make mistakes when custom fitting a saddle. The fault is usually with the changing shape or condition of the horse, not the saddle or the saddler. The saddle must conform to the structure of the horse. There must be no pressure points or restrictions caused by the saddle. The panel should feel equally resilient over the entire surface. Many horses change their back shape quite a lot when a new, properly fitted saddle is used. After a few months, the saddle no longer fits and the horse shows signs of discomfort. At this time either the saddle must be adjusted or changed to a saddle that fits the new shape of the horse.
     Many of today's saddles are made with flexible trees. This is great, so long as the saddle is comfortable for the horse. If the horse is not comfortable, then he, most often, will tense his muscles against the flex of the saddle and create a secondary flexing motion. This usually causes the horse to tense his muscles even more, often causing muscle pain in areas of his back where the saddle does not even touch the horse. For saddles with flexible trees(Bates, Pessoa, Barnsby, Schleese, Amerigo, Wintec, Collegiate Convertible and many more) the fit is more important than on saddles built with stiff trees. With a stiff tree, the horse can flex away from the uncomfortable spot. While maybe not going as well, at least he travels reasonably and does not usually have severe problems. With the flexible trees, the saddle flexes and maintains more contact with the horse, inspite of the horse flexing to get away from the discomfort. So long as any sore spots have been rested and or treated with acupuncture, massage therapy or other forms of rehabilitation, the flexible saddles are more comfortable, however, they must fit correctly. With more than 40% of the horse community putting saddles on too far forward in Canada, onto the shoulder, modern saddles make for more problems than traditional saddles. As the horse's shoulder pumps into the saddle, it sets up a motion that usually causes the horse to tnse his back muscles until they cramp and go very sore.
        The panel should not be hard. Old foam often has become hard and should be replaced. Sweat over time can turn a wool panel hard and it should also be replaced. The only panel that allows the saddle to fit without any pressure points is the Bates or Wintec Cair panel. The Flair panel(inflatable air panel) is fine when the air is medium. When the air is inflaed to a higher rate, the panel becomes round and the contact area is reduced, therefore reducing the comfort. The type of tree, as well as the width of the arch at the front, must be suitable for the horse under consideration. A sloped head tree may be preferred by some jumping riders; however, this design may cause the front of the saddle(tree points) to interfere with the movement of the scapula on large shouldered horses(especially, since most people put the saddle too far forward on these horses). On some horses, the saddle looks too far back when placed in the correct spot. This is still the correct spot and to move the saddle forward to achieve the right look will only hurt the horse. The only other solution is to sell the horse and buy one with a normal shoulder/withers. A fat horse will be hard to fit and easy to injure, since the lack of condition will allow the horse to bruise easily. The saddle will also move around easily on a fat horse. Fat ponies usually have a problem with the saddle sliding forward. The best way to solve this problem is with a saddle that has less rocker or use crupper that keeps the saddle back. Using the front two girth billets will also help, as long as the tree is wide enough for the pony; if it is not, this would allow the saddle to wiggle back and forth, side to side, at the back of the panel and also put extra pressure at the base of the withers under the points of the tree. Many of these ponies and Quarter horse or Arab type horses also have flatter backs. These horses/ponies require a saddle that has less rocker built into the shape of the tree.(Rocker is the amount of shape, similar to the bottom of a rocking chair, that is built into the saddle design. Some saddles from one manufacturer have more or less rocker shape than other models from the same manufacturer. Choose a saddle with the correct amount of rocker for your horse. The Bates, Pessoa, Wintec and Collegiate Convertible saddles all cand have the rocker adjusted by a knowledgeable saddler.
        The most important consideration in fitting is that the withers and spine of the horse must not receive pressure from the saddle. Too wide a tree will allow the saddle to drop down onto the withers and cause the horse great pain. Too narrow a channel will cause the horse to tense his back from the pressure of the panel against the spine. Too narrow an arch at the front of the tree will grab the withers on the sides. (This situation is probably the most common fitting problem). If you buy a saddle with a narrow tree, it will be very hard to sell later and probably will not fit your next horse or any other horses that you may wish to ride. At Dr. Cronau's clinic, x-ray pictures taken of the horse's spine show calcium deposits on the spinal extensions in the wither area of horses that have been ridden with saddles that do not fit. These horses will never fully recover from the damage caused by ill-fitting saddles. A tree that is a little wide can be used with a partial pad (a pad that does not come down the side too far and does not give extra bulk under the rider's legs). This pad will fill the horse's shape in giving it a wider profile that suits the slightly wide saddle. On a horse that is fit and will probably not change his back/wither shape much then the saddle should be stuffed to fit properly. Often a horse that seems to require a narrow tree will develop a different shape with work and a saddle that gives the side of the withers the proper freedom. The Bates, Collegiate Convertible, Pessoa and Wintec saddles allow a change in fit, performed by the owner, as the horse changes his shape. Most horses that have had any soreness in the back will change shape as they feel relaxed and the pain goes away. The muscles across the back change quite a lot in some cases where the saddle either starts to hurt or the pain is removed. Many saddles can also be adjusted by a saddler, and, depending on the design of the saddle are reasonable or expensive to adjust.
        When the saddle is in place on the horse behind the shoulder and the rider is sitting in the seat, the saddle ( general purpose or dressage ) should be about 2cm (3/4") lower at the pommel (head) of the saddle than at the cantle (back) of the saddle. On a new saddle, the front and back will be closer to level(about a finger's width lower at the front), since the wool will compress and form to the horse within about 20 rides (with normal adult weight in the saddle). For foam and felt saddles or the Bates or Wintec Cair saddles, the saddle should sit close to the level you desire(when you are sitting in the saddle), since these saddles will not change very much with breaking in. A close contact saddle should sit more level, from front to rear than a general purpose or dressage saddle, thereby allowing the rider a more forward position. If the saddle sits too high at the front, then the tree is probably too narrow. If the saddle sits too low at the pommel, then the tree is probably too wide. On high withered horses you must be careful not to have a pressure point at the back and the sides of the withers. Some saddles have too much padding in the panel here for this type of horse and cause the saddle to pinch the sides of the spine roughly under the stirrup bars(either too much rocker to the panel or too narrow a channel between the panels).
A good saddle shop or a competent saddler should be able to assist you in choosing the saddle that best fits you and your horse. Your trainer should be trusted to choose the right type of saddle for your riding level and the goals in your riding development.

COUNTRIES OF MANUFACTURE     Return to the top of this page

        England had by far the lion's share of the North American saddle market for the past 1970s through the 1990s. Some of the best leathers and tree designs originate in England. Many of the world's top jumper riders have saddles made in England. The best laminated trees are still made in England. Price has reduced the market share for British saddles considerably in the past fifteen years. The average new saddle made in England sells in Canada for about $1800.00 to $3000.00. The premium saddles sell for $2500.00 to $4000.00. In some cases the higher price commanded by certain saddles is to cover commissions paid to well known International riders, who either help design or endorse a design of the saddle.
        Germany (Switzerland and Austria) used to make a large portion of the saddles for North America, still have a good portion of the general purpose market and have a good part of the dressage saddle market. Several of the companies have factories or tanneries in two or three of these countries; therefore, they are considered as one area of manufacture. For those who maintain that the German made saddles are superior to those made in Switzerland, the principal of the Stubben saddle company states that for him to allow a different quality from one factory as compared to another would be foolish. Both factories use the same trees, the same leather, the same parts and the same assembly methods to the identical designs. The majority of German saddle trees are synthetic and are almost indestructible. The average German saddle sells in Canada for $1900.00 to $3500.00
        Australia has produced the Bates saddles for several generations. These were a well made top quality saddle that was a little narrow in the tree for most North American horses. This all changed with the interchangeable gullet system, introduced by Bates/Wintec in about the the turn of the century. Bates has produced the Wintec line for over twenty years now. This line is the number one selling synthetic saddle in the world. What has made this saddle so popular, besides price, is the durability, the interchangeable gullets and the ability to be fitted perfectly to any horse, by a Cair Specialist Saddler. The Bates saddles with the interchangeable gullets and the Cair system have become one of the best choices for most horses for fit and comfort. The leathers used by Bates, from Austria and Germany, are some of the nicest quality leather found in any saddle available today.
        Europe (other countries than listed above) has many good saddle manufacturers but the designs, trees and leathers do not meet the standards of the previously listed countries. Most of the saddles available from these countries are general purpose, with some dressage saddles of reasonable design also being offered. A few companies from France offer very nice looking, expensive, close contact saddles. Some of these French saddles have found favour with top professional riders. These saddles often have English made trees and beautiful supple leathers. I have ridden in a few of them and found them uncomfortable for my leg position. E.H. Edwards, recognized as an expert saddlery authority, has little praise for French saddles. I have seen French saddles that cost $4000 or more that still do not fit the typical North American sport horse. The average European saddle sells in Canada for $1500.00 to $2500.00 with top line saddles selling for up to $5000.00. Some of the higher priced French saddles have a marketing plan that gives coaches a free saddle in exchange for having four clients purchase saddles from this manufacturer.
        Argentina makes the largest number of saddles for the North American market today. Leading American and Canadian distributors each have their brand of Argentinean saddles. Many of these saddles are crafted to look like the top English name brand saddles. Some of the trees are of boxwood rather than beechwood; therefore they have less durability than the saddles they copy. The leathers are a little less substantial and the tanning process is much better than it was fifteen years ago but is still not as good as the English or European process. A few manufacturers import French or other European leathers to offer a superior saddle. Some of the designs are almost as good as the saddles they copy and the craftsmanship is certainly improving because many of the better Argentinean saddles fit on the horses as well or better than the English originals. Saddles from Argentina have certainly improved in the past ten to fifteen years. Most companies offer a range of general purpose, close contact and dressage saddles. The average price of an Argentinean saddle in Canada is $695.00 to $1095.00, with better models in the $1100.00 to $3000.00 range.
        India and Pakistan make a considerable number of general purpose saddles and some close contact and dressage saddles. The trees are inferior; the leathers are not of good quality (usually buffalo leather of a poor tannage) and the workmanship crude. The edges of the leather parts are usually not rubbed well and the dryness of the tanned hide makes them feel rough. The saddles rarely sit on the horse with a good fit and the riders do not find them as supportive or as comfortable, as the better saddles from other countries. There have been some improvements over the past fifteen years but not to the extent that the Argentinean saddles have improved. Few riding schools buy the Asian saddles, since they do not wear well and the horses and riders both find them unsatisfactory for the most part. There are a few better made Asian saddles but the overall reputation of the Asian saddle industry keeps most knowledgeable horsemen and women away from these products. Most purchasers of these products are first time buyers and after a short while, if they stay with their riding, they purchase a good used saddle or an Argentinean saddle. The price of an average Asian saddle in Canada is $195.00 to $695.00.

               This article is protected by copyright. Users of "About Saddles" by Alan Plewis shall only be entitled to copy this article for their own personal use and may not republish or reproduce any part of this article, without the prior written permission of the author, or Foxhunter Farms Limited.

 

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