Saddle Fit

Saddlefit 4 Life® Saddle Ergonomist Training, West Palm Beach, Florida, February 4–8 and March 8–12

Written by Saddle Fit 4 Life

Equine professionals and enthusiasts from across North America will be coming together for the 2nd Annual Saddlefit 4 Life® Saddle Ergonomist Seminar. Two courses are being offered this winter: February 4–8 and March 8–12, due to overwhelming interest in the course.

Tips for Your Trail-Riding Saddle

Written by Jenny Lance and Angie Ferrell

Does your trail-riding saddle ensure comfort for both you and your horse? The most important thing to look for when you are in the market for a trail saddle is to remember that trail riding requires a comfortable, well fitting saddle. You are looking for harmony between horse and rider.

Your Riding Posture Affects Saddle Fit

Written by Jochen Schleese

A saddle-fitting colleague recently presented this dilemma: “The saddle is on the horse, the tree fits, the panels are leveled (flair), and the rider is sitting on both his seat bones in balance, so statically everything looks OK. Then the horse starts moving. The saddle does what is has to do; it stays in place and I am satisfied with how the saddle is working for the horse. But then the rider gets crooked in his saddle. Nine times out of 10, the problem begins in his pelvis and legs. Most riders compensate in the lumbar area of their backs, frequently resulting in rotation elsewhere in their back, which can lead to one shoulder being higher than the other.

Withers Clearance and Tree Angle

Written by Schleese Saddlery

Saddle trees come in narrow, medium, or wide, but did you know that those designations can refer both to the WIDTH of the tree and to the ANGLE of the tree? If a saddle fitter tells you that your saddle is a “wide narrow,” you have a saddle with a wide tree width and a narrow tree angle.

Magnetic Saddle Pad

Written by HH Reader

Dear HH,

I was happy to see a picture of our popular saddle pad in the article about therapeutic saddle pads, but I was disappointed that our name was not mentioned. Our magnetic UnderPad is very popular and durable, helping many horses stretch and extend their gaits and helping with sore backs. Some people who swear by our UnderPad and its durability are:

Rollkur Discussion Continues - FEI Response

Written by FEI Letter

FEI Response to Dr. Robert Cook’s reaction to “hyperflexion” ruling

The intention of the FEI round-table conference on hyperflexion/Rollkur was specifically to address an issue which is of concern to equestrian sport.

Participants at the meeting were selected to include veterinary and welfare authorities as well as sporting experts so that all sides of the debate could be heard and addressed.