Saddle make will always have two main considerations. First and most important, will be your horse's well being; with the rider's ease and stability being the secondary consideration.
To ensure the welfare of the horse, the saddle must act to raise the rider off the horse's spinal cord and distribute his weight evenly across the horse's back without cauding pressure points. Pressure should never be allowed directly on the spinal cord of the horse, nor on the ideas of ligaments that run parallel along the spine. That is the main make function of any saddle, although there are many variations and much debate about this is best achieved.
Equestrian Sports
Usually, with most designs of saddle, the spinal clearance and weight distribution is achieved by the tree. Essentially, this is the rigid internal frame or skeleton nearby which the saddle is built and this is shaped to keep the weight clear of the horse's wither and spine. It is essential, therefore, that the saddle and tree fit the horse correctly. Too narrow a tree may pinch at the wither, cause the saddle to sit on the horse's spine itself or even fail to distribute the weight evenly. Too wide a tree will allow the saddle to pinch the spine at the wither.
How many of us have seen riders sitting lopsided, for example? imagine what that is doing to the horse's back!
The secondary observation in saddle make will be the rider's stability and ease and much will depend on the riding discipline for which the saddle is intended. The make of a dressage saddle will differ greatly from a close palpate or jumping saddle, for example, as will a Western show saddle and barrel racing saddle. But anything the discipline, the saddle make must put the rider in the strict riding position, assuming the usual stirrup length. The rider's seat should plainly fall in the 'seat' or 'balance point' of the saddle and the saddle flap must ensure that the rider's knee is lifted clear of the horse. This same principle applies across all riding disciplines and all saddle designs will differ agreeing to the position the rider needs to be in for that discipline.
Let's look at an English jumping saddle and a dressage saddle to justify the differences in make brought about by the rider's optimum position. The jumping saddle will be designed to fit the rider in jumping position. The saddle flaps will enlarge send to take into account the shorter stirrup leather distance required and the succeed extending of the rider's knee position send and the seat or 'balance point' will be further back with a slightly higher cantle than normal. It is these make requirements that give the jumping saddle its well-known appearance.
A dressage saddle, on the other hand, looks entirely separate because of the separate riding position. The saddle flaps do not enlarge send because the stirrup leather distance will be longer and the rider's leg will be straighter as a result. The seat will be further send with a lower cantle.
Subject to the foremost principle of spinal clearance and weight distribution, the make of the saddle will, therefore, differ agreeing to the riding discipline and this perhaps explains the popularity of normal Purpose or 'Gp' saddles for most of us! It is vital that you have the strict saddle, of course, and also that you have it normally checked by a saddler to ensure that it fits your horse properly.
insight Your Horse's Saddle - The found and Functionality of Equestrian Saddles
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