AUGUST 2010 THE RIDER /51 Saddlefit 4 Life
There are still a lot of ‘opin- ions’ on what constitutes a prop- erly fitting saddle, but I think a large part of proper saddle fit is simple common sense!
Full Panel Contact
Once you’ve established that your saddle’s gullet/channel is the correct width for your horse, with the panels resting on your horse’s longissimus dorsi mus- cles, and not on his spine or liga- ments, you need to ensure that your saddle’s panels make even contact with your horse’s back. We want the saddle to sit on the optimal weight-bearing surface of the horse’s back, and to dis-
tribute the rider’s weight over an area that equals approxi- mately 220 square inches and ends at the last rib.
How to Check for Full Panel Contact
Put your saddle on the horse, put your right hand under the stirrup bar area, gently hold the saddle in posi- tion with your left hand, and with your right hand palm facing up slowly move your hand from front to back – you will feel a lot of contact on top of your hand . Put your hand flat on the horse’s back (you have greater sensitivity on the top of your hand, and feel if there is nice even panel contact from front to back. Check this on both sides. If the saddle sits flush at the front and back and loosely or no contact in the middle, this results in excess pressure at the front and back (bridging). If the saddle is tight in the mid- dle and loose in the front and back (rocking) there is excess pressure in the middle of the saddle. Some people find it easier to test for even contact by sliding a pen or pencil in between the panel and their horse’s back. Use whichever method (pen or hand) works best for you.
When a saddle rocks, the panels at the front and/or back of the saddle do not make even contact with the horse’s back. Think of the motion of a rocking horse. In this case, there is excessive pressure in the middle of the saddle, and the rider’s entire weight is concentrated in this one area. To determine if your saddle rocks, place the saddle on your horse’s back without a saddle pad. Push down on the pommel. If the cantle lifts up off the horse’s back, your saddle rocks.
Note that sometimes your saddle may be made with panels that deliberately flare up at the very back, so the last inch or so of the panels don’t make contact with your horse’s back. This is done in specialized cases: for instance, when there is a need to accommodate a tall or large rider on a horse with a short saddle-support area. If fitted correctly, this saddle will not rock. This extra room is also important for the back to come up when the horse engages during movement.
Sometimes we hear that a saddle that bridges slightly is actually a good thing, because when the horse lifts his back as he is being ridden, his back will come up into and fill in the space left by the bridge. While this may seem logical at first, in reality, it doesn’t work. The reasoning here is faulty. To demonstrate this, the next time your sad-
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Biography: Jochen Schleese, CMS, CSFT, CEE
Certified Master Saddler, Saddlefit Tech- nician, Equine Ergonomist
Mr. Schleese is a former member of the German young rider’s Three-day event team, and graduated from Passier Ger- many as the youngest-ever Certified Mas- ter Saddler at age 22. He came to Canada as the Official Saddler for the 1986 World Dressage Championships. Schleese has made the trade of saddlery registered and certifiable in Ontario as the only autho- rized training facility. Schleese has 60
Saddle Fit Tip #4: Understanding the importance of Full Panel Contact
dlefitter fits your saddle, ask her/him to put the Arc device or Saddletech (the metal tool used to measure the curvature and width of your horse’s back) on your horse with the middle two wings lifted so that they do not make contact with your horse’s back. This will simulate a saddle that bridges. Then scratch your horse’s stomach along his midline, so that he rais- es his back. You will see that the middle 2 wings of the Arc device still do not make contact with your horse’s back. This shows that even when your horse lifts his back while being ridden, his saddle will still bridge.
The goal of saddle fitting is to have the saddle distribute the riders’ weight evenly over the saddle support area, and it is important that the saddle neither bridge nor rock.
Visit
www.schleese.com
employees and agents worldwide. He developed the Saddlefit4Life® philosophy and diagnostic system. Saddle- fit 4 Life® is taught worldwide to DVM’s, REMTs, DCs, Trainers and Saddle Fitters. Through sharing expertise Saddlefit 4 Life® professionals are protecting horse’s and rider’s backs. Jochen states, “Horses
should not suffer for the ignorance of the rider, nor should they be farmed out, or put down because of severe, irreparable damage resulting from poor saddle fit.” Jochen’s passion and life mission to edu- cate is improving the well being of horses and riders worldwide!
www.gameready.com • 1-888-426-3732
Hwy 9 Schomberg, ON 905-939-2279
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