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Saddle Design Benefits
Saddle design benefits for the horse:
Most of the advantages listed below are new to saddle design and saddle fitting practice. What could not be done in the past the FnE Saddles can do now!
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Large panel area contacting the horse's back
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Lower pressure on the horse's back for any weight of rider
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Even distribution of the rider's weight
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Panels automatically align to the lateral curve of the horse's back
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Improves stride length, lateral movements and jumping agility by releasing the shoulder
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Adjustable to the horse's shape along and across the back
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Adjustable to take account of a change in shape for youngsters as they grow
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Adjustable to take account of an improvement in shape after using the FnE saddle
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Adjustable with ease to fit a different horse
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Adjustable for the asymmetrical horse or rider
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When a horse is worked in the FnE saddle its wither and back muscles improve.
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The large flat panels, which distribute the weight and riding forces, are designed to flex and follow the bend of the horse.
Horses with wither hollows will often improve so much that the saddle rises at the front - this doesn't mean you need a new saddle, just a readjustment to the new, better muscled back. Also, because the panels do not press into the wither during riding it is possible to have quite a small gap between the underside of the pommel and the wither. This makes it easier to achieve a balanced saddle seat, especially on high withered horses. With the rider’s weight and riding forces taken off the wither muscles these tend to improve, so the horse's back becomes "horse shaped" rather than "saddle shaped".
The lateral bend of the horse, for turns and circles, comes mainly from flexibility in the spine directly underneath the saddle. FnE saddles optimise this bend as the panels can follow this curve, especially on the inside of the bend. It is often possible to ask a horse to circle, with a correct bend, close to or within its own length at the walk when using the FnE Saddle.
The adjustability of the FnE saddle is especially useful with young horses. As the young horse is backed and worked, it continues to grow and develop. It is extremely important at this time to make sure that it does not experience any discomfort from the saddle, as this could colour its attitude for a long time to come, and perhaps lead to behavioural problems, which greatly increase the difficulty of training. Because FnE saddles can be adjusted to match the sometimes rapid change in shape, horse comfort is always maximised. The polyurethane tree is very sturdy, so should the young horse roll onto it a broken tree will not result (if the tree does break we will replace it free of charge!)
A conventional flocked saddle, which sits behind the shoulder blade, can easily end up blocking the rearward circling movement of the shoulder as the front leg completes a stride. This inhibits stride length, collection and lateral movements. The FnE panel eliminates this blocking effect as it just overlaps the back edge of the shoulder blade. As the shoulder blade rotates rearwards, the front of the panel flexes to accommodate the movement.
Saddle design benefits for the rider:
- A naturally balanced seat - perhaps for the first time
- Less fatigue
- Greater freedom to develop your riding technique
The FnE saddle takes the struggle out of sitting in a balanced or shoulder-hip-heel position, because the saddle is adjusted so that the rider sits with their centre of mass in the centre of the seat, no matter how the horse or rider is shaped. The seat is fine tuned to the rider in such a way that the top of the rider’s pelvis is gently rolled forward, putting a small natural curve in the small of the back, which works up the spine to place the shoulders naturally above the hips.
All that remains to be done to complete the rider's balance is to have the heels placed below the hips. To ensure this happens, the FnE saddle has an adjustable stirrup bar, enabling any rider to place the bar so the stirrup leather hangs vertically down to the ball of the foot at the correct distance from the centre of the seat to place the heel under the hip. There is now no need for those riders with smaller feet (most female riders) to reach for the stirrup with the foot and pull it back to place the leg correctly. Say goodbye to the swinging leg at the rising trot!
Because the basic position is now natural and physically stress free the rider becomes less tired, finding it easier to learn the more demanding movements of riding or to cover distances without feeling fatigued. Those riders who often have back pain through struggling to sit correctly may discover that this is now gone! It is also easier to learn a rising trot that greatly reduces the height of the rise and takes the strain off the knees, enabling lighter riding with a longer leg.
