ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] sport saddle

[endurance] sport saddle

HARVEY_HELEN@tandem.com
19 Mar 96 15:29:00 -0800

I got a Sports Saddle a couple of months ago. Since there isn't a
tree, you're much closer to the horse's movement. This increases your
ability to feel the horse, but also increases the horse's ability to
feel your movement. It also tends to magnify any movements that
aren't balanced and synchronized with the horse. I had tended to
move my shoulders in sorta an up/down motion. This was slightly visible
in a standard saddle. With the Sports Saddle, it was very obvious.
Also, if, like a lot of people, you tend to habitually put more weight
on one seatbone than another, this will be more likely to create/increase
onsidedness in the horse, since there isn't a tree to provide a buffer.
So far, Bella and I like the saddle but I suspect that it's more
important to stay as balanced as possible then in a 'regular' saddle.
I figure that after our first 50, I'll have a better idea of how
the saddle works for us.

Helen

------------ ORIGINAL ATTACHMENT --------
SENT 03-18-96 FROM SMTPGATE (lernnwin@pacific.net)

Hi. I have a 15.2 hand 9 year old Arab. When I got her I was warned that
she had a previous injury and there was no guarantee she would stay sound.
Well, 3 years later and lots of riding, she seems just fine. I ride in a
cordora, big Horn endurance saddle and I'm happy with it. I check her back
on a regular basis and she seems slightly tender, but only after a very
long, hard ride, on shorter rides (2 hours or so) she has no tenderness at
all. Most of my riding friends ride in the sport saddle and love it. I am
thinking of switching saddles and purchasing a sport saddle. I hear so
many positive things about the sport sadle i.e., the horse walks out better
because their shoulders aren't restricted by the saddle tree.

I guess I'm thinking why switch when my horse seems fine, but then on the
other hand would she do better and be happier with the sport saddle.

Any comments, suggestions about pros and cons of the sport saddle would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Lindsey Yaffee