Re: Sports Saddle vs. Soft Rider Saddle

[Cathy Pritchett <danugna@teleport.com>]

>My understanding is that there are more differences.  From that I
>saw from the photo, it looked like (on the soft rider), that when
>you stood in the stirrups, that the strap going over the seat of the
>saddle would bear all the weight.

Hi,

Well since I had a couple of people raise this concern about the Soft
Rider, I'll give my very unprofessional opinion on it.  I'm no expert, can
only tell you what I am observing and what my friend is observing on our
saddles.

Okay, you are correct, the stirrups are attached to a strap that goes over
the back.  What I feel however is that there are three factors that are
distributing the weight more evenly than just on that strap.  First is the
way it is attached to the rest of the seat, it appears to distribute weight
over the whole back.  Second is his use of two separate felt pads.  I
should have taken a measure down, but they are thick felt pads and they are
definately distributing the weight well.  Third is his calvary style
rigging which allows you to move the cinch back or forward to better
distribute weight.

We have both found the sweat pattern to be even with an air space down the
spine.  As we live on the edge of the Siskiyou mountain range, we do a lot
of hill work.  There is almost no movement of the Soft Rider saddle, it
stays put very nicely even without a crupper.

My friends experience is probably a bit more relevent than mine as she has
ridden this horse for 5 years.  The first four years she rode in a Big
Horn.  I asked her about balance.  She said that she had always thought she
was well balanced in the Big Horn until she rode the Soft Rider.  She says
she was shocked at how perfectly balanced she was in it.  She can stand a
trot and not waiver an inch.  I also find myself well balanced.  I think
this may indicate that the saddle is well balanced on the horse as well.
Don't know, but it seems important.

The other thing she has found, especially going down hills is that her
horse is moving much more freely with the Soft Rider.  She knows this horse
well after 4 years of competition and truly believes that the horse is
having less soreness and is moving much better.  Since I'm just starting 4
year olds, I can't say anything other than mine move well and don't seem to
be getting sore.

Now, neither one of us has done more than 20 miles in the saddle.  She's
been training in it for 6 months.  I won't be doing anything greater than
25 with mine this year, but she plans on doing five 100's this year in hers.

I understand your concern.  My own feeling so far is that the weight is
well distributed.  My friend is a light weight, I'm a middle weight.  Would
it be a problem for a heavy weight? I don't know, might be.  I personally
wouldn't hesitate to recommend the saddle to anyone under 200 pounds, but
again, I'm no expert. I guess you can ask me again after my friend has
completed her five 100's and we both have a full season in it. <grin>

I mean, I like both saddles, but to be honest, at this moment, I wouldn't
buy another Sport Saddle, I would buy another Soft Rider.  Please, I'm not
saying the Sport Saddle is not a good saddle, I have no major problems with
it, it's just that at the moment, I prefer the Soft Rider. (Did I cover my
self well on that? She says chuckling)

Cathy