SADDLES.
CASE STUDY 3: MUSCLING UP Team Fairfax rider Sophie Wells OBE works with SMS Master Saddle itter Andy ilner to make sure her youngsters have a perfectly fitting saddle right from the moment they start their training. ophie’s youngster Dragons ire ero is five and she’s owned him with Jackie Walker since he was an unbroken three-year-old. “Nero is changing shape all the time, even with the limited work he is currently doing,” says Sophie. “If he is going to develop into a strong and supple athlete, I need to be sure his movement is unrestricted at every stage of his training and he is not being compromised by his saddle.” An improvement in muscle tone is often accompanied by a change in wither profi le and uite often a youngster’s template will narrow as he tones up. This is where a changeable gullet bar is so useful for the saddle fitter in a airfax saddle it’s a uick and easy ob to ad ust the saddle in half-width increments as many times as necessary to achieve an accurate fit as he develops. o two youngsters are the same and they all progress at different speeds and in different ways. As the horse’s core develops there’s sometimes a phase when the body lacks some stability and the saddle can shift sideways. airfax saddle panels are ocked with pure English wool, so any temporary asymmetry or instability can be easily addressed by removing or adding ocking on site. As airfax saddles have a shock absorbing Prolite panel lining, the fitter can be assured that any potential pressure points are eliminated. At the moment Nero is nicely balanced front to back, but he has a slightly forward girth groove and, at times during his development, he has tended to run the saddle up his neck. Fairfax dressage saddles are all supplied with three girth straps so the girthing can be ad usted as the horse changes and Andy can use the fi rst and third strap to increase saddle stability. or further information on fi nding a ualified saddle fitter visit mastersaddlers.co.uk
ABOVE: SOPHIE WELLS’ FIVE-YEAR-OLD OFS DRAGONS FIRE IS CHANGING SHAPE ALL THE TIME SO A CHANGEABLE GULLET ALLOWS THE SADDLE FITTER TO ADJUST THE SADDLE IN HALF-WIDTH INCREMENTS TO ACHIEVE AN ACCURATE FIT AS HE DEVELOPS. ABOVE RIGHT: STÜBBEN’S TOM SEXTON EXPLAINS THAT THE SADDLE FIT ALWAYS STARTS FROM THE FRONT, ENSURING THAT THE HEADPLATE IS THE RIGHT SIZE FOR THE HORSE.
14 // Issue 2 2022 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
SUPPORTING ONGOING DEVELOPMENT Matching long tradition with the latest techniques, Stübben explains its approach to saddle fitting. “As fitters we face multiple challenges on a day-to-day basis, of which a hot topic is young horses and how we support their ongoing development.” suggests Stubben director and saddle fitter Tom Sexton. “At Stübben we are very proud of our spring tree which offers wither protection, shock absorption, and seat-flexibility. “ The headplate is designed to protect the horse’s wither and is corrugated for extra strength. However, it is still possible to adjust the angle of the tree points if necessary, Tom stresses. He describes the fitting process: “We always start at the front. Working with a tree that hosts a headplate with a long point it is imperative that we find the right size for the horse, which in a dressage saddle this should mirror the muscle development two fingers behind the scapula.” This allows the rider’s weight to be distributed more evenly into the panel, avoiding putting weight onto the trapezius and supporting the distribution of weight further down over the trapezius/longissimus ‘bridge’ without causing restricted shoulder movement, he explains. To adapt to the way that a young horse can change shape as he develops, Tom points to the importance of using flocked panels: “The horse and rider can put their impression on flocked panels, which as a fitter is like reading a book. It can highlight the inaccuracies of muscle development and asymmetry for the horse and balance or weaknesses in the rider. We can then rebalance the flocking and in some cases give flocked support to help horse and rider on their training journey together.” In addition, if the horse dramatically changes the gullet iron can be resized up to two centimetres either wider or narrower. “This must be done with one of our master saddlers or an approved freelance fitter. Riders should work with a fitter who has extensive knowledge and current training with the brand that they want to use, who they trust to develop a great working relationship and most importantly manage expectations.”
