HERMÈS Selle Rouge

This “print” is sent to the Faubourg workshop, where each component of the saddle must be adapted to the measurements of the rider and his horse. Each chair is entirely made by a single craftsman and requires about thirty hours of work; he makes the chair with the best leathers, making a precise cut and stretching the leather with impeccable stitching and meticulous lacing. Finally, the final test is done on the horse and voilà! For years, the artisans of the maison française have closely followed the evolution of this increasingly competitive sport, and in 1968 they made the first “Steinkraus” close contact chair, which revolutionized the sport at the Olympic Games in Mexico. In 2013, the “Hermès Cavale” was introduced, developed with partner jockey Simon Delestre. Six years later, it was succeeded by the “Hermès Cavale II”, the first chair with a seamless seat suitable for off-saddle mounting. The brand has relied on the experience of a team of knowledgeable riders from the three Olympic disciplines.

SINCE 1910, SPECIFIC SADDLES HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR THE DIFFERENT EQUESTRIAN DISCIPLINES, THUS FAVORING THE HORSE’S COMFORT AND HARMONY WITH THE RIDER.

As a sentinel of this heritage, the Selle Rouge, developed by Belgian partner rider and Olympic medalist Jérôme Guéry, combines technical sophistication with elegance, uniting horse and human, while revealing the art of saddlery and savoir. faire Hermès in a way that is second to none. Every detail is important to allow the natural expression of the horse’s movement. First it is to find the points of friction, in order to avoid traumatisms and thus favor the performance of the pairings, then the horse’s shoulder must be measured. To take precise measurements, the Equiscan®, similar to a skeleton, is placed on the horse’s back to record no less than one hundred points corresponding to the contact zones of the saddle – the shoulder must be free and the contact must be harmonious. . Subsequently, the outline of the rider’s legs must be traced.

In 2016, the innovative Hermès Arpège, has a deep seat ideal for dressage use used by the German horsewoman and Olympic champion in Tokyo, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, followed by the “Hermès Vivace” saddle, presented at 2019 and now adopted by Astier Nicolas, the winningest French athlete at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. The sporting qualities of the new “Selle Rouge” are the result of extensive research and numerous discussions among riders, wheelchair experts assemble and craftsmen. The seat, the balance, the ergonomics and the aesthetic characteristics of the saddle are the fusion of this knowledge that is applied in the manufacture of each custom-made Hermès saddlebag, whether for a professional rider or for an amateur.

SELLE ROUGE IS LIFESTYLE. Proximity, balance, stability, comfort and safety continue to be constant challenges of the ancestral Hermès savoir faire.

Thanks to a series of innovations, the new “Selle Rouge” lives up to all of them in more ways than one: “Hermès teams are one big family. I feel supported and listened to: they are interested in my results, in my horses and, of course, in the perfect adaptation of their equipment”, commented the Olympic competitor rider Daniel Bluman “How can I improve this saddle, adapt it better to my riding and the specificities of my horses? How to make this jacket more comfortable and practical? For me, it’s a beautiful story that we continue to write together day after day.”

Respect and closeness to the horse and nature are at the origins of the house. The most beautiful leathers are selected in a carefully controlled and sustainable supply chain in France. Afterwards, they undergo a mainly vegetable tanning process.

by MONIQUE SANMIGUEL [ @SPORTS_AND_LIFESTYLE

Each saddle is made in the Hermès workshops, from the design of the saddle to its artisan manufacture created by the expert hands of a single artisan, who will take care of it over time. “In order for the rider to feel closer to his horse, the saddle has been made more refined and lighter,” explains Charly Palmieri, artisan saddler and auctioneer awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France prize. “We have combined technical efficiency with aesthetic refinement.” The depth of the seat guarantees comfort and harmony between saddle and rider; The saddle frame, which has its origins in dressage, benefits from a slender fork with an optimized design to increase lightness, closeness and stability. The slender fork of its horse and the recessed lugs prevent unnecessary thickness from hindering movements and the skirt is integrated into the flaps. Saddle padding and panels have been thinner. The unique seam punctuated by a saddle stitch, known as fil-au-trait, prevents unnecessary friction.

Several years of testing have shown that wood is still the best choice for the bridle frame. In addition to being a recyclable material, it is flexible and for this reason it is used both for cushioning and for comfort, since it adapts perfectly to the horse’s anatomy: “My first point of contact is the horse,” says François Boissinot, an expert in saddles and adviser in the development of mounts: “I greet him, I observe him, I study his character, his temperament, his musculature, his mobility. This gives me an idea of your health, and any illnesses or conditions. We look at what can be improved and harmonized. If the horse is comfortable, the rider will be too.”

Its red color is born from the gestures of the craftsman, from the oiling of a rouge H leather saddle, the emblematic color of the house during its manufacture. This new rouge sellier, or saddler’s red, is obtained when the craftsman oils the saddle, anointing it with oil and glycerin soap to soften, nourish and protect the leather in depth, giving rise to warm and intense shades of color that evolve over time. time.

Created for show jumping and flat work, the Selle Rouge is suitable for riding both in and out of the saddle.

Conceived for the ease of the horse and to favor a perfect harmony between rider and horse, this saddle marks a new creative impulse and a decisive leap.

What can be more natural for the figure of a horse?

NADAL IS A LOVER OF THE OCEAN AND PASSIONATE ABOUT SHIPS AND SAILING.

NADAL ALWAYS SAILS WITH A GOOD COURSE, WHETHER ON THE BRICK POWDER OR THE SEA.

by MONIQUE SANMIGUEL [ @SPORTS_AND_LIFESTYLE