Saddle Fitting, Scientific Method, and Parabolic Skis

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Sunday, December 28th, 2008 | saddle fitting

I was a long way down the road in this job and had already become a qualified fitter in the UK before I really began to get an inkling of how saddles work below the surface of the panel. Those of you who have followed the halting progress of these posts will realize by now that I am all for lifting the veil when it comes to revealing the inner fit secrets of a saddle - namely the tree. I believe that having a grasp of the geometry of a tree and how it compares to the geometry of a particular horse is a huge step towards understanding the fit considerations of any saddle.

Needless to say, the geometry of trees and the physics of load-bearing structures were never specifically addressed in my training as a saddle fitter, nor have they featured in any significant way in any book or magazine article I have ever read on the subject.

Without a doubt, good saddle fitters have valuable insights about fit based on empirical knowledge and experience, and I have been fortunate to have had mentors who are arguably the best saddle fitters in the world. But here is a source of persistent frustration. Over the years, I have asked the great ones: how do you actually know that a particular saddle fits the horse? When it works, how do you know exactly why does it work? And how do you pinpoint the problem (and the solution) with accuracy when a saddle isn’t right?

In essence, the answer always boils down to: “I’ve done this for decades and I have a good eye.” Decades of experience and a good eye are invaluable assets to any professional, of course, but I would argue that reliance on conventional wisdom is not a methodology for either research or teaching.

It isn’t much of a leap to accept that behind the conventional wisdom about saddles and how to fit them lies the actual physics of what happens statically and dynamically between the bearing structure of the horse and the saddle. Yet no one, to my knowledge, is breaking down (or elevating, really) saddle fitting to the level of a systematic, science-based methodology, or even claiming with much conviction that it is important to do this.

Instead, saddle makers and saddle fitters (even acclaimed “authorities” who write books on saddle fitting) seem pretty convinced of how saddles should fit strictly on the basis of the handing down of conventional wisdom, with almost nothing in the way of provable, research-based evidence. Why? Because conventional wisdom has been the accepted foundation of saddle fitting for years and years, and shifts in paradigm are never cheap or easy.

Several years ago, I began to get an inkling of how exciting it would be if we, as saddle fitters, could gain greater insight into the engineering aspect of saddle design and fit. This slim shaft of illumination came not from anyone involved directly with fitting saddles, but from an engineer in an allied industry. The long and the short of it is that not all conventional wisdom about saddles - even when it is pure and untainted by commercialism – has a solid basis in science.

Saddles are not in any way exempt from the laws of physics and geometry, though on the whole saddle fitters don’t tend to work by that methodology. Certainly the Pliance research is a major step in that direction, but from what we are able to glean from the trickle of information seeping out, it is still a long way from providing a durable framework for research based in scientific method, let alone the development of a science-based protocol for saddle fitting.

For now it remains commercially convenient for most saddle marketers not to reveal too much specific information about the trees in their saddles, especially since it is hard for any of us to assess the exact shape of a tree inside a saddle when it is essentially invisible. Instead people tend to fixate on what can be seen on the surface – like the width of the channel, for example, which can sometimes be a very, very misleading indicator of the shape or angles of the actual bearing structure. Moreover, to a great extent, consumers have shown themselves quite willing to suspend disbelief and accept at face value some rather questionable claims about how saddles fit and perform.

What if there really is some treasure to be reaped from the application of physics and geometry to the black art of saddle fitting? What if there is a saddle equivalent of parabolic skis, which is a perfect example of a simple but brilliant application of geometry and physics to a thousand-year old technology. As any skier will attest, adding side cut to skis – giving a parabolic shape to the edge of the ski as opposed to a straight edge – produces a channeled kinetic energy that creates power through a turn, making it easy for a skier to execute turns that would require a great deal more brute strength on straight-edged skis.

Imagine how much better horses might be able to carry dynamic weight – and never forget the first and great rule of saddle fitting: that horses never evolved to carry weight in the first place – if we could find a way to design trees that can dampen or disperse brutalizing kinetic energy far better than even the best trees can do now. Maybe it’s a pipe dream anyway, but for sure it will never happen if no one is motivated even to try.

Tags: saddle fitting, saddle trees

5 Comments to Saddle Fitting, Scientific Method, and Parabolic Skis

Strada-NewZealand
January 18, 2009

A comment for the questions in the blog above – EXCELLENT! & no, not a pipe dream – it’s already started….

I too have all the same questions and more in regards to saddles – I have never been on a course… but i’ve been sitting on horses for more than half my life – competitively eventing & 3-day eventing – and my biggest riding asset has never been my braveness – but my feel of the horse underneath me.

I too have been sent on a quest of saddles – learning, questioning, feeling, seeking knowledge, etc. But what, when you have exhausted all avenues of remedies and treatments, can you do to help your horse when they are screaming at you with excessive back pain.

You have to look at the saddle – their inadequacies – and the development that still seems stuck to traditional methods and is optically looking more like a ‘riders’ safety seat, rather than a performance enhancing piece of equipment that feels good for the horse.

It was then, after paying the most experienced fitters in our country to access & re-access & purchase numerous brands & a $7,000 massage machine – it still came back to all the saddles causing pain – I was going to take a saddle fitting course, a tree making course, a leather-work course – and start to make my own saddles that would work! And make them with everything I could think of that would help the horse perform it’s best & feel great for the rider.

Why was it that the saddle is still the way it is? When most other pieces of sporting equipment have improved using latest technology, modern materials, lighter, ergonomically correct, etc, etc

Through starting to research all topics – I came across a brand of saddles that already exists – to all the questions I was asking – everything I wanted in a saddle. It had already been done.

A rider, in the same situation – 18 years ago in England – did just that. Questioned everything to do with the mechanics of the saddle – the tree to allow flex must have no metal in it – for the horse in collection to be able to push up into the saddle & to move naturally without restriction, the panels to be soft and have pressure and release, be shock absorbing, as light as possible, the tree to fit the shape of the backs (they discovered having the tree shaped to fit perfectly, the resulted in just 5 varying back shapes which covers nearly all breeds) – width, rail angles, head shape, etc) and discovered that gullets don’t work because of tension related issues within the tree… He also studied the horses biomecanics – especially in all the high-end dressage movements. He has been meticulous in looking broadly at every component of the saddle – and why it should be made a particular way to produce the best solution.

You can find out more information at his website:

http://www.dressage-saddles-uk.com They are Strada Saddles, and the designer is David Bowler. He happened to be an engineer by trade – originally working on designing and developing fuel injection systems for race cars. Which I guess, when he looked seriously at saddles – the same questions led to Strada saddles being designed and made – he spent his life savings on making theses saddles.

I have been talking to David for 8 or so months… I will be starting the NZ distribution of these saddles within the next month (just need to get my website finished).

I’m definitely not against other saddle brands – but I do think they are not perfect – I don’t think any saddle will be. Without moving to better theories and more modern materials – the saddle world will remain the stuck in it’s ways.

We need more people to question – until it becomes the norm. Then riders won’t accept anything less than what is best for the horse – with proven results.

An excellent saying from David’s website:

“We must never allow mindless tradition to stand between logic and progress”

And that is most certainly, the way forward…

Michele O
January 22, 2009

It is reassuring to hear that someone who studies this as their field feels there is lack of information, I thought I just wasn’t finding the information to be more educated about saddlery. Your information so far has been very enlightening to me as an equestrian trying to ensure a good saddle purchase with good fit. I am so glad to have found your site, keep it going! Michele in California

mjmvet
January 31, 2009

I really love reading your posts – I’m in the process of struggling to find a well fitted saddle, and I”m trying to educate myself as much as possible. It sure isn’t easy, given what’s out there to read. Thanks for sharing your insights.

wildswan
February 1, 2009

I am in the process of trying to find a new saddle to fit both my horse and I. Horse first, me second. I stumbled upon this website and really wish to thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience. It has been exceptionally frustrating for me to try numerous saddles, and to intuitively know “something” was not right about how the saddle “fit” my horse and I, but not be able to clearly identify what is wrong. And what has been even more frustrating, is to not be able to find anyone who seems to be able to explain the mechanics of how a saddle should fit so I have some idea of what to look for. THANK YOU so much for your honesty and willingness to discuss this subject.

Now the question is, how do I find someone with similar expertise in my area to help me properly fit a saddle to my horse (knowing that there will probably never be a perfect fit).

Kim
February 27, 2009

I am really happy to have found your site. My career changed because of a good saddle which had been re-stuffed badly. Long and short… horse was lame lots spent on vet bills no answer but to give bute and compete less/get new horse. Not an option! Found a massage therapist who fixed my lame horse and explained some basics of my problem saddle had caused. I became a massage therapist and have found so many saddle lame horses it is sad. Been on the hunt over the years for a better saddle/saddle fitter. Found WOW saddles but way too complicated and out of my price range, but what a ride. my horse and I loved it. You have answerd so many questions for me, but this post made me search even harder and I would love youe feed-back on the Quantum Saddle. One million pounds and 10 years scientific research gone into it. Looked good in theory to my untrained eye. Waiting with bated breath for your reply. Keep on posting

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