Exercise saddles!!

[CassTheCob]

Hello everyone, I've recently seen a lot of 'exercise saddles' for sale on multiple websites and am just curious as to the purpose of them. Are they just for exercising horses? They basically look like a racing saddle, are they just for exercising racehorses? Or do people use them on normal horses? How come they're so expensive? Thanks!

 

[CassTheCob]

Bump

 

[be positive]

They are used for exercising racehorses, I don't think they are particularly expensive in comparison to a "normal" saddle, they will be well made, very lightweight but strong enough to stand up to some serious use.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

They are generically shaped so they can go on pretty much any TB as you don't fit a saddle to each horse in racing. Usually each staff member has their own saddle that they put on everything that they ride.

I have ridden my mothers Welsh Cob in my exercise saddle. It was quite amusing! They aren't too expensive for what they are, how much abuse they stand up to, how much wear and tear they are subjected too. Well worth their weight in gold! You could in theory use one on a normal horse though even the half tree ones They probably wouldn't be suitable on a particularly wide horse as the stirrup bars do have structure to them.

 

[CassTheCob]

Thanks everyone! Could they be used if you have lots of horses to exercise so you could just switch it between horses?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Yup! Just change the pads underneath to suit and make sure you have plenty of them. I wouldnt recommend a half tree. We have found that a fair few horses form bursors on their spines at either the point where the half tree ends or at the back of the saddle just behind the seat bone.

 

[be positive]

Thanks everyone! Could they be used if you have lots of horses to exercise so you could just switch it between horses?

They could but as EKW said they will be best suited to narrower horses, they are not really designed to be ridden with long stirrups and will not be overly comfortable to sit on for a long time for horse or rider, most non racing horses would be best in a standard full tree saddle that suits it's shape and is fitted to it, dealers will usually have a few saddles that fit most horses with a pad or two if required.