Pressure distribution saddle

[Sanversera]

Following on from the saddle pad thread. Where I hack there are some interesting routes but a couple of them involve steep sections, riding down hill and uphill puts pressure on the back of the horse different to when riding on the flat. Is there any saddle pad that will distribute the pressure more than a sheep skin nummnah which is what I use. I notice after doing the steep route that there are sweaty pressure points on the horse. Saddle fits correctly and there are no back or lameness issues.

 

[Red-1]

Following on from the saddle pad thread. Where I hack there are some interesting routes but a couple of them involve steep sections, riding down hill and uphill puts pressure on the back of the horse different to when riding on the flat. Is there any saddle pad that will distribute the pressure more than a sheep skin nummnah which is what I use. I notice after doing the steep route that there are sweaty pressure points on the horse. Saddle fits correctly and there are no back or lameness issues.

When doing steep up and downhill, I tend to put most of my weight in the stirrups rather than on the seat of the saddle. That way, the weight is always in a more central area.

More padding can make the saddle less stable.

I use a squishy, deep Equitex pad under my dressage saddle, but the jump one, that I use for more exciting rides, has a sheepskin numnah so it can remain close to the horse and stable.

 

[sbloom]

Horses sweat, and they will sweat more under areas where there is a little movement under the saddle, but not under usually the front 1/3 to 1/2. They can't really be used for diagnostics of saddle fit.

Pressure distribution is always geared for being on the level, and it is how YOU sit that makes the biggest difference on hills. Don't lean back but go into a slightly light seat, try to keep more weight on your inner thighs than your seatbones (as a baseline we should ideally be sitting with weight across our whole pelvis including the pubic arch).

Sheepskin distributes pressure but on a small scale, it won't make much difference when the balance of the saddle changes. The worst thing for hill work is a saddle that is as long as possible and has a lot of pressure on the very back and front edges, if there is a little scope movement front and back (panels with no gussets or some degree of flexibility front and back) it can help with correct movement. We need to be more focused on what helps correct movement than what spreads pressure to the nth degree which seems to have been an obsession in the industry in Britain for a LONG time. A change of pace, moving into a different position as a rider, getting off for 5 minutes, can all relieve areas of excess pressure, allowing the blood to flow again, but a saddle that contributes to a compensatory movement posture is more problematic.