Saddles that help with position?

[MagicMelon]

Are there such things as certain saddles which help with rider posture / position. Ive struggled with my position for years (leaning forward, hunched shoulders) and have begun yoga specifically to try and sort it out. Ive always ridden in regular GP saddles so no knee blocks etc. I look at dressage saddles with big knee blocks and think they must help as they keep your leg in a solid place so I could brace against this somewhat to be able to sit up straight? Would they genuinelly be worth considering?

 

[Red-1]

I find that dressage saddles are balanced differently, with differently set on stirrup bars, so yes they do help. I tend to avoid big blocks for dressage as I think they make you brace.

 

[Rowreach]

Solution saddles. Or anything that not only fits the horse but is also able to be balanced to fit the rider, and correct any wonkinesses.

 

[milliepops]

I like saddles with big blocks for dressage but not to brace against, my leg just hangs against them. There are so many variables with saddles, the one that will help your position the most is the one that is balanced for the horse and fits your individual anatomy the best. and then... the work begins on your own body to learn how to sit correctly. it's harder to work on yourself without suitable kit, but even the most amazing fabulous saddle won't stop you from falling into old habits if you don't do the work to make new ones.

 

[sbloom]

Yes, there is a huge variety of saddle designs which will suit different riders, but there's a lot of misinformation out there too, such as there being female friendly saddles, that narrow twists are needed to allow the leg to hang (true for some, but definitely not a majority) and that a deep seat and big blocks will be more secure. Bracing is extreme tension, the absolute opposite of what should be going on.

There is more research being done on pelvic build but it will be slow to be taken up by most brands who are resistant to change. An open seat and smaller blocks often can help a little, by getting out of your way, contrary to what so many think, but ultimately if the basic shape under your seatbone and crotch doesn't suit your exact pelvic build then your leg may hang completely wrong, you may struggle to control your leg, or keep it on, and can end up out of balance in either direction. A good fitter is worth their weight but for most brands it can be a bit of a guessing game, a lot of trial and error.

And yes to rider biomechanics training, that and the right saddle, plus reasonably regular bodywork, is going to be the best path for most riders.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Solution saddles. Or anything that not only fits the horse but is also able to be balanced to fit the rider, and correct any wonkinesses.

I certainly found this to be the case.

 

[sbloom]

Solution saddles. Or anything that not only fits the horse but is also able to be balanced to fit the rider, and correct any wonkinesses.

I would say no saddle suits everyone, and that the better in balance the saddle the better the rider will find it, but they could still be fighting the basic shape of it. For instance one lady the other day realised how different the ribcage shapes were on her two horses, that it was no wonder the one who had a narrower ribcage under the back of her calf left her leg flapping. A very interesting case in drawing up a customised saddle to suit both her pelvic and hip build and the horse, a few bits of selective padding under the flap on this narrower horse.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I am the same, I tip forward from the hips and hunch my shoulders but when I slipped a disc earlier this year and needed manipulation to sort it out I found my problems stemmed from my muscles being rigid from holding myself awkwardly.

The lady I saw started at the top of my spine and slowly released me both sides all the way down to my coccyx. She did the pectoral muscles which literally pinged my shoulders back immediately and I stood up straight for the first time in years. I can now bend my neck ear to shoulder both sides, another first for years. The psoas muscle in the pelvis is really important for hip width and again once that was released I naturally sat up straighter and on my bottom not the pubic bone.

Before going to the expense of buying a new saddle I would recommend you have somebody look at your posture first, do the exercises they give you and then see what your riding position is like. I did Pilates for three years thinking it was doing me good but 6 sessions with the back lady did more than the Pilates ever did. I now go to see her every 4 weeks to keep me supple.

 

[Velcrobum]

Are there such things as certain saddles which help with rider posture / position. Ive struggled with my position for years (leaning forward, hunched shoulders) and have begun yoga specifically to try and sort it out. Ive always ridden in regular GP saddles so no knee blocks etc. I look at dressage saddles with big knee blocks and think they must help as they keep your leg in a solid place so I could brace against this somewhat to be able to sit up straight? Would they genuinelly be worth considering?

Could I suggest you start pilates in particular APPI pilates as that is Physiotherapist developed. I started this after a referral to a physio for back problems, found it helpful so I had a few private lessons with a APPI physio so I got a feel for what was correct positioning. I then started group classes and during lockdown did the classes via zoom. It has made such a difference to my core strength and stability I highly recommend trying it.

 

[littleshetland]

Years of horse ownership and the hunt for the ultimate dressage saddle has taught me that it doesn't really exist. Obviously some saddles are better than others, and finding one that fits the horse and is comfy for you is the best we can do. Trying to find a saddle that improves your riding is probably the wrong way of tackling the problem, start with yourself.....and no bracing! Good luck - you'll get there.

 

[gunnergundog]

If your front line (from your sternum down) is shorter than your back line (from the nape of your neck down) then it is inevitable that to some degree you will tip forwards......regardless of what saddle you sit in. The question is: where does the shortening originate from?

You need to look not only at your front line, but also at your pelvic positioning....a tilt will cause this without fail.

What I am saying is, look to yourself first and try to sort out your own body with exercise, stretching, massage, yoga, pilates, whatever. THEN look to the saddle to enhance your position.

 

[Rumtytum]

I am the same, I tip forward from the hips and hunch my shoulders but when I slipped a disc earlier this year and needed manipulation to sort it out I found my problems stemmed from my muscles being rigid from holding myself awkwardly.

The lady I saw started at the top of my spine and slowly released me both sides all the way down to my coccyx. She did the pectoral muscles which literally pinged my shoulders back immediately and I stood up straight for the first time in years. I can now bend my neck ear to shoulder both sides, another first for years. The psoas muscle in the pelvis is really important for hip width and again once that was released I naturally sat up straighter and on my bottom not the pubic bone.

Before going to the expense of buying a new saddle I would recommend you have somebody look at your posture first, do the exercises they give you and then see what your riding position is like. I did Pilates for three years thinking it was doing me good but 6 sessions with the back lady did more than the Pilates ever did. I now go to see her every 4 weeks to keep me supple.

What sort of person did your treatment? I think I need the same….

 

[Spot_On03]

I have a Heather Moffett Saddle which I love. She trains in classical dressage, since using the saddle I feel a lot better position wise. A lot less aches and pains!

 

[Rowreach]

I would say no saddle suits everyone, and that the better in balance the saddle the better the rider will find it, but they could still be fighting the basic shape of it. For instance one lady the other day realised how different the ribcage shapes were on her two horses, that it was no wonder the one who had a narrower ribcage under the back of her calf left her leg flapping. A very interesting case in drawing up a customised saddle to suit both her pelvic and hip build and the horse, a few bits of selective padding under the flap on this narrower horse.

I would love to not ride in treeless if I could afford at least two customised saddles to fit me and my horse please ?

My horse came from a woman who rides with all her weight in her seat, and is collapsed through her right hip. She has lots of horses and lots of sadd!es. Every one of her saddles is compressed through the right panel, and every one of her horses (ranging from 6 - 15 years) is underdeveloped through the right hindquarter.

Happily she hadn't had mine too long before I bought her, but I was very glad of being able to fit my Solution and add extra shims under my right seat bone which I could gradually decrease as the muscle built up. Took about 6 months. They're a great tool for tweaking to the rider.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

What sort of person did your treatment? I think I need the same….[/QUOTE

Not a chiropractor or osteopath, more of a sports massage person so no clicking of bones which just makes me heave. Came recommended by word of mouth and I was having treatment every two weeks to start with as I was a bit crippled. Knew her stuff re all the riding muscles and funnily enough treats my horses physio and has acupuncture with my next door neighbour, none of which I knew when I went to see her ?

 

[sbloom]

I would love to not ride in treeless if I could afford at least two customised saddles to fit me and my horse please ?

My horse came from a woman who rides with all her weight in her seat, and is collapsed through her right hip. She has lots of horses and lots of sadd!es. Every one of her saddles is compressed through the right panel, and every one of her horses (ranging from 6 - 15 years) is underdeveloped through the right hindquarter.

Happily she hadn't had mine too long before I bought her, but I was very glad of being able to fit my Solution and add extra shims under my right seat bone which I could gradually decrease as the muscle built up. Took about 6 months. They're a great tool for tweaking to the rider.

For fairly straight horses and riders (and there is a dedicated programme for this, as well as so many other providers these days) there are superb custom options, there really ARE saddles now that truly help the rider, basically just one brand afaik. Shimming is very useful for most brands, I use it reasonably regularly for my other brand, where fitting the horse is super important/tricky, and the fit has to be very exact, and symmetry is very much a work in progress. I stock and sell brilliant shim pads. But it's like looking down the end of a telescope, it's not that both types of approach can't work, they do, but if you can straighten a fair bit first, from the ground, and perhaps shim the old saddle, then you can get a saddle that truly facilitates the individual rider and their unique hip and pelvic construction.

Having to reflock the left panel is more common as riders are more commonly collapsed on the left, and horses rotated to the right in their ribcage. There are some saddles where I have to do it a bit to begin with, then the horse gets straighter over time. You can also use asymmetric girthing to stabilise a saddle in many cases.

In reply to other comments, rider conditioning programmes are super important, pilates can help, yoga can help, (and both should be in conjunction with reasonably regular bodywork) but until you have a programme that identifies your own issues and corrects them, many will still be floundering. And fighting their saddle.

For instance why spend money on a biomechanics session that spends its entire time trying to help you fight your saddle? I've already done biomech clinics with a trainer where I at least balanced the saddle, and added "dressage stirrup bar" set ups to those who needed them, before the biomech coach started on them and it was so much more productive. There are many ways to tackle these problems but some are more efficient than others.

 

[milliepops]

I think for the rider working mainly by themselves on this it really helps if you've sat in lots of different saddles because then you can tell when its the saddle making the problems worse, the shape of the horse making life tricky or just your own physical things that you can work on.

I've had the experience where i've worked super hard on my position in the wrong saddle and been completely unable to improve, and the when the saddle was changed it was like I'd had 200 more lessons overnight, suddenly all the stuff I'd been practicing and failing with was there. that was a jumping saddle, where my experience was that most of the saddles i rode in were "bad" for me, so i didn't put it together in my mind, i just assumed what everyone was telling me about my position was my fault.

I've ridden in a bigger range of dressage saddles - some that are objectively wrong for me, some that are neutral and some that help me ride better. and on a wider range of horses too. so I have a better idea of my flatwork position and effectiveness and how that's impacted on by the horse and the saddle. plus I guess I'm stronger on the flat anyway because that's pretty much what I do now.

so when i went to Andy Thomas i was pretty sure that *i* was the limiting factor, the horse is comfortable and the saddle is good and the changes he made were immediately beneficial cos the rest was all in harmony with it.
Likewise I can feel the difference pilates makes to me.
If i hadn't reached that point of being happy with the saddle then there's a good chance I'd be in that limbo land of knowing I was wrong but also not knowing how much of it was the saddle making it hard to correct, a multi disciplinary kind of clinic sounds like an ideal way to address that.