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THE BALANCE SADDLE
Source: Balance Saddle International
The Balance Saddle takes an innovative approach to saddlery. Carol Brett, a Freelance riding instructor and Dressage judge in England was beginning to recognize that many of the horses that she was seeing were having their movement and comfort seriously compromised by the saddles they were wearing. Carol joined forces with Lesley Ann Taylor and Maureen Bartlett to form the BALANCE organization; she had their support and encouragement to continue her investigations.
When the founders of the BALANCE organization started studying the impact that saddles have on the horse they soon realized that along with the impact that riding itself can have, the effect of a saddle that interferes with the natural range of equine movement has alarmingly far reaching consequences. An increasing number of Veterinarians, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths etc. etc. are becoming aware of how often they get called in to identify and treat damage that is related, directly or indirectly, to the saddle.
The BALANCE organization single handedly changed the
saddle design and fabrication industry. The original Soft
Options™ Balance saddle uses a rather different approach to saddle
design in so much as it combines the use of a rigid framework (tree)
in the front half of the saddle only, to create clearance over the
horse's spineous processes and the ligaments in this area. This is
important because it is in the front of the saddle that the stirrup
bars and girth attachments are located and can, therefore, exert
unacceptable pressures. The back of the saddle however, is designed
to allow a fully flexible and 'soft' feel for both horse and rider.
The saddles have full depth panels to create a proper, wide gullet
and the panels are made of a layered felt/foam construction, which
provides a smooth and cushioned feel for the horse. The seats are
very generously padded, which creates super comfort for the rider as
well.
Saddle Fit & Anatomical Changes
It used to be the case that a saddle was purchased based upon the buyer's preferences for him or herself. Perhaps you thought you would look nice in that extremely expensive (and beautiful) Butet, or that dressage saddle endorsed by Anky van Grunsven. Those would be great choices if they fit your horse; and have the ability to be modified as your horse's anatomy changes.
Below is an example of how much a horse can change
and also demonstrates how inappropriate custom saddle fitting can be
if only based on matching the saddle to the way the horse looks on
the day of the measuring/fitting!
The
diagram shows the recovery of muscle mass once this particular horse
was relieved of his old saddle and ridden in the BALANCE Saddling
System. This horse had to wait till he was 20yrs old before getting
his BALANCE Saddle and having his first taste of being ridden free
of the discomfort and restriction he had come to associate with the
act of riding. Provided the horse is supported by a healthy
environment, good recovery is totally possible in older horses and
BALANCE have helped many in their late teens and early 20's, the
oldest so far being 35yrs old!
Because so many horses have saddle related muscle wastage, or
under-development, this horse's problems were not recognised for
most of his life. He was simply described as having "high, narrow
withers" as if it were part of his conformation. When you look at
the green profile which is his healthy, well muscled shape, one
could hardly describe this as "narrow" and his withers were well
covered and 'hidden' by strong, healthy muscle, as they always
should have been. No one in their right mind would suggest using a
narrow fit tree on him, but at the point where the owner contacted
BALANCE (when her horse's back matched the blue profile), her own
saddle fitter had just suggested that he try to make her narrow fit
saddle a bit narrower still because is was sitting too low on his
"high, narrow withers"!
Remedial Program
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