For a good riding equipment, you have to know your horse and be able to see how it's done. Under the saddle, there are bones, muscles and several tendons and nerves.
On the bony point of view, are affected by the saddle the scapula which moves forward and backward according to the movement of the horse and the saddle must pass properly. But also the spine, and more specifically the apophyses of the dorsal vertebras that are flush with the surface; and rib cage, more or less wide.
A basic principle
The spine must be absolutely free from any contact. Unconditionally. The apophyses are extremely sensitive, and are moved by the locomotion of the horse. To stick them, it is to prevent the horse from moving freely and from hurting him.That is why you have to banish the shock absorbers have no gutter (whether foam, gel, sheep, no matter), that is why you favor carpets to anatomical cut, hide that themselves you go completely into the gutter of the saddle, the gutter which must itself be wide and deep enough. Often four fingers wide and 2 phalanges of minimum depth are necessary. This is also why you have to banish the treeless saddles which are not equipped with a gutter.
At the front, the seat must respect the latitude of movement of your horse. It will rest on top of the rib cage and should not exceed the last rib, which can be found by palpation or watching the implatantion hair. The gutter should be wide enough to spare apophyses, therefore, but also the ligaments that go around the spine.
One must take into account in determining the bearing surface of the saddle:
- Natural horse inflection, often left
- The latitude of shoulder movement
- Generate sufficient triangular area under the withers and behind
- Not to exceed the last rib
- Be broad enough to spare gutter apophyses and paro-spiniaux ligaments.
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