Published Articles

We touched upon some of the anatomical differences between men and women in a previous article (May, 2013). Not widely understood or discussed are the challenges resulting from these differences which are faced by many female riders – back, knee, hip pain, discomfort and pain in the pelvic (crotch) area, and difficulty maintaining proper position and posture (e.g. chair seat) when riding. There is much knowledge on principles of saddle fitting to the horse, however, saddle fit to rider is not widely understood…

Argentina was the first place I saw gauchos when I was a young boy. Although I was born in Hannover, Germany, I spent the first seven years of my life in South America. It was here that I discovered my love for horses. One day when we were out for a drive in the country, I watched the gauchos galloping alongside my father’s car, chasing a rhea (wingless bird) at full tilt while swinging the bolo with both hands. The magic was the feeling that horse and rider were one – almost like a centaur! No reins, no obvious “riding” by the cowboys. From that moment on, all I wanted to do was capture this magic and experience this same type of harmony. After we moved back to Germany, I kept bugging my parents to buy me a horse. My wish was finally granted and I got my first pony. I began to ride obsessively and started competing in eventing. Unfortunately, the next years saw a shift in focus for me – while following my childhood dream and seeking this magic, I fell into the trap of money, medals and fame…

Saddle Fitting and Performance – Is your saddle inhibiting your horse’s movement? In a recent study of 1,326 horses in the UK, 91% of owners reported that their mounts exhibited some sort of regular behaviour problem under saddle. According to Jo S. Hockenhull, PhD, of the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Bristol, England, the most prevalent problem was shying (50%), followed by walking off while being mounted (46%), and leaning on the bit (45%), which may be attributed simply to poor riding practices. More dangerous behaviours such as bucking, rearing and bolting were rare. One encouraging number from this study was that 88% of the riders had consulted with a professional to check their saddle’s fit, with 61% having it rechecked annually.

We have discussed several aspects of a badly fitting saddle. These include incorrectly faced tree points, too narrow gullet channels, and not enough freedom at the withers all around the pommel area. All these can lead to the symptomatic appearance of various issues that warrant calling out the veterinarian, such as persistent lameness, back pain, S-I joint issues and more. The illustrations with this article show some of the actual damage that can be caused by a culmination of one or more of these features on poorly fitting saddles. These include …

Saddle fit has become a huge buzzword in the equestrian industry over the last 20 years or so as saddle designs slowly evolve to better accommodate the needs of the horse. Saddle fitting is a truly comprehensive art and science that involves getting the fit right for both parts of the equation – horse and rider. For now, let’s focus on saddle fit for the horse. The saddle should ideally sit in what is called the saddle support area, with the tree points behind the shoulder and no further back than the 19th lumbar vertebra (last floating rib). The location of the latter is easily determined by noting where th hairlines merge at the flank and following this up to the spine. When fitting saddle to horse, there are nine points to consider…

Poorly fitting saddles cause poor position, discomfort, and pain for both horse and rider. Some riders seem to have had an inherent ability to ride, excelling in their discipline to become FEI riders and trainers. Others seem to have similar advantages – a good horse, natural athletic ability, discipline to train, and yet – something is missing. Over 25 years ago, several of my female clients first came to me to find solutions to issues they were experiencing as riders – repeated urinary tract infections, hip, knee and back issues and pain in the pelvic area…

If you have an equine patient whose lameness isn’t responding well to treatment, consider how the fit of his saddle might be contributing to the problem. In previous issues, we have discussed several aspects of a badly fitting saddle, which can lead to symptomatic appearances of various issues. Persistent lameness, back pain and S-I joint issues are just some of these. Some of the actual damage that can be caused by a culmination of one or more features on poorly fitting saddles include cartilage shearing at the shoulder blade, pinched nerves, vertebral subluxations, and muscle atrophy, to name but a few. What exactly is muscle atrophy? …

Three different metal parts used in riding come in close contact with the horse. One is the bit, one is the horse’s shoes, and the last is the gullet plate of the saddle. Each of these needs to be fitted properly to your horse – two of them by trained experts who have an understanding of equine anatomy. but just like fitting a shoe, there are different opinions as to how gullet plates need to be fitted…

Not only your horse’s, but your well-being, comfort and back health depends on your team of professionals working together. We went to the ‘street’ to talk to professionals in Jochen Schleese’s Saddlefit 4 Life® global network. Some shared facts learned at a Professional Seminar, Equine Ergonomist course, veterinary conference or in an 80 point diagnostic evaluation, from the ‘pioneer’ of protecting horse and rider from long term damage. Here’s what they said!

Anyone who has ever owned a pony or wider horse knows the trials and tribulations of finding a saddle to fit these ‘Thelwell’ lookalikes. Many people end up breaking out the special saddle pads, cruppers and breastplates in an effort to keep their saddles in place. There are several considerations when fitting a saddle for a wide-backed horse, but the key ones to keep in mind are tree width and angle. Most riders are aware that saddle trees come in narrow, medium or wide, but these designations can refer both to the width and the angle of the tree. If the saddle is a “wide narrow”, this means the saddle has a wide tree width and a narrow tree angle…

Some riders seem to have had an inherent ability to ride, excelling in their discipline to become FEI riders and trainers. Others seem to have similar advantages – a good horse, natural athletic ability, discipline to train, and yet – something is missing. Over 20 years ago many female riders first came to Jochen Schleese to find solutions to issues they were experiencing as riders – repeated urinary tract infections, hip, knee and back issues and pain in the pelvic area. Puzzled that these maladies generally escaped male riders, Jochen figured that it must be due to the differences between the male and female pelvis and their interface with the saddle.

With complex physiological issues, veterinarians may recommend treatments to alleviate symptoms. The horse benefits greatly when the healthcare team works together, combining knowledge to understand underlying factors. This series discusses concepts to assist professionals in the diagnostic process. Expensive “custom” saddles are often purchased with the expectation that they should t the horse forever. This is not the case, since horses change their conformation many times during their lives. Key areas on the saddle may result in a symptomatic refusal to move forward…

Most equestrians are familiar with the Schleese name; for years it’s been synonymous with comfortable, quality saddles. But how did Jochen Schleese, the youngest German master saddler ever to be certified in Europe, end up launching his international vision from North America? It all started when he was invited to Toronto in 1986 to be the Official Saddler for the World Dressage Championships. A former international three-day event rider, Schleese understood the saddle from a rider’s point of view as well as how it should be made. Following on that success, Jochen worked with the Canadian government to develop an authorized apprenticeship for saddlers and saddle fitters. In 1996 he received an international patent for the innovative AdapTree® saddle tree, one of few fully adjustable trees on the market (adaptable both in gullet angle and in gullet width) to provide a custom fit, while accommodating the horse through all stages of development.

Did you know women have different requirements than men when it comes to saddle fit? Here are five keys to comfort for female riders: There are several important elements to consider in determining the proper saddle fit especially for women – which is 85% of Schleese’s market – and makes us the only female saddle specialist in the world! Our saddle fitters all have a comprehensive understanding of equine biomechanics …

I recently went out to recheck the fit of one of our saddles that a client bought for her horse as part of her usual annual maintenance cycle, and what I experienced there truly troubled me to the point that I had to write about it. Bad saddle fit and ignorance can really do damage to a horse – physically and mentally. AT FIRST GLANCE. The owner and the trainer were both not present (this is an important point – during a saddle fit evaluation it is actually crucial that these key players should be there – first of all to determine any ‘unusual’ circumstances and secondly to be part of the analytic exercise to establish proper fit)…

If you have an equine patient whose lameness isn’t responding well to treatment, consider how the fit of his saddle might be contributing to the problem. With complex physiological issues, veterinarians may recommend treatments to alleviate symptoms. The horse benefits greatly when the health care team works together, combining knowledge to understand underlying factors. This series discusses concepts to assist professionals in the diagnostic process. When issues of symptomatic lameness are addressed (often in the right hind leg), and logical treatments no longer work, then injections, anti-inflammatory creams, or chiropractic adjustments at the SI joint are often selected. Observations of horse and rider in various gaits reveal many other causes of lameness – including saddle fit.

Q-flexion, hip joint articulation, saddle seat twist versus seat width, biomechanics, and the all-important “ps”: (pubic symphysis). If you’re in the market for a new saddle, there is some updated thinking on how that saddle will complement your body and affect your riding ability…

With complex physiological issues, veterinarians may recommend treatments to alleviate symptoms. The horse benefits greatly when the health care team works together, combining knowledge to understand underlying factors. This series discusses concepts to assist professionals in the diagnostic process. Tree points are either forward facing, straight (perpendicular to the ground) or rear facing. Forward facing tree points cause proven detrimental effects to shoulder health. MRIs and fiber optic cameras have shown the cartilage chipping that can occur as scapulae rotate upwards-backwards. Every time the foreleg is extended (during trot, gallop, simultaneously when jumping), tree points will hit the scapulae, potentially causing damage at the skeletal level…