Description
- Pommel (Fork): Shape has slight forward lean, small 12″ swells and low profile 2-1/2″ // 6.35 reining horn.
- Cantle: 3″ tall with moderately open “dish” that hugs rider without trapping. 2″ Cheyenne roll.
- Seat: Choose between suede (for extra grip) or grippy soft textured leather, fully padded, constructed to balance rider more toward the center than our other western saddles for the sake of facilitating rider body position consistent with performance of high level dressage maneuvers. NOTE: Please specify MALE or FEMALE rider so seat can be built accordingly. (Male seats have slightly less build up in front). COLOR: Black or Dark Brown.
- Leather: #1 Quality veg-tanned leather hides used exclusively. Roughout or smooth choice for seat jockey, incl. fenders, available, smooth leather on other leather parts. Select from color range as indicated. Color variations (particularly noticeable in light to medium oiled saddles) are to be expected due to the differing porosity of individual hides. Some “grab” the oil more deeply and will appear darker than others. Oftimes, leather hides may tone to more reddish or orange but become darker brownish over time with exposure to sun and loving care via cleaning and oiling. We have no way to predict exactly what shade of lightness or darkness your saddle may be in the beginning, but you can count on it looking more and more handsomely seasoned with age.
- Skirts: 2 lengths available, REGULAR length spans approx. 26″ // 66 cm to 26.5″ // 67 cm distance from front to back of saddle (depending upon seat size). COMPACT length spans 24.5″ // 62 cm to 25″ // 63.5 cm from front to back of saddle. Rounded back skirts are scaled to a larger radius than most of our saddles per style seen on Western Dressage and Reining saddles and offer the horse contoured flexibility in the loin area.
- Tooling: Hand stamped border pattern or spot toolings from NHS Tooling Collection on fork, seat jockey, back skirts and fenders. Partial Basket Fill available per choice.Cheyenne roll has bead line or small tooling combo, depending on tooling selection. Horn tooling if selected. Individual leather surface textures (due to heredity, environment and tanning processes for each hide) result in unique properties effecting the appearance of individual saddles. Possible irregularities offer opportunities for our tooling artisans to be a bit creative in disguising texture differences of various areas. Adding some extra floral carving or slight alterations of a pattern are among ways to insure best mirroring of design from one side of the saddle to the other. Our toolers are excellent craftspeople. You can count on a beautiful result and celebrate your saddle’s individuality!
- Hardware: brass or stainless steel
- Conchos: Leather rosettes or selection from NHS Concho Collection. Domed conchos only, as typical for this model. You can also select to get them with drop D’s and tie strings.
Main cinch rigging: Angled ring, in-skirt.
Rear cinch rigging included: Though we realize that Western Dressage competitors do not generally utilize a back cinch when performing, we believe it is a functionally important component of a saddle for generic use in other equine activities. The rear D comes hung with doubled-and-stitched flank billets and back cinch including a short cinch hobble for connecting to main cinch. Rear cinch should be buckled snugly for best stabilization of the back of the saddle, and short hobble enables pressure to be located in the horse’s sternum area and not impact the soft abdominal region. The apparatus can be disconnected when desired. Standard back cinch length is 36″// 91.5 cm, which fits most breeds. If your horse is very small or very big, please let us know and we can arrange for a custom length. - Fenders: Free-swinging for optimum rider leg flexibility and communication. Stirrups are connected via a ‘Texas twist’, which sets them in perfect position to accept your foot with no strain on your knees. Cut to size for Rider inseam length. 5 basic leg length sizes available, with numbered adjustment strap holes at 1/2” // 12.7 mm increments.
- Stirrups: Please see stirrup choice for this model.
- Latigos on both sides: for main cinch rigging, no off-side billet unless requested. You can add sleeve latigos, they are 80 – 90″ long to accommodate cross fire rigging in case the back cinch is taken off.
- Breast Collar D-rings: Set high for freedom of shoulder movement.
- Bucking Rolls: Though bucking rolls are not a traditional feature on Western Dressage saddles, they can be added for extra security or to make your saddle versatile for other riders or sports. Leather pillows will match seat color, leather frames will match saddle color. Detachable if you want to remove for competition.
- Cinch keeper installed on right side off concho at base of cantle.
- Underside: Suede-covered memory foam or natural sheepskin.
- Seat sizes 15 – 17.5 available.
- Length of saddle: From front of saddle to back of curve at widest point: length: 24 – 26” / 61-66 cm.
- Weight of saddle: Average weight is 28 lbs // 12.7 kg, depending on final choices.
Handcrafted in USA or Europe.
SMARTFLX™ TECHNOLOGY
“Welcoming” the horse’s back in motion requires that you MANAGE THE INTERFACE – which is the space between your horse’s body and the underside of the saddle. After incorporating a good saddle, this is the next most important factor for successful saddle fit when you want to give your horse the opportunity to enjoy the journey with you. With SmartSaddlePads.com saddle pads and tapered foam shims you are best equipped to custom fit the interface of your horse to adapt to individual age, top line shape and state of training.
SMARTFLX´S EXCLUSIVE, UNIQUELY SHAPED TREES ARE THE SUBSTRUCTURE AND MAJOR KEY TO SUCCESS OF ANY OF OUR SADDLES.
The very special SMARTFLX™ shape provides room needed for the horse’s back to come up in performance of any athletic maneuvers, especially ones requiring significant engagement or “collection”. Also sculpted into the SMARTFLX™ shape are the ergonomic considerations built in for the rider which enable feeling close to the horse´s body and it´s movement while securely balanced and unstressed in hip, knee and ankle joints. The “bars” and “groundseat” of the SMARTFLX™ western tree are a one-piece molded shape based on years of research and development incorporating thousands of horses worldwide. This molded piece is formed utilizing a particular, extraordinary elastomer compound material that is solid enough to support the rider and protect the horse’s back yet flexible enough to allow the horse to move as nature intended and the human to feel connected in harmony. It is amazingly thin and keeps you close to your horse. Our wooden forks and cantles provide the base stability to hold the bars at the attitude and angle that our research proved was optimal. Our english saddles are constructed with the same principles regarding the spacious, welcoming shape we know is necessary for healthy, comfortable movement. English SMARTFLX™ trees are handcrafted by Master Saddlers in England utilizing digitally sculpted, laminated beechwood bars reinforced by steel head plate and thin diagonal steel bands that support appropriate diagonal flexibility. Because the SMARTFLX™ trees are sculpted to welcome the expanded “moving” horse body, there is room to accommodate an enormous variety of horse breeds and sizes.
SmartSaddlePads.com unique shimming concept provides a simple way to offer dynamic custom fit. The welcoming “hug” of our saddles’ undersides provides for a physically and mentally un-restricted equine athlete capable of enjoying full physical potential under saddle.
