English horseback riding is considered by many equestrian enthusiasts as the proper and traditional way to ride, states the EquestrianMag website. The lightweight English saddle allows the rider close contact with the horse's back. Simple, small stirrups and panel flaps provide the rider's leg with a feel of the horse's sides against her thighs and calves. The type of English saddle you choose to ride depends upon your area of equestrian discipline and level of competition.
Jumping Saddles
Horseback riders who participate in the jumping sports ride in what is called a "half-seat"--their body is slightly raised out of the saddle balancing on bent legs over the neck and withers of the horse, with the rider's weight taken on the balls of the feet and heels, writes Susan E. Harris in "The U.S. Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship." The jumping saddle comes with a fairly flat seat to allow for the rider's crotch to poise over a flat pommel--the front of the saddle--and saddle flaps are short, sharply curved and forward of the rider's natural leg position. Made in both brown and black leather, the seat sizes on jumping saddles range from child to large adult to accommodate rider weight.
Dressage Saddles
Equestrians in the sport of dressage require a deeper seat and a longer leg on the horse than jumper riders, so the seat of a dressage saddle shows a much deeper curve than that of the jumper saddle. Saddle flaps lie long and straight down the horse's sides to follow the natural line of the rider's leg. Thigh and knee rolls stretch straight under the flaps to keep the leg in place and along a straight line with the rider's shoulders and buttocks. While higher-end dressage saddles are typically made in black leather, some manufacturers use black, easy-to-clean synthetic material in their lower-end products to meet the demands of the rider, says Judith Draper and colleagues in "The Ultimate Book of the Horse and Rider."
General-Purpose Saddles
A general-purpose saddle works best for riders who cross disciplines--riding in pleasure classes, hunting, novice cross-country eventing competitions, show jumping and basic dressage. A combination of the jumping and dressage saddles, the seat of a general-purpose saddle sits deeper than that of a jumper but not as deep as in the dressage saddle. Saddle flaps curve down the sides of the horse but are shorter and more forward that those used in dressage. Made in both leather and synthetics, the general-purpose saddle may be the "ideal choice" for noncompetitive riders at all levels, advises Draper and colleagues.
Saddlebred Saddles
Riders sit in a saddlebred saddle when showing American Saddlebreds and other gaited horses. It features a cut-back pommel--a deep "U" shape cut into the front of the saddle--to allow the typically high withers of these horse breeds freedom of movement. This saddle comes with a flat seat and very wide saddle flaps that allow the rider to sit back on the horse, pushing the leg in front of the rider's body in what is called the classic "chair" seat. Typically made of brown leather, this type of saddle allows the rider to enhance the conformation and high-stepping gaits of the American Saddlebred horse.
References
- EquestrianMag: Horseback Riding--A History of Style
- "The U. S. Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship"; Susan E. Harris; 1994
- "The Ultimate Book of the Horse and Rider"; Judith Draper, Debby Sly, Sarah Muir; 2004
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