The insulating properties of foam ( in a saddle) make the rider cooler because the heat off the horse’s back cannot reach the rider .
It is just simple math .. one pad =good…. two pads =twice as good…. ten pads= most comfort
Our saddles are “hard”
We are constantly in search of independent saddle manufacturing companies to produce our saddles.
We use to be the most popular saddle on planet Earth.
And another thing…..what on Earth does a GEL PAD do ? As the largest hand made English saddle maker in the world…for many years, and by a wide margin…don’t you think that if we wanted a gelatin like substance IN our saddle ,that we would actually make it into our saddle. What other uses can a gel pad perform? Never had the need for one, so just cant’ think of any beneficial purpose. Please help to educate the masses.
Hey…. what’s up with all the padding between the horse and the saddle? If one saddle pad is good… and two saddle pads are twice as good…. then how come ten saddle pads between the horse and the saddle can only be very bad. Can anyone explain why it would be beneficial to have ” stuff ” between the saddle and the horse ? We think we know the answer. It might surprise you.
Saddle care and cleaning will extend the life of your saddle … almost into infinity. No one ever stops riding a saddle because it gets too dirty. They have to stop riding a saddle because the leather has become dry rotted, or the stitching has been subjected to irritants that have “burnt” the thread ,causing the saddle to fall apart. With minimal care , this will never happen( in your lifetime).We routinely talk to people about the importance of caring for full grain leather. You need to “feed” your leather with a conditioner that replaces the naturally occurring solutions that the Cow was making … before it became a saddle. Hamanol is just that product. Made specifically for the tannery that our raw cowhide blanks comes from, this conditioner is absorbed by the leather and keeps the leather soft and supple.
Depending on weather,temperature,humidity,use,and a host of environmental conditions, one should condition leather on an as needed basis, and with Hamanol, it is almost impossible to over condition. The leather will tell you when it has enough. The conditioner will not be absorbed if the leather does not need it. From the makers of Stubben saddles, conditioning is more important that just good looks alone. You have no doubt seen a 40 year old Stubben saddle that is still going. Looks a little dirty, and probably has several scuffs, but someone along the way has feed the leather.
What’s your story, how have you been caring for your saddle . Share your success , or amuse us with your issues. we are here to help, and would be delighted to hear from you.
Let’s talk about seat depths and how they play an important role in comfort. Stübben basically makes three different seat depths… and they are:
1) flat
2) half deep
3) deep
Just an overview on the three types will begin to help you understand the amount of time and talent Stübben incorporates into every saddle.
The flat seat tree enables the rider to move front to back, and side to side. This freedom to set up for upcoming jumps and a variety of conditions is the strong suit of any flat seat saddle. Downside… little to no security for the rider.
The half deep tree saddle is a “blend” between the flat and deep seat saddle. It has more security than the flat seat option, but not as much as the deep seat tree .
The deep seat tree is… well, deep. Many of our Dressage saddles are built on this frame. The security provided by the depth of seat is often comforting to the rider, and little or no additional security additions to the saddle are needed.
So there you have it. Which one is right for you? The answer is waiting, and only you can say. With many more layers to explain, this simple overview will help narrow down a path in your quest for the perfect transmitter of information between you and your horse.
I invite your comments. Please hit the comments button below and give me your feedback, or ask a different question.
Thanks
Hello from Stübben North America,
This is our very first blog, so we want to jump right into the saddle fit issues that are addressed every day here at Stübben. We break down saddle fit into hundreds of variables, but if the first big 5 issues are met, many times the fit is good. The following 5 observations need to be in harmony with each other:
1) Where are you putting your saddle on the horse?
2) Which two billets are you using?
3) Are you clearing the withers, and if so by how much?
4) What is the balance of the saddle on the horse?
5) Are you the right size for the saddle?
If all 5 conditions are met the saddle has a tremendous opportunity to fit, and be comfortable for both horse and rider. Check your own saddle to see if you are in the zone. If not, we can assist with what to do from here, and how to achieve an excellent fit . With this 5 minutes of homework, we can discuss with detail and confidence how to ensure that the saddle will never be the weak link.