Re: Re: ReactorPanel Saddle

["Dawna Bynum-Boyd" <EndurzRider@worldnet.att.net>]

The link is on the endurance net (and below).  The saddles are made by
master saddlers in England who have been making saddles for some 50 years.

The ReactorPanel Saddle is a revolutionary design it sits on two panels --
one on each side of the spine -- which are designed to reduce pressures
under the saddle by increasing the weight-bearing surface of the saddle. The
two-panel system has a long history in saddle designs used in the military
and for long distance riding where the ability of the horse to cover long
distances without back pain is critical. The ReactorPanel simply refines a
well-proven design by using the most modern tools.

The ReactorPanel system was developed after extensive computerized pressure
testing and analysis. By measuring high, low and average pressures between
the horse and saddle in conventional and existing two-panel saddles, the
ReactorPanel design team was able to focus on and eliminate common trouble
spots, including wither/shoulder pinching and saddle bridging. Second, the
materials used to create the panels and the panel attachment system are
equally high tech, and include dense foams, Sorbothane, and aviation-quality
Velcro. The ReactorPanel saddle has evolved from conventional saddle designs
much like the evolution we've all seen in products all around us, which have
become stronger, lighter, and more flexible. Consider, for example, the
backpack or the tennis shoe of today against those of 25 years ago. The
evolution has been gradual. The saddles were first created in 1993, and the
product line has been stable since 1998.

The seats are built in the traditional way, with webbing strung along the
spring tree and expertly pulled and fastened. Then layers of latex foams are
added, creating a seat which is supportive yet soft, with just the right
amount of give. Sort of like a favorite chair. The saddle leather is cut by
machine to ensure that the finished saddles are absolutely symmetrical.
After the leather has been cut, skilled master saddlers in Walsall, England
do most of the assembly by hand. The end result is a saddle of the highest
quality, which gives the rider a terrifically secure and comfortable feel.
No longer must a rider sacrifice his or her own comfort for that of their
horse.

The ReactorPanel was engineered in every detail to provide the greatest
possible comfort for the horse. The tree is designed for the horse's
physique. Angles are correct, there is breadth at the head and sufficient
spinal clearance, and quite importantly, the saddle accommodates the true
shoulder angle. With a ReactorPanel, it is no longer necessary to compensate
width for clearance. In other words, a conventional saddle narrow enough to
clear the wither often pinches the shoulder, and a saddle broad enough to
allow free shoulder play often presses down on the wither. ReactorPanel
eliminates these -- and many other -- fitting problems, which have caused
compromises in fit for many.

The panels are made of a sandwich composition of leather, high-tech foam and
plastics which creates their weight distribution ability. This composition
allows the panels to actively move three dimensionally with the horse, which
is beneficial for a number of reasons, which we'll get into below. The
panels sit on either side of the spine, completely avoiding the wither,
spine, and spinous processes. The two-part ReactorPanel saddle pad fits over
each panel, leaving the channel underneath the gullet completely free of
pressure. This air space can also help to dissipate heat.

The panels attach to the saddle with four shock absorbing discs. The discs
come in three different widths, and can be repositioned nearly infinitely to
custom fit the saddle. The different sized discs, combined with their
position, enables angle changes to the panels so one saddle can be re-fit to
accommodate a wide range of horses. However, typically a well-broken in
ReactorPanel will work on many horses without adjustment, so long as the
horse for which it was fitted does not have extreme or asymmetrical
conformation.

It is fairly obvious that a larger weight-bearing surface would equate to
lower pressures under the saddle. But how does lower pressure benefit your
horse? At pressures as low as 1.5 psi (pounds/square inch), blood flow,
critical to muscles, can become occluded. Many conventional saddles will
measure at 3 to 4 psi or more when a rider stands in the stirrups. In fact,
in one field test, pressures of 4.35 psi were measured when a 140 pound
rider stood in the stirrups in a well-fitting conventional saddle. The same
rider in a ReactorPanel recorded a pressure maximum of 1.45 psi while
standing in the stirrups. The lower pressures under a ReactorPanel helps
prevent muscle spasms and maintain maximum blood flow to the muscles, which
in turn helps the horse work from behind and through his back - which helps
achieve the rounded outline we all desire.

With ReactorPanel, performance is enhanced because the horse is able to more
fully use its range of motion. In a conventional saddle, the horse may
encounter the rigid edge of a fixed tree. This means that he must force his
shoulder against the tree when the scapula (shoulder blade) rotates backward
during extension of the foreleg. With a more forgiving conventional tree,
the horse's shoulder slides more or less easily beneath the saddle. It is
virtually impossible to place a saddle far enough back that the scapula
never encounters the saddle. To test this, put your finger on the back edge
of your horse's scapula. Have someone pick up the front leg on that side,
and extend the foreleg as though the horse were extending the limb. If you
haven't done this before, you may be amazed at how far back the shoulder
actually travels.

The ReactorPanel is designed so that the front tip of the panel deliberately
rests over the top of the scapula. This part of the panel is not
weight-bearing, but, when the shoulder begins its journey backward, it
easily slides under the panel and never encounters rigid resistance. While
good fit begins in the barn aisle, it should not end there. The
ReactorPanel's flexible panels and shock-absorbing discs enable the saddle
to flex with the shoulder and undulate underneath the saddle to follow the
changing contours of the back in motion, and to retain superior fit on a
moving horse.

Although it may seem that the panels place the rider higher above the horse
than conventional saddles, the reverse is true: the ReactorPanel saddle
actually places the rider closer to the horse. While the saddle does attach
to four discs, there is also contact between the saddle and the panel under
the center of the seat of the saddle, so the actual material between the
bottom of the saddle and the top of the horse's back is approximately 1/2".
Most riders can instantly feel the difference, and some have even commented
that riding in a ReactorPanel feels like riding bareback with stirrups.

Because the ReactorPanel saddle allows for greater freedom of shoulder
movement (allowing for expansion as well as rotation), the stride typically
lengthens and all gaits tend to improve. Our mailbox is overflowing from
rider comments about their horse's new found freedom of movement. Also, many
riders find that hollows behind the shoulder tend to fill in, and their
saddle may need to be readjusted to accommodate their horse's improved
profile. These changes take place over a fairly short time; typically 6-12
weeks.

There is a liberal trial policy, if you are interested I encourage you to
demo one of the saddles.  I certainly can see the difference in my horses.
New saddles start around $2,400, depending on upgrades and options.  There
are a limited number of used saddles and demos available for sale too.  For
me, one of the benefits was that *I* could adjust the saddle if and when my
horse's back changes or I get a new horse that is completely different.
After buying several custom made saddles this is a welcome relief.  Let me
know if I can answer any other questions John, there is a nice FAQ area on
the website too.  I'd be happy to arrange a demo, send more information or
chat with you.

Dawna Bynum-Boyd
NW Agent for Reactor Panel Saddles
e-mail: nwreactorpanel@worldnet.att.net
website: www.eqwi.com/ReactorPanel
-----Original Message-----
From: JOHN AYERS <ayers@plainfield.bypass.com>
To: Dawna Bynum-Boyd <EndurzRider@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Sunday, July 16, 2000 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: Re: ReactorPanel Saddle


>What is the Reactor Panel Saddle.  Who makes them.
>
>What $$??
>
>John and Meshack
>http://www.bypass.com/~ayers (Vermont Equestrian Activities)
>Secretary/Treasurer Vermont Arabian Horse Association
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Dawna Bynum-Boyd <EndurzRider@worldnet.att.net>
>To: Maria Berger <mberger65@hotmail.com>; Ridecamp@endurance.net
><Ridecamp@endurance.net>
>Date: Sunday, July 16, 2000 4:13 PM
>Subject: RC: Re: ReactorPanel Saddle
>
>
>>Maria,
>>    I have a RP and love it.  It has made a huge difference in my
stallion.
>>I was riding him in a Dressuer, he was never sore, never had rubs of any
>>sort, but was increasingly anxious over being saddled.  I had Lynne Glazer
>>fit him, much to my dismay the anxiety was stemming from the saddle I was
>>using.  After much coaxing and patience from Lynne we got him outfitted in
>a
>>new RP.  The first ride, he was anxious at saddling, but as we rode he
>>"tried" it out, tentative at first, then enthusiastically "stretched" his
>>legs and shoulders.  The second time I rode him with it, his anxiety over
>>saddling seem to be gone.  He realized that it wasn't going to pinch his
>>shoulders.  I can't tell you how disturbed I was to have put him through
>>the discomfort of the first saddle.  Because he had no "outward" signs of
a
>>bad fit and because he was so stoic I had no idea he was so unhappy.
>>
>>My other two horses seem to enjoy it just as much.  What caught my
>attention
>>was that I can adjust it for different horses.  I am certainly glad I
check
>>them out it has made a big difference for my horse's comfort.  In fact I
>>believed in them so much after buying one, I agreed to be a representative
>>in the NW area.  It's fun and educational to show different riders how the
>>RP works and just how it can benefit their horse.  As time goes by I think
>>many riders will chose RP, in fact many of the top riders already have.
>>
>>Dawna
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Maria Berger <mberger65@hotmail.com>
>>To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
>>Date: Saturday, July 15, 2000 12:02 PM
>>Subject: RC: ReactorPanel Saddle
>>
>>
>>>Does anybody have experience with a Reactor Panel Saddle?
>>>Maria Berger
>>>________________________________________________________________________
>>>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
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>
>