RE: Re: The "Reactor-Panel" saddle

["Kathy Mayeda" <kathy_mayeda@atce.com>]

This is really interesting because the literature here in the United States
showed just the OPPOSITE re: pressure points underneath the stirrup bars!
The graphic showing the pressure read-out was what caught my eye to try this
saddle in the first place. If the literature was you stated, I certainly
would NOT want to try it, because you see I also have some "brain-power" as
an endurance rider (heh, heh... folks I'm just kidding).  There is
considerably LESS with the RP under the stirrup bars.

My first hand experience is that a lot of the shock absorption in the
stirrup bar area is distributed over the flexible panels.  My previous
saddles caused a lot of muscle damage and wasting away behind the scapula.
After I started riding in the RP, the muscle damage was reversed, almost
immediately!!!!  And his movement was so much freer - his stride increased
really dramatically you've never seen such a happy smile in a rider.  So I
don't believe your model that the RP places more pressure under the stirrup
bars at all.

If the panels were stiffer, there would be more "bounce".  When I ride in an
Orthoflex, I immediately notice how "hard" it is compared to the shock
absorption of the RP.  I am a lot less fatigued riding in an RP.  I have no
doubt that weight distribution MAY be better in the static situation with a
stiffer panel, but in a moving dynamic situation, the flexibility does
absorb a lot of shock.  And don't forget, as a stiff panel moves, there is
pressure on the loins and at the withers to accommodate the pressure in
between. This in itself can cause a lot of problems with our short-backed
Arabs.  I have heard of an OF owner talking about machining off the ends of
her panels because it was causing damage in the lumbo-sacral area.  I don't
dislike Orthoflexes - I know that there are a lot of happy OF owners out
there.  It's just the contrast between the OF and the RP was so apparent to
me that there is no question in my mind which saddle I prefer to ride in.

I have to admit, I don't ride like you do.  In my experience, pressure in
the stirrup bars DECREASES the horses ability to move freely because you
apply pressure to the muscling behind the withers.  But that's another
discussion that I really don't want to get into right now....  I'm a firm
believer in "whatever works for you is okay by me."

Kathy Mayeda






"In
their
german brochure they have some pictures taken by computer aided
"pressure-analysis". What on ecan see is that the weight bearing area of
the RR
is significant larger than of a traditional saddle. They have two sets
of
pictures, one with the rider sitting in the saddle, the other with the
rider
standing in the stirrups. And exactly her is my problem with the RP /
RR: All the
pressure is concentrated on an area under the stirrup-bars. No contact
at the
front or the end. I am standing most of the time when riding, so this
means that
my horse will move free with the shoulder (virtually no contact of the
saddle
here), but has to carry all the weight on an area which is only 1/3 of
what is
possible. I had some ideas how to correct this and Mr. Richardson was
really
surprised about how much "brain-power" an endurance rider is using on
the saddle
;-). One of the problems are the panels: They are flexible, as those
from OF or
other saddles, this is OK for the overall fitting, the movement of the
shoulder
etc. But regarding the pressure which builds up on a relative small part
of the
saddle, the flexibility is a loss!" "

Wolfgang + Ninja 11
Germany




=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=