[RC] SADDLE "FIT" DATABASE strategy, for the record. - Robert Ferrand
Dear
Mike,
Thank you for a number of very good points. Please let me explain
the SADDLE "FIT" DATABASE strategy, for the record.
1. The three slashes
in http://www.saddletech.com is obviously a typo error, and will be corrected on subsequent
releases.
2. This "Research" is NOT being done to support any commercial
operation. In fact, the OPPOSITE IS TRUE. Just as pharmaceutical companies
support human clinical research that is also related to compounds they are
developing for the benefit of millions of people, this is common in the U.S.and
there is nothing wrong with this practice. Since we have developed and patented
the only "objective" horse and saddle method that employs the "scientific
method", we are in a far better position to understand the data and provide that
data as a service to the equestrian community. Our focus as a company is to go
beyond "mythology and opinion" to the modern world of "objective data"
supporting research. The validity of the research stands on the "data" itself,
not whether a saint is running the computer....that is the whole point of
employing the "scientific method". This company provides measurement instruments
and calibrated manufacturing methods that employ the "scientific method".
3. You make a very good point about
adjustable saddles, and I will give that some thought on how to address this
issue and create a new section which addresses dynamic and adjustability. VERY
VERY GOOD POINT.
4. I tried to address the delta between a saddle that
initially FITS and then DOESN'T FIT- with the questions relating to the
"replacement and refit of the 2nd saddle, as well as the use of a saddle pad to
correct the problem, which is why I asked about the 'time" to determine NOT FIT.
5. Your fifth point, gets really to the issue of why we are best suited
to conduct this research, because we are the only company that has actually
developed a method to measure the difference between static and dynamic saddle
fit. The real challenge to determining saddle fit is the saddle and rider are in
the way of the measurement. If you measure the horse WITHOUT SADDEL AND
RIDER, unladen, and statically, such as with baling wire, card board
templates, plaster casts, or thermoform plastic, you are really
measuring something different than the shape of the horse's back with the saddle
and rider's weight in the saddle.
If you measure one thing and then totally change the equation you
really have two different events, but only one measurement. So to accurately
measure a saddle with the rider there needs to be a method to correct for this
error. To accomplish this task, we need a Two Factor Theory; one measurement
device is not enough. To achieve any reasonable accuracy requires at least one
measurement device that can 'OBJECTIVELY" measure "PRESSURE' that can be
calibrated to a known reference STANDARD and a second device that can be
calibrated to the first device that can measure the three dimensional shape of
the horse's back and corresponding saddle.
So back to the point, many
riders will not be able to accurately determine the static or dynamic fit, which
is important data in its own right. The goal here, is also to understand what
equestrians have been told, and what they believe. The fact that this data
ignores physics is not the issue. The issue is to understand what equestrians
understand about saddle fit.
Your points relating to the quality of
construction, suitability for endurance riders and comfort for the rider, are
good points. The focus of our company is to PROTECT THE HORSE, because we
believe the riders can speak for themsleves, nonetheless, I will add appropriate
questions to address the riders point of view.
Your point that the
entry form is improperly designed to provide statistically relevant data because
all fields are "free-form entry" is NOT CORRECT. Currently, we are making a WIDE
sweep of the ENTIRE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY - WORLD WIDE, which comprises 80+
breeds of horses, and as many cross breeds, in a multitude different
disciplines, with an undefined number of different types of saddles, so that we
all can better understand what equestrians actually believe about saddle fit.
This is far too early in the research for constraint the data, as ou
suggest.
I appreciate that you understand that such "research" is
WORTHWHILE, The fact that we are in horse and saddle measurement
instrument business, makes us the ideal company to do this research, because we
provide the equestrian community the instruments for them to understand the
PHYSICS OF SADDLE FIT. We have NO VESTED INTEREST in the results of the
research, no matter which way it goes, because, we just provide the measurement
insttruments and the data.
Thank you again, for a number of very good suggestions which we will
incorporate in this database.. This is an equestrian community effort, so that
we can ALL better understand how to BETTER PROTECT OUR
HORSES.
