Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Take a fishing rod and suspend it across the shoulders of two

friends then flex the center up and down for a few minutes to

represent riding.

Marv "It's not the middle, it's the ends and sides." Walker

Saddle fit: http://awarenesshorsemanship.com/marigold.htm

*Marv, I am not sure your analogy is applicable in this case for many reasons.

 

1. Flexible panel saddles do not have a panel as skinny and narrow as a fishing rod!  They are designed to maximize the size of the weight bearing area of the saddle;and most have designed the panels with delrin inside and layers of foam and other materials to distribute weight along the contact area of the panel.

If you have a bridging saddle and the saddle no longer bridges when
sat in, regardless of the tree size or shape, the ends will come
toward
the middle as weight is applied.  When the weight is lifted the
ends
of the saddle will go away from the middle.  This back and
forth
movement works on the wither and loin area.

2.  Not all flexible panel saddles have the tree suspended above the panel by two contact points on each side.  For example, Reactor Panel saddles start with a tree that fits the horse's back by measurements in the angles of the front tree points, and contours of the back. In the mid back area, the tree is resting on the panels; it is not suspended. The shock-absorbing discs are front and back of this area to allow for the movement of the shoulder and loin....

The purpose of a properly fitted tree is to equally spread the
weight
over the horse's latisimuss dorsi muscles.  When you have ANY
area
specific interaction anywhere it affects some other area as well. 
That
is why when you use a pad to fill in one area it moves the problem
to
another area because it shifts both static and dynamic balance of
the
saddle and the rider.

Marv "Does my butt make this saddle look big?"
Walker