What’s the most important thing when it comes to your saddle? If you ask most people it’s saddle fit. In many ways saddle fit is the “holy grail” of horseback riding. But why, after all these years, is getting a saddle to properly fit your horse such an elusive task?
Many have come up with various methods to “improve” the fit of their saddle. Some involve the use of multiple saddle pads. And although this can and will provide cushioning, the heat and sweat build-up could adversely affect your horses health and well-being…not to mention the hours of extra laundry you’ll be doing.
Others believe in using shims to attain optimal saddle fit. However, as is the case in most any application in which shims are used, they move. Let’s face it; the second your horse begins to move, that “perfect” fit attained by shims is almost immediately lost. And if you are jumping, it’s almost guaranteed that fit you achieve when you tack up is all but lost the moment you go over your first jump. Oh and let’s not forget our old friends heat and sweat. Shims are sure to cause more of both.
So, in a perfect world, what would one use to attain the following:
-even fit without any gaps
-even pressure throughout
-padding that automatically adjusts and compensates for movement
-no movement or slippage while riding
-allows your horses back to breathe
-prevents excess sweat build-up
When you look at it, ya kinda need to attain what suspension systems on cars achieve. They keep the car nice and level while stationary. But when the car begins to move and hits bumps and potholes on the road, the suspension either compresses to compensate for a bump or extends to compensate for a pothole. But in either situation, the vehicle remains flat (for the most part) and the ride quality remains unchanged (once again…for the most part).
Well what if there was a saddle pad that, in essence, does what a cars suspension system does in that it extends and compresses as needed to compensate for the space between horse and saddle? And what if it did so while allowing fresh air to flow between your saddle and your horses back...alleviating excess heat and sweat build-up? Oh, and what if it also didn’t slip and didn’t irritate the backs of even the most sensitive horses? And maybe most important of all, what if it didn’t absorb any moisture, was anti-microbial, anti-odor and didn’t require being washed in a washing machine (you could just spray it down with a hose and hang it over a rail).
Right about now you’re thinking, “keep dreaming friend.” Well dreams become reality for those who want something bad enough. It seems the founders of New York City based 224 Equestrian were able to create what was once thought to be impossible. And from the looks of it…they’re just getting started.