Solution of the Month November 2014 - The SMART saddle can accommodate Charlies large shoulders

"This is my 16.2hh, 7 year old gelding, ridden in his SMART saddle. We regularly compete in British Eventing, Showjumping, Dressage, Working Hunter, Showing and pleasure rides.

It took me a whole year to find a saddle that Charlie was comfortable in due to his large shoulders, thankfully we came across Solution Saddles and I truly would never use anything else.

Whenever possible I promote these fantastic saddles and I am now saving up for another SMART Saddle."

Suzannah Brookes,

Cumbria

Welsh Cob Has No Problems Qualifying For The Regionals In Her Solution Saddle

I have had my 14 hand Welsh Cob for 5 years and I have always had her in a RigidFree saddle…

 

…Although I did get through a few saddles before I found Solution Saddles, including other treeless brands.

Two of my previous horses both had behavioural problems caused by saddles, and despite spending a fortune on physios and saddles I never felt happy that the issues were resolved – and I resorted to riding bareback, which as you can imagine is pretty limiting!

Since affiliating, Lily and I have qualified for the Regional Finals in Novice and Novice Freestyle. The focus now is on training her up the levels and we have just come back from a 3-day course with Adam Kemp, working at Medium level.

My equine chiropractor and massage therapist always comments on how Lily has never had any saddle related problems and the muscles on her back are well formed and soft and supple, which she attributes to her being in a RigidFree saddle.

Amanda Hope, Solution Saddles Customer

Solution of the Month October 2014 – "Stacie Liston Needed a Secure Jump Saddle for Her Bold ISH".

“I wanted to share my story to say thanks, I am so pleased with my new SMART Jump saddle.

I like to think that I have found my perfect 4 legged partner in crime in Alvin my lovely ISH.  I was lucky to find him locally after deciding that new challenges were needed in the form of a new horse.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a previous Solution saddle for 10 years which I have used on all my horses. My Highland & Welsh were both very different in shape and using the Solution saddle made life simple for me; with a change of pads for each of them and I was set to go.

It never even crossed my mind to go back to a tree’d saddle for backing Alvin and I believe that using my RigidFree saddle is what made him so easy to back. 

When the time came to introduce jumping I knew that I would need a suitable saddle to do the job. Alvin can be quite ‘bold’ so I needed a saddle that would offer a very secure seat.  I got in touch with my local Solution Saddles Technical Advisor, Catie Baird, who was able to bring a selection of saddles for me to try - and I was sorted with a new SMART Jump saddle that afternoon! 

My physio has commented on how beautifully balanced and soft Alvins muscles are in his back, and when you see him cutting shapes when playing in the field you know that he is happy and pain-free in his movement.

People on my yard are also surprised by how much RigidFree saddles have changed over the years and like that the SMART Jump saddle looks like a traditional saddle - now I just have to save up for my dressage saddle next year  J

You certainly get what you pay for from Solution Saddles and I joke that my new SMART Jump saddle cost more than my sofa - but I spend more time sitting on my saddle! 

Now to go out and start winning some ribbons!

Thanks Solution Saddles for challenging the norm and offering an alternative to tree’d saddles.

Stacie Liston,
Aberdeenshire

First Mini One Day Event with the SMART GP Pony Saddle - Customer Update - Video

Antonia & Blondie at their first mini one day event.

Due to Blondies round belly and back shape, her tree'd saddle would slide up her neck all the time.

 Their SMART GP Pony saddle stays in place even with her extravagant jumping style.

Antonia and Blondie enjoy jumping all the big fences at fun rides and compete at 80cm and 85cm showjumping classes.

Maxine Oxford,

2013

An update from Maxine Oxford for Antonia & Blondie

“My twelve year old daughter, Antonia, competed at her first junior Tetrathlon with Blondie. She had to run 1500m, swim for 3 mins and shoot at a 7m turning target with one hand.

The pictures below are of them jumping over a 2'9 to 3' course. They were one of only four partnerships to go clear - and most of the competitors were riding horses. Blondie was so sweet, ears forward as usual, tail flicking and paws up :D

Antonia came 10th overall - I was so amazed!”

Maxine, 

2014

Antonia Oxford, riding her pony, Blondie, around a course of 90cm in their SMART Pony saddle.

The Eventing Way - Houghton International CCI* - Reports From 2013 Event Diary

July 2013

“The consistency of the trot rhythm was particularly pleasing. This is something that has improved all the time since we started using the SMART Saddles.”

We made the long journey to Houghton in Norfolk with two lorries and five horses!

The Navigator was competing in the CCI** class, Sabreeze in the CCI* and Phantom Spark, Cadanbyrig No Warning and Cadanbyrig Moonrunner competing in British Showjumping classes and the Eventers Grand Prix.

The Navigator passed the first trot up with flying colours and went on to do his dressage on the Thursday of the event. He warmed up well and did a good test to score 51.9.

We had a lot of rain on the Friday at Houghton and it changed the ground from good going to deep and challenging! Scobie went really well cross country and had jumped all of the difficult combinations with ease, but unfortunately got caught out, along with others, at a big parallel under trees five fences from home,  where he misread the back rail and they fell. Horse and rider were fine but it was a big disappointment.

 

Scobie was sound after his fall and we were relieved that despite falling he wasn't sore in his back nor was there any damage to the flexible SMART saddle! - Not the result we had hoped for but that is the ups and downs of eventing!

 Sabreeze competed in the CCI* class, which was his first three day event of his eventing career. In the dressage phase, the consistency of the trot rhythm was particularly pleasing. This is something that has improved all the time since we started using our SMART saddles.

After torrential overnight rain, the going on the tough cross-country course had deteriorated and became very deep and holding, causing lots of problems around the entire track. Sabreeze, unfazed by the conditions, jumped a fantastic clear round inside the time and finished full of running.

 

Sabreeze continued to cope well with the difficult conditions the next day in the show jumping and we were delighted to complete his first three-day event. 


Check back soon to find out how The Eventing Way team got on at Barbury Burghley Young Event Horse class and the Retraining of Racehorses Parade at Ascot.

BYRDS Rider Has Never Looked Back Since Purchasing Her First SMART Saddle - Customer Update

"My story was chosen as the Solution of the Month in May 2013, and I would like to update you on our progress since then. I now have a new ride who is a warmblood called Daydream Believer and I ride both my horses in my SMART Sport dressage saddle. We were very successful earlier on this year, being selected to represent the Northern region team for British Young Rider Dressage Scheme.  Tilly was so relaxed under the saddle and it showed through her test.  We have plenty more outings planned, and are aiming to ride at winter regionals!  Previous Update:  “I bought Bobby, a 16.3 Irish sport horse as a four year old when I was fourteen. Initially, I had a treed saddle for him but it did not fit and I didn’t want to buy numerous saddles to accommodate his ever-changing shape. When my local Solution Saddles Technical Advisor came out for a home consultation visit she brought the SMART dressage saddle, which I instantly fell in love with. From the word go, Bobby was a different horse. He became free and swinging in his walk. After going out to competitions I realised I could cut my warm up time down as he was instantly relaxed under the saddle, rather than tensing up and rushing off as he did before. When the new SMART SPORT dressage saddle was launched, again I fell in love with it. Bobby is a big horse with big movements, and I felt more secure in the new design. I would definitely recommend these saddles to anyone; when purchasing from Solution Saddles you know that not only are you buying a saddle, which is “horse friendly”, you are buying a service from Solution Saddles and their Advisors. My Technical Advisor was so helpful and worked with me to make sure I was 100% happy with my saddles and was happy to answer any questions, however silly they may sounded. I have never looked back since changing to the SMART saddle system. I know all my horses will have the best on their backs.” Cassidy Adey May 2013

From Lameness and Muscle Atrophy To A Happier Horse with the SMART SPORT Dressage & Jump saddles

My horse has not been difficult to fit with saddles…

but he started to have ad hoc periods of lameness and I noticed large rub patches appearing at the back of the saddle area.  His saddles were checked and adjusted which seemed to work for a while but he soon started to become lame again so I took him to the vets for a full check up. He was sound on all counts with no sign of the mystery lameness and no apparent back pain.  With some relief I brought him home but after a few weeks he felt lame again.

My Bowen practitioner was concerned at the amount of muscle atrophy he had and she was sure there was some deep shoulder muscle bruising where his saddle had been pinching and moving from side to side. The rub marks on his back were now significant.  This was definitely a saddle problem, so she recommended trying the RigidFree SMART Saddles.  

The local Solution Saddles Technical Advisor visited and spent a considerable time trying various different models and sizes.  We finally agreed the new Smart Sport saddles were the best solution for both the horse and for me.

Three months later, with our new Smart Sport Dressage saddle, he is noticeably freer moving and has a much looser swing to his back.  He is just a happier horse.

I was so impressed with the immediate difference this made to my horse’s way of going that I also bought a Smart Sport Jump saddle. It gives me a great XC position and I feel really secure in it.  My horse feels a lot happier jumping too with much more freedom in his shoulders. The bald patches and rubs at the back of the saddle area have completely disappeared and he is already building up muscles around the shoulders and withers.

He is a much happier horse and we would both like to say a big thank you to Solution Saddles.

Sue Sandford