Rachel is feeling optimistic about the future since purchasing a SMART Eventer saddle

“I bought Haze, my 13 year old native type mare, in August 2015. When I purchased her she was in good condition and had been ridden for the last few years in a Solution Saddle. I initially looked into purchasing one when I bought her home but not ever having experienced treeless saddles I stuck with what I knew, a master saddler (visiting every  8-12 weeks to check fit) and good quality treed saddle.

Haze when I bought her August 2015
(previously only ridden in a Solution Saddle).

I had various ‘issues’ with Haze. An inability to round and work correctly through her back caused over muscling under her neck and she developed a nasty habit of ‘tanking off’ wildly around the school.

After 6 months of riding Haze the muscle atrophy where the saddle sat either side of her withers was horrifyingly obvious even to a non-professional.  Putting the saddle on was a nightmare, she would move around and push me put of the way with her bum in what kind only be described as frenzied panic at times.

Haze after 6 months in a treed saddle
 (note the atrophy either side of her withers and the overdeveloped underside of her neck).

I have now purchased a SMART Eventer saddle and even in the short space of a week a friend (who happens to be an equine physiotherapist) commented on how much better she is looking, less hollow and much softer.  Encouragingly she stands still to be tacked up and, for the first time ever, stands calmly at the mounting block even allowing me to adjust the girth, an impossible task before.

Riding her feels so completely different, it truly is like having a new pony. She is more responsive, in better balance and not running on the forehand. My only regret is that I put her through 6 months of discomfort before arriving at this point, if only I had known better!

I am optimistic that the changes will continue to benefit both of us and things that seemed impossible before (such as going to clinics or competing) now feel a much more realistic goal. I am so excited about our future together.

Thank you Solution Saddles,

Rachel Howard-Louvaine

Since buying her SMART SPORT GP saddle, Felicity Hester has seen significant improvements in all of her horses.

"I first borrowed a SMART saddle to break my young warmblood stallion as I couldn't find a treed saddle that was in any way close to fitting him (including changeable gullet systems). I tried it on our other horses at the same time and I couldn't believe the difference it made to the way they all moved and behaved. 

Since buying my SMART SPORT GP saddle I have seen significant improvements in my horses’ actions and physiques, particularly when jumping. There has been a total change in our 15.2 cob x TB’s action over a fence as she realised that her back and shoulders were no longer restricted.   The improvement in the muscle around my older mare’s wither has completely changed her shape and she no longer has the dips and hollows that she previously had, regardless of how often we had her saddle checked and altered. 

We now use my SMART SPORT GP on all four horses of completely different shapes and sizes; a 16.3 Friesian x TB, a 16.2 WB, a 15.2 cob x TB and a 14.2 dales x fell.  The movable blocks mean that we can use it for dressage, show-jumping and cross country. The SMART Easy-Fit system means the saddle works for all of us who ride in it and the seat can even be made more snug for one of the smaller riders! 

I am now saving up for a new SMART PRO Dressage saddle!

Thanks

Felicity Hester

Susie Young purchased a SMART Dressage saddle to ensure saddle fit as a young Warmblood mare matured ...

- she now also has a SMART PRO Jump and uses both saddles on a range of horses.

" I purchased my first SMART saddle almost two years ago for my mare Destiny, a young Warmblood Sports Horse who was going to change shape as she matured. The saddle has been ideal in enabling me to adapt it to both her change in shape as she has grown, and her change in weight which tends to fluctuate throughout the year.

The added bonus for me has been that I have been able to use this saddle on my other very different shaped horses, which range from Destiny the 17.2hh Warmblood to a 14.1hh Quarter horse and a few others in between including my friend’s horses.

I find the saddle extremely comfortable and feel so much closer to the horse than in anything else I have ever ridden in before. It’s the nearest to riding bareback I’ve experienced but without having to worry about my seat bones being uncomfortable for the horse.

Although I do jump in my dressage saddle, I decided that as the saddle was so versatile I would get a second SMART saddle and I have chosen the SMART Jump Pro. This means I now have the benefit of being able to have two horses ridden in SMART saddles at the same time, which in turn means two comfortable and happy horses and two comfortable and happy riders.

I am following Philippe Karl’s School of Legerete method of training and believe the SMART saddle compliments this by allowing the horse maximum range of movement without impediment, and will hopefully help me to reach my goal of High School Equitation.  

I would highly recommend these saddles and am delighted to have the pleasure of riding in them."

Regards Susie.

Patience has paid off, Madison is now pain free through her back and withers, with help from her new SMART Native GP saddle.

“I bought a SMART NATIVE GP saddle for my pony, Madison, in April. Three months later, the McTimoney therapist who looks after her back said that she is pain free through the withers. This might not sound like much, but it has taken a year of trial and error to get to this point and it's SO great to know that I can now take her out without causing her pain.

We are just back from a three day camp, jumping and hacking every day; the saddle is really comfortable for me, and it's good to know that it must be comfortable for her too. 

Thanks to the Solution Saddles Advisors’ patience in allowing Madison and I to take our time - I really couldn't be happier with the SMART NATIVE GP saddle.”

Miranda Davis & Madison

Maxine Oxford & Flicka - From "problem pony" to racing at Cheltenham

"I decided to buy Flicka in part to save her from her current treatment as she was not favoured by the riding school where she was kept. She was a nightmare in the stable, hard to catch and too wild for the kids to ride. She was given to the riding school by her previous owners as she kept bucking them off and also had a stumbling problem that neither the vet nor their master saddler could solve.

At the time I was looking to buy a Solution saddle for my daughter’s pony, Blondie, her saddle would ride up her neck - again a problem that could not be solved with a traditional tree’d saddle. As it was such an expensive purchase for a 12.2hh pony, I also wanted to try it out, so I also used Flicka for the test ride. 

Unlike Blondie, Flicka had big hollows either side of her prominent withers; she went well in the Solution saddle and I noticed she did not buck or stumble. I decided to buy the saddle and we have had great success with both ponies. The Solution saddle stayed in place amazingly even with Blondie's extravagant jumping style as you can see in the video below.

Blondie & Antonia Oxford in their Solution saddle

I've had Flicka for three years now and mainly hack, although my daughter now jumps her a bit too, (see video below). Since purchasing the Solution saddle, I have found Flicka likes humans more and doesn't hide at the back of the stable when you bring the tack out, also she doesn't trip, has good muscle either side of her withers, is loads of fun to hack and on fun rides, jumps well and is great in traffic. 

We had the opportunity to race at Cheltenham which was amazing for all connected. My daughter wants to do it again next year, if we can get her fitter I am sure she will put on an even better show!

Flicka aka Hywi Venus racing at Cheltenham in her Solution saddle!

We didn't win but had a great race!"

Maxine Oxford.

Junior Swedish National Team riders cannot do without their SMART™ saddles!

Theresa Hogart from Sweden shares her experience with the SMART saddles, used by her daughters, Junior Swedish National Team riders, Amanda and Isabella.

“When you compete in mounted games, you need to have a saddle that fits both the rider and the pony. I tried many different saddle options before the SMART saddle but found I always had to return them as the saddles are often too big for the pony or too small for the rider.

We are so happy to know that our ponies are now comfortable in their SMART saddles. A happy pony can do the very best at competitions and my daughters both compete for the Junior Swedish National Team in Mounted Games. 

We are really happy with the last SMART saddle we bought and can´t wait to get another just like it.

Pictures from Norway Summer Challenge show great action shots of the saddle sitting securely through fast moves and turns.

Amanda Hogart and Kenny Rob

Isabella Hogart and Ameysing

Theresa Hogart,

Sweden,

July 2015

Successful Endurance rider, Chris MacMillan, has just completed the Golden Horseshoe with her Connemara pony Glen.

 Successful Endurance rider, Chris MacMillan, has just completed the Golden Horseshoe with her Connemara pony Glen. Here is what she has to say about her wonderful Solution Saddle...

The start of the 80km Endurance Ride at the
Scottish Championships / Home International in July 2014.

  

“I was introduced to endurance as something different to do and a great way to get out and see new countryside.  We started with pleasure rides in 2012, and then competitive rides in 2013.  We were lucky enough to be picked to represent Scotland as novice horse/novice rider combination for the Home International held in 2013 at Barbary Castle, where we stepped up to 40km for the first time and won the class! 

In 2014 we moved on through the grades gaining Silver Thistle Final at Seacliff and Gold Thistle Final at the Scottish Championships where we once again represented Scotland in the Home International team but this time at 80km. 

Glen and I have now clocked up just over 1000km at endurance rides.  This, together with all our training miles and the varied other stuff we do (jumping lessons, dressage lessons and hunting), was all achieved in my Solution RigidFree™ saddle.   I love it because it is such a comfortable saddle for both me and my pony and still in fantastic condition after 6 years of heavy use.”

 

Chris MacMillan and Coolagoree Glen Thunder