Influence of girth strap placement and panel flocking material on the saddle pressure pattern during riding of horses.

This research aimed to determine how the placement of girth straps and the choice of panel flocking material in saddles influences the pattern of pressure exerted on a horse when ridden. The investigators found that the choice between wool and synthetic foam flocking material, as well as the choice of girthing (traditional or v-system), significantly impacted the saddle pressure and should be considered during saddle fitting.

Research Methodology

• The experiment was conducted using six horses being ridden by three different riders.
• They used three saddle variations: one with wool-flocked panels and traditional girthing, the second with wool-flocked panels and v-system girthing, and the third with foam-filled panels and traditional girthing.
• The horses were ridden in sitting and rising trot and sitting canter, and the saddle pressure was recorded.
• From this data, they calculated descriptive variables which were then analyzed using ANCOVA models, taking into account the horse, rider, saddle, seat posture, and speed.

Research Findings

• The results revealed that saddles with foam-filled panels increased the stride maximum pressures under the rear part of the saddle by 7-12%. The area under the saddle with a stride mean pressure greater than 11 kPa also increased significantly in both trot and canter with foam-filled panels.
• When the v-system girthing was used, there was also an increase in the area under the saddle with a stride mean pressure above 11 kPa, but it was not as significant as the increase noted with foam-filled panels.
• Stride maximum pressures under the front part of the saddle also showed possible increase (up to 9%) with v-system girthing.

Implications and Conclusions

• The findings suggest that both the flocking material and the girthing strategy used on saddles have a notable influence on the pressure applied to a horse during riding, and should be taken into consideration when fitting a saddle.
• Based on the specific materials tested in this study, wool appears to be a superior flocking material compared to foam. When considering girthing strategies, traditional placement seemed to outperform the v-system in terms of reducing pressure during riding.
• However, the researchers emphasized that their results might not be directly applicable to a larger population of horses. They call for more comprehensive studies to validate their conclusions.