Saddles for Older Riders?

Skib

Skib

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2003
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I am thinking of riders over 50 here - I dont think we have ever had a discussion of what saddles we use or problems we may have had as riders.
How does a saddle affect you physically, your aches and pains?
How does it affect how safe you feel on a horse?
Or your ability to control the horse?
How does it affect the way the horse goes?

As an RS hacker I have ridden dozens of horses in all sorts of saddles over the years. Some more comfy than others - but one doesnt get a choice. I just accepted what I was given.
The saddle of my share horse has been away for repair, so I hacked in two other saddles. Both fit her. But it was something of a revelation. I'd like to hear what other people have to say.
What saddles are best for the elderly?
 
How would it differ from saddles that are best for younger riders?
Wouldn't all riders want a saddle that makes them feel secure, comfortable and able to control the horse and also be comfortable to the horse?
I am 39 now but I wasn't any braver when I was 30 and I definitely want my kids to be secure as well
 
I'm not over 50 (infact only 20 in March!) but due to various problems I can't ride in anything with a hard seat. I pretty much only ride in our black country saddles now (luckily have 3 which fit 5 of the horses) and try to avoid having to exercise those with hard saddles such as Rosie in her Lovell saddle and Dexter in his Wintec coz it makes me hurt too much! I like something with a deep enough seat to sink into, have found thoroughbred saddles you always feel perched upon.
 
I'm 26 and finding riding slightly painful as I keep returning to it once a fortnight or more. What I need is a few free rides on a horse every day and then I'll be fine. I don't know if you've seen my other thread, but I've been advised that a seat saver can be very useful if I am riding RS horses and have no say on what saddle I have.
 
Please could someone explain what a twist is (in a saddle). I have been riding 10 years but still in the dark about some horsey language.
 
My concern with a narrow twist is that often it means they also narrowed the panels towards the back and I am not sure how I feel about that. If I need spine clearance in the front and the spine is the same width, why would I get away with less clearance right under my butt?
Oh by the way I do like the nice cushy seat on my Sensation as opposed to the tight,hard seats on traditional saddles.
 
I have found as I get older that the saddle I ride in is far more important to me, both for position and feeling secure. A few years back I didnt really care what saddle I was in.

Now Dolly's stubben is too small for her I am back to square one, a shame because I felt very secure in the Stubben, but did need a sheepskin cover on it because the older ones are quite hard seated.

I have a very ancient Hawk Event saddle that I keep coming back to and it seems a very good fit on Dolly and I find it an armchair ride so think I might see if I can have it re upholstered when the saddler comes out to me.

|I think it is a case of trial an error TBH - what one rider (no matter what age/sex) find comfy, another person will hate.
 
At the fast approaching age of 60 i don't mind what saddle basically any GP is fine from the ones on ebay at 100 quid to the better made second hand ones. I have never been fortunate enough to get a real good made to measure one. I would like to try a western but would not know how to hitch it up or how to ride in it but have heard they are very comfortable and secure if you just like hacking out, but i cant think of any one in my area who uses one. I think it would be very difficult for me not to rise in trot as i have been doing it for so long so i would have to learn a bit about it, but as i just hack out now it maybe worth considering, so any advice on western would be appreciated. As for aches and pains i think you just have to accept it when the first flush of youth leaves you, getting in and out of cars gives me the greatest problem i practically have to role out onto the pavement in my wife's car, that's why i drive my beat up old 4x4.
 
In my ignorance until this thread I had just thought there were dressage, jumping, racing and all purpose saddles. Not that I am entirely sure how they differ.

But I can comment on Western saddles. It is true that Isabella Bird (19th century) says how much safer they are to ride in (astride) than European saddles. They have a horn in front and high cantle at back to hold you on steep hills. You ride with long stirrups giving good stability and can grap the horn for safety. Having often trail ridden in the States and having an ex NR friend with a Western saddle, I was sorely tempted.
For an older person in the UK the arguments against for me were
1. Western is a minority world in the UK and so it is far harder to find a good saddler.
2.The weight of the Western saddles - even a synthetic one which I used on a week's course (it was a lovely saddle) I found heavy to lift onto the horse. And the action of throwing a Western saddle onto the back of the horse is harder to manage too. We had one elderly rider on NR who lived in the States and the weight of the saddle was her biggest problem at her yard.
3. It suits my poor back better to be able to do rising trot and forward seat in canter, than to keep my weight in the saddle.
4. I find it hard to mount and dismount - and I find that harder with a Western saddle - and it is harder to adjust the stirrup length too -which one can do while actually sitting on the horse with an English saddle.
 
Western is the majority here and we still don't have good saddlers for fitting them. lol You just choose between a couple kinds of bars and slap it on it seems.
There's nothing wrong with posting in a Western saddle.
The trainer that trains Minnie started her in a Western saddle and he posts.
Lots of Western saddles have the stirrups far forward so you are really sitting on your butt and it would take extra effort to haul yourself up of the saddle to post.
And yes mounting and dismounting is a real challenge too. I've left my bra up on the horn before!!! :eek:
Plus it makes you feel a tad claustrophobic. Like the saddle is getting a hold of you and you can't get out. I don't like them at all.
I'd rather ride out Western trained horse in a cushy treeless than a Western saddle.
 
Cortrasna said:
|I think it is a case of trial an error TBH - what one rider (no matter what age/sex) find comfy, another person will hate.
Click to expand...


I think that's right Cortrasna - it's not age that matters so much as size and shape, and how supple and well-padded you are ...

I had a Heather Moffett Saddle Co GP for Hebe, with a built-in seat-saver, so it was wonderfully soft and comfortable. But in spite of the saddler's best efforts (those saddles are designed to be adjustable) it was a bit narrow in front for Hebe, and so it wasn't very stable , although there was no sign that she found it uncomfortable. I've replaced it now with an Ideal VSD - much less padding, so I feel closer to the horse, and a better fit, so it's more stable, even when I mount.

I'm older than most people here - nearer 70 than 60 - but still fairly supple, at least once I've warmed up, and definitely well padded, so no problems really.

The HM saddle is for sale now, by the way, along with three or four other saddles that have been cluttering up the place for too long ...
 
Pinkheather a western saddle still has problems for the older rider,dismounting being the main one for me as I've got arthritis in my right knee which means I can't just swing my leg over & land on my right leg as it would collapse :eek:. Can't get off the off side either as this twists my right knee & ended up swinging my leg over then lying across the saddle & kicking my left foot free to drop down to the floor. In the summer doing this I managed to lose my balance & break two ribs :eek: :eek:. Now even though I ride western have gone back to my Exmoor Treefree as am obviously too much of a clutse to cope.Feel I need something quite high in front as it helps me not to fly when the old fool spins & sails off flinging me on the floor as my balance is poor nowadays ( coming up to my 66th birthday & my body doesn't work quite as it should anymore but my head wants to do things very frustrating )
 
I have a circular cob who I ride in Trekker Luso (off Ebay) which has nice thick panels, a gullet and long girth straps. It is built up in front and back like a Spanish saddle so I feel safe when she spins! I am 78 and having had a stroke my glue is not as good as it was but I ride 4 or so times a week and feel more supple for it. I tried a western but I couldn't lift it and the pommel bumped me in the tummy when I jumped.
 
KarinUS said:
How would it differ from saddles that are best for younger riders?
Wouldn't all riders want a saddle that makes them feel secure, comfortable and able to control the horse and also be comfortable to the horse?
I am 39 now but I wasn't any braver when I was 30 and I definitely want my kids to be secure as well
Click to expand...
As an older rider (70) my balance and reaction speed is not all it was. That’s the advantage a younger rider has above the over 50s
 
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