The act of mounting from the ground requires the rider to literally defy gravity, and according to Jeff Thomason, associate professior of biomechanical science at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Canada, the force that the rider exerts in ground mounting doubles the rider’s weight in the stirrup!   This results in the saddle being jerked down and toward the rider, causing discomfort for the horse, and, over time, damage to your saddle’s tree.  And the farther away the rider is from the horse in height, the more torque (or twisting) the horse experiences.  Considering how tightly girthed our saddles have to be in order to mount without ending up underneath the horse, you can imagine how painful it must be to be jerked around like that.

Since horses are built more longitudinally stable (their fairly long backs coupled with feet close together),  mounting from the ground inevitably  displaces the horse’s position and throws him off balance.   The pull of the saddle forces the horse to shift his weight to the left legs, thus causing  imbalance to the right.  To compensate for this, the horse must then raise his back on the left side, and, coupling this with the rider’s grasp on the reins, the horse is unable to rebalance himself using his head and neck as a counterweight.

As the rider mounts the horse, the panels of the saddle press against the horse’s spine especially at the withers and digs into the muscles on the near side.  Over time, this regular jarring can have a devastating effect on the health of the horse’s back.  For a horse with chronic back pain, this could mean a greater chance of injury, and, at the very least, an undermining of his chiropractor’s hard work!  A fascinating article on the subject, written by Karen Smith and found athttp://equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/ease_mounting_pressures_021009/, discusses studies done on the effects of ground mounting on the horse.

Mounting from the ground actually puts the rider at risk, as a horse’s discomfort can lead to misbehavior that can cause the rider to become off-balanced.  According to Doris Bixby Hammett, MD of the AMA, the first 15 minutes of riding (including mounting time) is when the rider is most susceptible to injury, including muscle and tendon strains to concussions from being dragged or tossed off by a misbehaving horse.  Using a mounting block whenever possible will lessen the odds of a mounting-related injury, as there is less strain to the rider as well.

Using a mounting block will provide less strain on the horse, the rider, and the saddle.  Stirrup leathers will last much longer (although you still will want to rotate them regularly to avoid uneven stretching), and your saddle’s tree will definitely experience greater longevity, as there is  significantly less torque applied when mounting from a block.  Considering that a saddle is pretty much useless if the tree has been compromised, it may be considered wise to prevent harm to the tree whenever possible.

Of course some riders will say that they’re not always around a mounting block (like on the trails, for example).  Occasional ground mounting may be necessary, but if your horse will allow you to mount from, say a log on the ground or a strong fence rail, you might want to consider doing so (safely, of course).

The tree points flex with the horse’s movement, allowing for optimal shoulder clearance, with +2 cm forwardness in the flap.  This saddle is customized for horse and rider, and the adaptability of the tree means that if your horse changes, or if you change horses, you’ll be better able to alter the saddle to fit.  The tree boasts a lifetime warranty, so you can ride in confidence for years to come.

Extra foam in the seat make this the most comfortable jump saddle I’ve sat in to date!

1. Take good care of your tack!

First and foremost, your tack should be in as close to excellent condition as possible if you want to get a higher asking price.  From day one, you should be cleaning and conditioning your saddle regularly to keep the leather supple and in good repair.  Your saddle should be, if possible, stored in a climate-controlled tack room on an appropriate saddle rack.  A good saddle will last for years and years if properly maintained, and will keep more of its resale value to boot.

2. Be realistic about your saddle’s worth.

Choosing a selling price can be particularly challenging, as often we tend to ask more than the saddle is worth.  Like a car driven off the dealership’s lot, a saddle, depending on the initial value, loses up to 20% of its purchase price the second it leaves the showroom (another reason why it’s ever so important to absolutely love your saddle before investing in it!).  Unfortunately, there is no Kelley Blue Book for used saddles (although it’s tempting to make one).    Generally speaking, the more “popular” the saddle, the more demand there is for used ones, the higher the asking price.

The age and condition of the saddle must be factored into the asking price.  An older saddle that is kept in pristine condition will obviously generate more money than one that was hardly ever maintained.  It’s often helpful to think as a buyer:  what would you be willing to spend on a saddle with lumpy panels or cracked leather?

Keeping flocked panels well-maintained by having them regularly reflocked by a qualified specialist will enable you to ask for more money, as it costs at least $300 for a proper reflock.   Oftentimes we find ourselves advising customers to deduct at least that much from their asking price so that a potential buyer can reflock the saddle they want to purchase, all because they didn’t have their saddle inspected and reflocked regularly.

Another important factor to consider is the condition of the saddle’s billets.   It further costs $100-$200 to replace worn billets; doing so prior to selling your saddle will not only allow you to ask for more money, but it will also garner more interest, as people often don’t want to go to the trouble of having it done themselves, even if the money needed to redo billets is factored into the price.

Deciding where to price your saddle is crucial in your success in selling.  Many people opt to set the price high to see if people are interested, only to lower the price again and again when the saddle doesn’t sell right away.  For buyers, this can sometimes trigger concerns that the seller has unrealistic expectations and can, for whatever reason, cause them to lose interest.   Most of us as consumers want our buying experience to be hassle-free, so having to haggle prices because the seller is asking too much can turn off prospective buyers and severely limit the saddle’s ability to sell.  A great way to help determine asking price is searching for your saddle, especially if you’re browsing through eBay’s “sold” listings.  If you have a lesser known saddle, however, you may have more difficulty finding enough listings to get an accurate example.

3. Know your saddle.

You’ll have better luck selling your saddle if you know what you have on your hands.    Knowing the age of the saddle, the brand name, model name, tree and seat sizes,and flap information will enable potential buyers to maximize the use of their time and energy by being able to narrow down their search.

Does your saddle have an adjustable tree?  If so, what is it currently set to?  Are the panels flocked with wool, synthetic wool, or foam?  When was the last time the panels were reflocked, if applicable?   What is the length and forwardness of the flaps?  Has this saddle been customized for a particular horse?

Unfortunately, some saddle manufacturers aren’t great about stamping their creations with this sort of information.  Sometimes you can email the manufacturer (if it’s still around) with the serial number of the saddle and get more specific information, but it seems that the majority of saddle manufacturers don’t keep great records, especially on saddles that are more than 10 years old.

4. Choose your venue wisely.

You’ll want to make sure that your saddle gets as much “face time” as possible if it’s going to sell.  The decision to sell your saddle on consignment versus selling it yourself should be carefully weighed, as both have their pros and cons.

Selling Your Saddle Yourself. Many saddle sellers want to avoid the percentage charged for consignment in the shop and opt to sell their saddle themselves.  While you do end up making more money off of the transaction, you have to deal with the “headaches” of selling that the tack shop spares you.  Posting your saddle on a website such as Craigslist or Tack Trader  is a great way to garner interest in your saddle, as there are loads of people perusing saddle ads regularly.  Of course you’ll have to beware scammers that seem to creep out of the woodwork whenever a new post arrives regardless of what it is.

When it comes to selling your saddle yourself, you must keep in mind that most buyers will want to try the saddle first (in fact I strongly advise people to ride before they buy), so you will have to decide whether or not you’re willing to facilitate trial rides.  This of course means scheduling a time to meet with the prospective buyer.  While this works for some people, others feel uncomfortable interacting with strangers in this way.   There is, of course eBay, but you’ll either have to hope that someone’s willing to buy a saddle sight unseen or you’ll have to ship the saddle to the person and have them ship it back if it doesn’t work – so there’s an element of trust you have to have that the person won’t just take the saddle and run.  You can of course require that they purchase the saddle for a trial period with the understanding that they will be refunded should the saddle not work for them, but many buyers are fearful that they’ll end up being taken for a ride.

If you decide to sell your saddle yourself, make sure that your online listings include plenty of pictures along with a detailed description listing all of the information cited above.  This will save you from having to email images separately to potential buyers, as they undoubtedly will ask for them.   Also, be sure to “tag” your listing with as many variations as possible to maximize its position in search results.  The key is getting your saddle to be seen!

Consigning Your Saddle. Consigning your saddle at a tack shop has its benefits.  For one, you don’t have to mess with the details.   For many sellers, the consignment rate of 20%-30% is well worth the hassle of trying to sell the saddle themselves.  The tack shop will deal with potential buyers, providing answers to their questions and monitoring trial periods.  Oftentimes the tack shop is willing to help negotiate the price on your behalf, so you don’t have to go back and forth over the asking price.

A reputable tack shop will have a great deal of foot traffic – especially if there’s knowledgable staff on board to help prospective buyers pick out the perfect saddle.   Many tack shops will list their saddles on websites, providing the photographs and specific information that buyers are so keen for.  Considering how net savvy we’ve become, the online storefront is extremely beneficial for used saddle sales, as it opens up the venue to people across the country (and in some cases, around the world).

Keep in mind that the tack shop will do their best to price the saddle so that it will sell, so it’s good to carefully consider their recommended asking price, although it’s ultimately up to you to decide where to price your saddle.

If you decide to consign your saddle, make sure that you bring your saddle into the store in the best of condition.  Make sure it’s clean and in good repair.  Provide the tack shop with as much information about your saddle as possible, as busier tack shops may be unwilling or unable to take the time to research it for you.  The tack shop will often have a consignment agreement that they have you sign; make sure you read and fully understand the terms and limits of this agreement before signing.

5. Have patience.

The used saddle market is unpredictable, so be aware that if you’re in a hurry to sell you might have to price your saddle aggressively.  If the saddle was customized to a particular horse, you may have to wait for the right match to come along, especially if the saddle isn’t readily adjustable.   This is where consigning the saddle is helpful, as you won’t have to carefully monitor listing expiration dates and resubmit your listing again and again.

Following these guidelines can help make the process of selling your saddle a lot less painful, and will hopefully allow you to sell your saddle as quickly as possible.

When it comes to English saddles, be they Dressage, All-Purpose, or Jumping, the composition of the panels (the portion of the saddle touching the horse’s back) is an extremely important thing to consider, as it directly influences the comfort of your horse. Ultimately, a soft, smooth, and symmetrical panel is a comfortable panel.

Just as there are many brands of saddles to choose from, there are many panel materials, and just as many opinions as to which is the best. Having a keen understanding of what is in your saddle and how it affects your horse is important in keeping his spirits up and your vet bills down.

The “stuffing” that makes up the panels generally falls into four categories, described below.

Types of Flocking:

Natural Wool
Natural wool is preferable to synthetic wool and foam for a number of reasons.  First and foremost is the fact that it breathes well.  Synthetic wool will have some degree of breathability, and foam will have none.  Ideally, we want to have natural fibers against the horse’s back and in the panels of the saddle to ensure that the spinous processes do not overheat.  After all, would you want to have to run around with a person on your back if your skin can’t breathe?

The ultimate benefit of a natural wool fiber is that it is malleable.  A flocked saddle can be altered to allow for a more customized fit, to provide the greatest comfort for the horse.  While it does require more maintenance than foam panels, the control you have over the panels’ shape more than makes up for it.

There are several versions of natural wool fibers, from a long fibered white wool to a shorter fibered wool, and every saddler has an opinion on which is best.  I personally like working with Jacob’s wool, a medium-fibered wool that is soft yet coarse enough that it doesn’t get matted down as quickly as a longer wool fiber can.

Synthetic Wool
Synthetic wool comes in a myriad of forms, from fibers that actually resemble wool to carpet fibers and even teddy bear stuffing.  The benefits of synthetic wool is that it’s relatively inexpensive and it does have some degree of breathability, but it can become hard and lumpy in short order.

Foam
Foam is most popular in the jump saddle, where the “one size fits all” rule still seems to apply.  The only benefit to foam is that it does not require reflocking.  There is no evidence that it offers any more impact absorption than wool fibers, and it does carry with it the propensity to overheat the back.

The biggest drawback to foam panels, aside from the lack of breathability, is the fact that they really can’t be altered to fit a horse should the horse change or should you change horses.  It is because of this lack of adaptability that riders are told they have to ride in special pads to fit the saddle to their horse.

Foam begins to break down over time, especially as sweat from the horse’s back penetrates through the leather.  Over time this causes the panels to become cracked and hard, and, therefore, uncomfortable for the horse.

Air
Air panels began their debut in Germany in the early 20th century, and were quickly deemed unsuitable, as they tended to deflate or burst.  Decades later, other forms of air panels have come about with greater success.  The two biggest makers of air panels are CAIR (found in Wintec and Bates saddles), and Flair (available for multiple brands of saddles).  While the CAIR panels cannot be altered, the benefits of adjustable air panels include the ability to alter them as a horse changes, and are especially helpful for an asymmetrical horse.  Properly fitted air panels can eliminate lumps, ridges, and unevenness that cause discomfort for sensitive horses.

The downside of air-filled panels is the fact that they can be a bit on the temperamental side.  Changes in temperature can cause the air panels to feel either over or under inflated, and therefore can require more maintenance.  The fact that the bladders are encased in plastic within the leather panels means that they too can trap heat onto the back.

Another worry about air panels is the likelihood of the rider to attempt to alter the panels themselves.  Only a qualified, professional saddle fitter should ever alter the panels of a saddle, be they comprised of air or wool.  To do otherwise could lead to over or under inflation.

A Word About Reflocking
Unless a slight adjustment is being made to only the very front of the saddle (and only if the manufacturer leaves a port hole), it is inadvisable to perform on-site reflocking. The reasons for this are threefold:

1. In order to get the panels evenly flocked without lumpiness, the panels must lie flat, with fine layers of flocking gently added to the various port holes. Once the flocking is added, a flocking iron is used to blend the flock together to create a smooth, soft panel.   Thiscannot be done unless the saddle is taken apart.
2. To reflock onsite, oftentimes the saddle fitter has to cut holes into the panel to create an access point.  These extra holes cause gaping, which compromise the integrity of the panel itself, and leads to lumpiness of the flocking material.  The more holes are in the panels, the less stability the panels have.
3. Fibers are not meant to mix.   Unless you know for sure what’s in the saddle, you do not want to add one type of flocking material to a saddle that is flocked with one of a different type, as the panels can become hard and lumpy.  Ideally, a saddle should be completely reflocked in this circumstance, especially if the saddle is flocked with synthetic materials.

A skilled saddle fitter can take templates of your horse’s back, along with photos, and reflock your saddle to fit your horse properly.  The saddle is taken apart and reflocked or adjusted then laced back together again.  It’s a big undertaking, but the benefits far outweigh any inconvenience that may come from having your saddle gone for a few days, as you’re far more likely to have a softer, more evenly flocked saddle that your horse is sure to appreciate.

I will add that as part of the process of taking the saddle apart, the tree is checked to make sure that it is sound and usable.  This cannot be done onsite, and I consider it to be one more good reason for having your saddle reflocked offsite.

So what should you do if you need a reflock?   Stay tuned…