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Draft Horses: Dancers in XXL Format
The Right Saddle for Your Draft Horse
Ardennes, Belgian Draft, Dutch Draft, Shire Horse, Black Forest Chestnut, Percheron, Noriker or South German Draft Horse: the ground practically shakes when these mighty horses gallop.
And yet a draft horse can be steered with your little finger and can be far more than just a pulling or logging horse – provided you know how to ride and motivate this gentle giant correctly.
Finding the right saddle for a draft horse has so far not been an easy matter, though. For a long time, the big saddle manufacturers simply didn't concern themselves with the special demands draft horses place on a riding saddle. But saddle specialist Iberosattel® now offers a saddle system perfectly tailored to draft horses.
For a long time, the big saddle manufacturers practically ignored draft horses and their special demands on riding saddles. The saddle system from Iberosattel® fills this gap. — Saddles for Draft Horses
Draft Horse Saddle Table of Contents:
Iberosattel® – Who We Are
Our family has bred Andalusians for many years – more precisely, horses of the Pura Raza Española. We developed the first Iberosattel® saddles for our own horses. The range of saddles on the German market didn't convince us at the time. We were big fans of our original Spanish saddles, but would have really liked them to be easier to re-pad and, ideally, adjustable in tree width too. So we designed and built exactly such saddles ourselves – and these special features now benefit your draft horse too.
We develop size-adjustable saddles for horses with baroque proportions and plenty of shoulder action. — Iberosattel®
What Demands Do Draft Horses Place on the Saddle?
The riding saddle for a draft horse must, of course, take into account this XXL horse's build: the wide shoulders with their massive shoulder blades, the barely pronounced withers, the flat, round and, relative to the rest of its proportions, short back, and the massive spine.
So the saddle needs:
1. a very wide tree,
2. generous shoulder freedom,
3. a very wide bearing surface, and
4. an enormously wide spinal channel.
Off-the-shelf saddles from many manufacturers simply don't exist in sizes that might fit draft horses. And most adjustable saddle systems, where the tree width can be varied by swapping the head plate for instance, aren't designed for draft-horse dimensions either.
So the saddle needs:
1. a very wide tree,
2. generous shoulder freedom,
3. a very wide bearing surface, and
4. an enormously wide spinal channel.
Off-the-shelf saddles from many manufacturers simply don't exist in sizes that might fit draft horses. And most adjustable saddle systems, where the tree width can be varied by swapping the head plate for instance, aren't designed for draft-horse dimensions either.
The saddle's tree width, spinal channel width and bearing surface must match the horse's proportions, which off-the-shelf saddles can hardly achieve. — Requirements for a Draft Horse Saddle
And the Slipping Problem...
On top of that comes the annoying issue of slipping: on a draft horse's wide, round back, the saddle often finds little grip and shifts forward or sideways while riding.
People often then try to "hold" the saddle in place with a tail strap – not necessarily an advisable solution, since a constantly tensioned tail strap places unnatural strain on the horse's dock and can easily lead to tension.
People often then try to "hold" the saddle in place with a tail strap – not necessarily an advisable solution, since a constantly tensioned tail strap places unnatural strain on the horse's dock and can easily lead to tension.
Because the withers are barely pronounced, many saddles find no grip on draft horses. — Slipping
These Are the Advantages of Iberosattel® Saddles for Draft Horses
The Iberosattel® Saddle Tree
At the heart of Iberosattel® saddles is a saddle tree specially developed for horses with baroque proportions.
That means:
That means:
- Tree widths over 40 are achievable!
There is no compromise on tree width – a saddle that is too narrow in the tree tips backward and creates painful pressure points. Iberosattel® has successfully fitted saddles with a tree width of 42. — Tree Width
- Extra-wide, flat-angled head plates for draft horses can be fitted without any trouble: this keeps the shoulder free of the rider's weight so it can work unimpeded.
- For even more shoulder freedom, there's the EWF system: here, the head plate is integrated into the saddle tree.
The pronounced shoulder action of draft horses often means the shoulder can't glide unimpeded under the saddle. Iberosattel® has the right solution. — Shoulder Freedom
- The large, widely angled bearing surface of the saddle tree is ideal for horses with a flat, wide back.
- Maximum riding comfort even at the trot is ensured by the Amazona Solution – perfect for horses that develop a lot of swing!
The Iberosattel® Comfort Pad
To go with our saddles, we've developed a special saddle padding.
The Iberosattel® Comfort Pad replaces conventional wedge panels and is characterized by the following:
The Iberosattel® Comfort Pad replaces conventional wedge panels and is characterized by the following:
- The extra-wide bearing surface matches the wide tree, distributes the rider's weight optimally over the horse's back, and improves the saddle's grip (thanks to increased friction from the enlarged bearing surface).
Conventional saddle panels are often too narrow for draft horses and create pressure points. The Comfort Pad rests across the entire width of the back muscle. — Wide Bearing Surface
- The widened spinal channel, adjustable in width thanks to the flexible suspension of the padding, ensures spinal freedom.
The saddle panels must never rest on or directly next to the spine. Iberosattel® can individually adjust the saddle's spinal channel. — Wide Spinal Channel
- The soft Comfort Pad, sewn from several layers of padding, is noticeably thinner than conventional saddle padding. We've reduced it further in the leg area. This improves contact with the horse; subtle weight and thigh aids can be communicated precisely – because a draft horse is nowhere near as thick-skinned as it looks!
- We've also built a special V-girthing with individual girthing options into our saddles, which additionally and effectively secures the saddle against slipping – ideal for a draft horse saddle!
The large, wide bearing surface and the V-girthing prevent our saddles from slipping. — Secure Grip Even on Horses With Barely Any Withers
Iberosattel® Saddles Are Genuine All-Rounders
Whether baroque or dressage saddle: thanks to their large, wide bearing surface, all Iberosattel® saddles are perfectly suited for leisure riding. Classic dressage saddles are often uncomfortable for rider and horse on longer rides and cause pressure points on the horse's back. An Iberosattel®, on the other hand, can be used without any trouble for arena work as well as a leisure and trail saddle – some of our models also prove themselves excellently as trail saddles.
Whether for leisure, for dressage, or for both: at Iberosattel®, every rider finds the right saddle.
Adjustable at Any Time: My One and Only, Forever!
If your horse grows, builds up or loses muscle, we can address these changes and make the saddle fit again: the tree width of our saddles can be regulated afterwards, and the Comfort Pad too can be individually adjusted to the horse and readjusted again and again. An Iberosattel® is therefore truly an investment for a horse's whole life.
Of Course Including a Saddle Fitting, Trial Ride and Advice
You don't simply order our saddles online – a saddle fitting and individual adjustment are fixed parts of our business model. Saddles from our Premium Line are even made for you and your horse only after a thorough measurement of the horse's back.
In Bavaria, we come to you ourselves for the saddle-fitting appointment. In other German states and neighboring countries, we work with saddlers who offer this service on our behalf.
In Bavaria, we come to you ourselves for the saddle-fitting appointment. In other German states and neighboring countries, we work with saddlers who offer this service on our behalf.
... And This Is What Our Customers Say
Mareike F.: "My horse moves well with the saddle and I sit very comfortably..."
I recently got in touch with you already. Shortly after, I promptly received the information material I wanted and a saddler recommendation. Thank you very much!
I immediately made an appointment with Mrs. Sabine Pedde and tried out 3 models. As of yesterday, I'm now the proud owner of the beautiful Sevilla Classic on my Black Forest mare.
I'm really very happy and satisfied, my horse moves well with the saddle and I sit very comfortably.
I immediately made an appointment with Mrs. Sabine Pedde and tried out 3 models. As of yesterday, I'm now the proud owner of the beautiful Sevilla Classic on my Black Forest mare.
I'm really very happy and satisfied, my horse moves well with the saddle and I sit very comfortably.
D. Schneider: "I never want another saddle again..."
The Iberosattel® team came to me with several different saddle types that I could try riding. Both my horse's choice and mine clearly fell on the Dressage Andaluz, which visually suited the size of the horse perfectly and, thanks to its deep seat, is super comfortable, basically a "sofa for a Shire."
Whether for advice and ordering, for measuring, or for the follow-up fitting check, the Ibero saddlery team has always been and continues to be friendly, with the best advice and plenty of tips.
Whether for advice and ordering, for measuring, or for the follow-up fitting check, the Ibero saddlery team has always been and continues to be friendly, with the best advice and plenty of tips.
Interested?
Would you like to arrange a saddle-fitting appointment for your draft horse? Or are you still unsure and would like some personal advice by phone? Then we look forward to hearing from you, by phone or via the contact form!
Hotline: 09179 / 964117
Soft, Wide Padding for Your Draft Horse
For wide horse backs: The wide Comfort Pad
Conventional saddle panels are often too narrow for draft horses and create painful pressure points. Our Comfort Pad rests across the entire width of the back muscle.