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Hanoverian: The Right Saddle for Your Horse
Powerful and elegant, smart and obedient – and wow, those gaits: when it comes to the Hanoverian, the superlatives just keep coming. Whether in the dressage arena or on the show jumping course, this dream of a horse has practically got sporting success on subscription. Hanoverians also make wonderful leisure horses, often going through thick and thin with their owners quite literally: these usually bay riding horses with a large build have a huge appetite for movement and activity and are correspondingly enthusiastic whenever it's time to head to the arena, out on the trail, for a walk, for a swim, or anywhere else – as long as something is happening.
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... and quite a few reasons why it might just be an Iberosattel®
Anyone travelling so much and so variedly needs a saddle that can keep up with everything. And a horse that's this obedient and well-behaved usually doesn't show it very clearly when something's wrong with the saddle: riders of a Hanoverian therefore carry a particular responsibility to make sure their horse doesn't suffer under an ill-fitting saddle.
Hanoverians are often quite large and not always easy to saddle satisfactorily with off-the-shelf products … let alone ideally. Every horse is an individual – and an individually adjusted saddle is the best way to do it justice.
Hanoverians need saddles that are just as versatile as these sporty horses. Flawless fit should be a given, and is best ensured by an individually adjusted saddle. — Saddles for Hanoverians
Iberosattel® – Leisure Saddles for All Kinds of Riders
May we introduce ourselves? We are a family-run saddlery based in Freystadt, Bavaria. Our name says it all: at the start of our journey stood the wish for saddles that are similarly comfortable, similarly versatile and similarly horse-friendly as classic Spanish saddles … but then a little more modern after all.
We are all horse enthusiasts and passionate riders with a special bond to horses of the Pura Raza Española (PRE). Our company headquarters is also the address of our stud, where we have the incredible privilege of watching new generations of these Iberian beauties grow up. It was also this sense of responsibility towards our own horses that originally led us to think about developing our own saddle. Our Andalusians have a baroque build, meaning rather short and wide – and therefore not exactly the ideal customers for conventional off-the-shelf saddles, which tend to be geared towards the narrow, "rectangular" sport horse type.
We are all horse enthusiasts and passionate riders with a special bond to horses of the Pura Raza Española (PRE). Our company headquarters is also the address of our stud, where we have the incredible privilege of watching new generations of these Iberian beauties grow up. It was also this sense of responsibility towards our own horses that originally led us to think about developing our own saddle. Our Andalusians have a baroque build, meaning rather short and wide – and therefore not exactly the ideal customers for conventional off-the-shelf saddles, which tend to be geared towards the narrow, "rectangular" sport horse type.
The First Iberosattel® Was Introduced 25 Years Ago
Even the first Ibero, introduced in 1999, already had it: the wide bearing surface and the tree width adjustable over a broad range, thanks to which horses with wide shoulders and an unusual saddle area can be saddled excellently too. Starting from there, we gradually expanded our range into what is now a rather sizeable collection of saddle models.
Saddles for Hanoverians and All Baroque Horse Breeds
Saddles from Iberosattel® are today as versatile as modern leisure riding, and we saddle the entire baroque-type spectrum from pony to the mighty draft horse. Depending on where you set your priorities in working with your Hanoverian, different models might interest you:
- Pure dressage saddles
- Dressage saddles that can also handle the occasional jump or trail ride
- Endurance and trail saddles that are also suited for dressage
- Working and classic baroque saddles
Every Iberosattel® is individually adjusted to horse and rider – and thanks to adjustable tree width, effortlessly keeps up with changes in your horse's musculature at any time.
Wide bearing surface, adjustable tree width, versatile use: Iberosattel® develops saddles for baroque-type horses (and for modern leisure riders). — Iberosattel®
What to Look for When Buying a Saddle for Hanoverian Horses
As a traditional German breed with origins in the 16th century, Hanoverians lean towards the baroque type. Crossbreeding with Thoroughbreds and Trakehners softened the originally very stocky appearance somewhat – but the Hanoverian still isn't exactly a slim "towel". The short, strong back and the sloping, distinctly muscular shoulders place particular demands on the saddle.
- The saddle must not be too long: it needs to end behind the last rib, so nerves and organs in the loin area stay free of saddle pressure.
- Riding without pressure points: as wide a bearing surface as possible makes the most of the rather short area available in the saddle region. This reduces saddle pressure and protects the horse's back, especially on longer rides.
- The saddle must offer sufficient shoulder freedom: only then can even a muscular shoulder glide unimpeded under the saddle during movement.
- Enough wither freedom is important to properly accommodate the Hanoverian's pronounced withers.
- A correctly dimensioned spinal channel between the saddle panels keeps the spine and the nuchal ligament free from pressure – even in tight bends.
Not too long, wide bearing surface, sufficient shoulder, wither and spinal freedom. — Important Points When Buying a Saddle for Hanoverians
How an Iberosattel® Meets the Needs of Hanoverian Horses
Because the tree width and padding of our saddles are individually adjusted, we can create the conditions for an ideal saddle fit across a broad spectrum of horse types.
Other points important to the saddle requirements of Hanoverians include:
Other points important to the saddle requirements of Hanoverians include:
- Iberosattel® saddles are designed for Hanoverian horses with a rather shorter back. This applies both to the off-the-shelf models of our Classic Line and to the individually made Premium models.
- The Iberosattel® Comfort Pad is our own specially developed, extra-wide saddle padding with up to double the bearing surface. In most of our models it replaces the conventional narrow wedge panels. The Comfort Pad is perfect for horses with a wide back, making optimal use of the area available in the saddle region. The result: reduced saddle pressure even with a rather short saddle area – the horse's back is spared.
- An Iberosattel® offers sufficient shoulder freedom for your horse even with a muscular shoulder: this is ensured both by the individually adjusted tree width and by the soft, thin Comfort Pad.
- Our EWF saddle tree (EWF stands for Extra Wither Freedom) with a completely internal head plate offers exactly that: extra wither freedom for all horses with pronounced withers.
- The Comfort Pad allows the width of the spinal channel to be individually adjusted with ease – so our saddles always offer the ideal amount of spinal freedom.
The Comfort Pad, our freely suspended, individually adjusted padding, provides a large bearing surface, shoulder freedom and spinal freedom. — Iberosattel® for Hanoverians
Saddles for the Best Communication Between Rider and Horse
Furthermore: a fine, intelligent riding horse like the Hanoverian should of course also be ridden as finely as possible. Our saddles – and here especially the properties of the Comfort Pad – support communication between rider and horse, and in particular the transmission of subtle aids, through the following advantages:
- The Comfort Pad is significantly thinner and softer than conventional saddle panels. This means you sit much closer to the horse, instead of perching on a heavily stuffed mound of padding.
- Weight aids take effect precisely.
- In the leg area, we've reduced the padding of the Comfort Pad slightly, to give your leg aids more emphasis.
The Comfort Pad also ensures the optimal transmission of subtle aids. — Best Contact With the Horse
Iberosattel® Saddles Are Individually Adjusted to Your Hanoverian
The advantages of our saddles just described only really come into their own if the saddle actually fits your Hanoverian. What use is a large bearing surface if the saddle rocks or bridges and therefore partly hangs in the air? What's gained by theoretical extra wither freedom if the saddle channel is angled too flat and still presses on the spine?
That's why individual adjustment is the heart of the Iberosattel® philosophy. Saddles from our Premium Line are only made specifically for you after a complete measurement of your horse. And the off-the-shelf models of our Classic Line also offer extensive adjustment options. This ensures a flawless fit for both horse and rider.
What does that mean for buying a saddle? You don't buy our saddles with a click online or in a shop – always in person. To do so, you arrange a saddle-fitting appointment at your location with us (in Bavaria) or with one of our partner saddlers (across Germany and in some neighboring countries too).
That's why individual adjustment is the heart of the Iberosattel® philosophy. Saddles from our Premium Line are only made specifically for you after a complete measurement of your horse. And the off-the-shelf models of our Classic Line also offer extensive adjustment options. This ensures a flawless fit for both horse and rider.
What does that mean for buying a saddle? You don't buy our saddles with a click online or in a shop – always in person. To do so, you arrange a saddle-fitting appointment at your location with us (in Bavaria) or with one of our partner saddlers (across Germany and in some neighboring countries too).
Buying an Iberosattel® begins with the saddle-fitting appointment, where we measure your horse. — Individual Adjustment
Your Hanoverian Changes: Your Iberosattel® Adapts
Horses change – not only during their growth phase, but often later in life too. Sporty athletes like the Hanoverian in particular often build up considerable muscle through training. So that you don't end up riding in an ill-fitting saddle – or have to keep buying new ones – a saddle that's adjustable in tree width is recommended.
Just like an Iberosattel. On all our saddles, the shoulder width and angle of the saddle tree can be regulated via an adjustable head plate. We can also easily make changes to the saddle padding. This means your Ibero fits, quite literally, a horse's whole life. And the quality of the materials used, together with careful workmanship, ensures it really does last that long. (Quality and adjustability, incidentally, also make Iberosattel® saddles a genuinely worthwhile second-hand bargain …)
Just like an Iberosattel. On all our saddles, the shoulder width and angle of the saddle tree can be regulated via an adjustable head plate. We can also easily make changes to the saddle padding. This means your Ibero fits, quite literally, a horse's whole life. And the quality of the materials used, together with careful workmanship, ensures it really does last that long. (Quality and adjustability, incidentally, also make Iberosattel® saddles a genuinely worthwhile second-hand bargain …)
Horses change over the course of their lives. That’s why every Iberosattel® is adjustable. — Adjustable Tree Width
What Other Advantages an Iberosattel® Offers
Our handcrafted saddles offer clever solutions for everyday saddle problems.
- SECUSAD marking: your saddle can always and everywhere be clearly identified.
- Amazona Solution (and the further developed Amazona Solution 2.0): prevents saddle sores in the area of the pubic bone (and the seat bone).
- Individual choice of knee blocks or Velcro blocks: for different riders' needs.
- Lightweight thanks to a synthetic tree: our lightest models weigh in at just 6 kilos. That makes the work easier for your horse – and the walk to and from the tack room easier for you.
What Our Customers Say
Horses of all sorts of breeds, young horses, fully grown horses, horses with a problematic riding and saddle history: we always do our best to make our customers happy.
Anja-Susann with the Dressage Andaluz on a Young Horse
"I've been riding independently on this fantastic saddle for 3 weeks, and it's more comfortable than any other saddle before. It also gives you the support you need when the horse gets startled and makes an abrupt, unplanned change of direction."
Astrid with the Ibero Escuela
"In no other saddle have I ever been able to feel the three-dimensional movement of the horse's back so immediately, finely and precisely before."
Nicole with the Ibero Amazona Comfort
"During dressage work, in the arena and even after a three-hour trail ride, it's super comfortable and just wonderful to sit in. I'm overjoyed to have made this decision. I'd like to thank you again for the friendly and competent advice."
Katrin S. with the Dressage Andaluz
"The back muscles are loose and supple, the withers are no longer blocked. The defensive reactions during saddling have also disappeared, and the change while riding is really enormous."
Buying a Saddle from Iberosattel®
Whether you're saddling a young horse for the very first time or looking for a new saddle for a horse with saddle problems – we know that buying a saddle is always a big and important matter. That's why we take plenty of time for you during the saddle-fitting appointment.
We're happy to show and explain the special features of our saddles and answer all the questions you're sure to have. And then … it's time to try them out! Test several saddle models extensively & directly on your Hanoverian. Try different seat sizes or knee blocks, get a feel for special features like our EWF saddle tree or the Amazona Solution, and get expert feedback from us!
We're happy to show and explain the special features of our saddles and answer all the questions you're sure to have. And then … it's time to try them out! Test several saddle models extensively & directly on your Hanoverian. Try different seat sizes or knee blocks, get a feel for special features like our EWF saddle tree or the Amazona Solution, and get expert feedback from us!
Every Horse Is Carefully Measured
Once you've decided on a saddle model, we measure your horse. For saddles from our Premium Line, this is also the moment to decide on
for your personal saddle – we carry many material samples in our saddle truck. Depending on whether you choose a saddle from stock or a custom-made one, you should expect a certain waiting time after the saddle-fitting appointment. Once we've adjusted or made your saddle, we deliver it directly to you – and check once more that everything fits and is correct.
We also remain your point of contact afterwards. Get in touch if your saddle needs to be re-adjusted or re-padded – or if you have other saddle concerns.
Would you like to know what an Iberosattel® costs? Here you can download our
- Leather
- Colors
- optional decorations
for your personal saddle – we carry many material samples in our saddle truck. Depending on whether you choose a saddle from stock or a custom-made one, you should expect a certain waiting time after the saddle-fitting appointment. Once we've adjusted or made your saddle, we deliver it directly to you – and check once more that everything fits and is correct.
We also remain your point of contact afterwards. Get in touch if your saddle needs to be re-adjusted or re-padded – or if you have other saddle concerns.
Would you like to know what an Iberosattel® costs? Here you can download our
Do you still have questions? Or would you simply like to arrange a saddle-fitting appointment for your Hanoverian right away? Feel free to get in touch with us!
Hotline: 09179 / 964117
Wide Comfort Pad
For wide horse backs: The wide Comfort Pad
More information on the
short, wide Comfort Pad >>
short, wide Comfort Pad >>
We Individually Adjust the Spinal Channel to Your Horse!
For your horse's comfort: measuring for a sufficiently wide spinal channel
To give your horse sufficient freedom of movement and reduce pressure on the spine, the saddle's panel channel must be individually adjusted for each animal.
At Iberosattel®, we take this adjustment seriously and arrange a saddle-fitting appointment with you and your horse.
At Iberosattel®, we take this adjustment seriously and arrange a saddle-fitting appointment with you and your horse.