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Thoroughbreds: The Right Saddle for Your Thoroughbred
As elegant and refined as Thoroughbreds look, you might think they'd be demanding, high-maintenance creatures. The exact opposite is true: these dream dancers straight out of the Arabian Nights stand out for a number of traits that make them popular as leisure horses too:
- healthy and robust,
- easy keepers, and
- riding horses with the greatest stamina.
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As Demanding as the Princess and the Pea – But Only When It Comes to the Saddle
In one respect, though, Thoroughbreds really are little princes and princesses and the pea – namely, when it comes to the saddle. With some other horses, you can get away with a saddle that presses at the back and pinches at the front. With a Thoroughbred, don't even try. Unless you happen to enjoy riding rodeo. Still, we shouldn't call this oversensitivity. A poorly fitting saddle is a health risk for any horse – we should be glad a Thoroughbred simply won't put up with one.
A Thoroughbred won't put up with a pinching, pressing saddle so easily. — The Princess and the Pea When It Comes to Saddles
Tips for Buying a Saddle for Your Thoroughbred
Finding an ideally fitting saddle for a Thoroughbred horse isn't entirely simple. That's due to the special build of Arabian-type horses: compared to typical Warmbloods, for whom most off-the-shelf saddles were designed, the breed has a rather short back – the purebred Arabian even has one whole rib fewer than other horses!
The short, relatively narrow horse back can easily become a source of saddle problems. Saddles that are too long (in other words, saddles extending past the last rib) press on the kidney area. And saddles that are correctly sized in length but don't optimally use the available bearing surface within the saddle area can cause pressure points – assuming your Thoroughbred even lets it get that far...
The short, relatively narrow horse back can easily become a source of saddle problems. Saddles that are too long (in other words, saddles extending past the last rib) press on the kidney area. And saddles that are correctly sized in length but don't optimally use the available bearing surface within the saddle area can cause pressure points – assuming your Thoroughbred even lets it get that far...
The short back of a Thoroughbred can quickly lead to saddle problems. — The Saddle Must End at the Last Rib
Pay Special Attention to the Following When Buying a Saddle for Your Horse
- Saddle length, saddle length, and once again saddle length: From the last rib onward, the saddle must no longer exert any pressure.
- Shoulder freedom: The shoulders must be free while standing and able to glide easily under the saddle in motion.
- Optimized bearing surface: A short saddle in particular must make full use of the available bearing surface within the given saddle area – a saddle that sits on panels that are too narrow and/or partially bridges the back will harm the horse with extended use.
- Contact with the horse: A sensitive Thoroughbred can be ridden wonderfully with subtle and the finest of aids – thick, stiff saddle panels that hinder the transmission of aids rob you and your horse of this possibility.
An Adjustable Saddle for Your Thoroughbred
Also important: If you've only recently acquired your Thoroughbred, you naturally want to get a well-fitting saddle as soon as possible. The thing is: you don't yet know how your horse will develop. It's not just young horses that change – a shift in training regimen and other factors can lead to noticeable physical changes even in horses that are already fully grown, changes that affect how a saddle fits.
Still: An unsatisfying stopgap saddle certainly isn't a good start for the two of you. It makes more sense to buy an individually fitted saddle that also offers various options for later readjustment: in particular an adjustable gullet width and padding that can be changed as easily as possible.
Still: An unsatisfying stopgap saddle certainly isn't a good start for the two of you. It makes more sense to buy an individually fitted saddle that also offers various options for later readjustment: in particular an adjustable gullet width and padding that can be changed as easily as possible.
Your Thoroughbred will keep changing in later years too. — The Solution: An Adjustable Saddle from Iberosattel®
A Noble Saddle for a Noble Horse: The Perfect Saddle for Your Thoroughbred
Dressage and Baroque saddles from Iberosattel® are individually fitted riding saddles made to customer specifications, crafted in high-quality saddlery standards from the finest, impeccably worked leather.
Whether dressage, trail riding, trail riding, Western or other working disciplines: we've developed a range of saddle models well suited to these purposes, which also fit Thoroughbreds and other short-backed horses excellently.
Whether dressage, trail riding, trail riding, Western or other working disciplines: we've developed a range of saddle models well suited to these purposes, which also fit Thoroughbreds and other short-backed horses excellently.
The Benefits of an Iberosattel® at a Glance
- Also suitable for very short backs: no pressure on the kidneys!
- Large bearing surface to minimize pressure load.
- Maximum shoulder freedom and a freely swinging back.
- Perfect even with a narrow shoulder and little wither: no slipping!
- Grows with your horse: you can adjust the gullet width, swap the head plate, and change the padding.
- The finest aids made possible: the thin, multi-layered Comfort Compact Pad creates the best possible contact between rider and horse.
Our Thoroughbred Riders Rave About Their Iberosattel®
Felicitas P. with Alpha Vaquero on Arabian Damis: "I'm glad I chose Iberosattel®! ..."
"For a few weeks now I've been riding my 5-year-old Arabian Damis about once a week, and he really moves beautifully with the saddle. I'm glad I chose Iberosattel®!"
Katrin R. with Dressage Andaluz on Arabian Mare Gui: "I was absolutely thrilled by our progress ..."
"I am endlessly grateful to have gotten our wonderful dressage saddle. Without it, Gui and I probably would have kept moving in that vicious circle of pain and frustration, and would never have reached the point of trust and joy we're at today. I might even have parted ways with her. Thank you so much, dear Iberosattel® team, for your part in that!"
Find Your Dream Saddle at Iberosattel®
Interested? Then take a look at our dressage- or Baroque saddles models!
Hotline: 09179 / 964117
Soft, Wide Padding for Your Saddle
For broad horse backs: The Comfort Pad for your saddle
Iberosattel's Comfort Pad widens the bearing surface of your saddle and helps ensure that the rider's weight is distributed better across your horse's entire back.
This reduces pressure by up to 50%: an important plus for your horse's health and comfort!
This reduces pressure by up to 50%: an important plus for your horse's health and comfort!
Made to Measure
All Iberosattel® saddles are made to measure for your horse. To do this, our trained staff measure the horse's back and then make a matching saddle.
Individual – the Premium Line
With the Premium Line, you can choose exactly which color, seat shape, leather and much more your saddle should have. That's because the Premium Line is only produced after you've ordered the saddle!
Individual – the Premium Line
With the Premium Line, you can choose exactly which color, seat shape, leather and much more your saddle should have. That's because the Premium Line is only produced after you've ordered the saddle!