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The Right Saddle for Endurance Riders
Fit and Comfort on Long Distances
Riding 40, 80 or even 160 kilometres at speed in a single day – there can be no saddle compromises for rider or horse here. Every discomfort, every design flaw, every tiny flaw in fit takes its unforgiving revenge in endurance riding – doubly and triply, kilometre after kilometre.
For you and your horse to get through every endurance ride unscathed and without losing your enjoyment of the sport, the saddle you use for these rides has to fit truly flawlessly. And if that's the case, there's of course nothing wrong with using your endurance saddle as an everyday saddle too. In other words: you don't necessarily need to buy several saddles – better to invest in one really good one!
What matters with an endurance saddle and what you need to look out for when buying one: find out on this page!
For you and your horse to get through every endurance ride unscathed and without losing your enjoyment of the sport, the saddle you use for these rides has to fit truly flawlessly. And if that's the case, there's of course nothing wrong with using your endurance saddle as an everyday saddle too. In other words: you don't necessarily need to buy several saddles – better to invest in one really good one!
What matters with an endurance saddle and what you need to look out for when buying one: find out on this page!
Endurance Saddle - Table of Contents
Requirements for an Endurance Riding Saddle
Let's put it this way: of course, the shape and fit of the saddle aren't unimportant in dressage riding either. But: after a dressage lesson in an unsuitable saddle, you and your horse might be a bit tense – but after a few hours the discomfort is usually forgotten. After a many-hour-long endurance ride in such a saddle, you're sore and completely worn out – and your horse may be seriously injured. Or you're both (and that's probably the best outcome) forced to retire early...
Endurance riding places the very highest demands on the saddle:
Fast trail rides are often recommended jumping saddles or eventing saddles, since the cut of their flaps favours riding in the light seat. However: as endurance saddles, these too are not ideal, since they generally don't offer much bearing surface, often neglect the necessary shoulder and spinal freedom, and aren't comfortable enough for the rider either.
Endurance riding places the very highest demands on the saddle:
- The saddle should distribute the rider's weight over as large an area as possible on the horse's back, to avoid pressure points.
- At the same time, the bearing surface must not be too long, as that would hinder the horse's back movement at faster gaits.
- The saddle must not constrict the horse's shoulder.
- The saddle also has to be uncompromisingly comfortable for the rider.
- It must allow changes in seat position and leg position, and in particular enable the light seat.
- And: it must offer safety on the trail.
Fast trail rides are often recommended jumping saddles or eventing saddles, since the cut of their flaps favours riding in the light seat. However: as endurance saddles, these too are not ideal, since they generally don't offer much bearing surface, often neglect the necessary shoulder and spinal freedom, and aren't comfortable enough for the rider either.
Perfect fit, large bearing surface, comfortable for the rider. — The Ideal Endurance Saddle
Why a Large Bearing Surface Is So Important for an Endurance Saddle
What matters for the effect of the rider's weight on the horse's back isn't the weight alone, but the pressure transmitted through the saddle – that is, load per area. Saddle pressure, not rider weight, is the decisive factor for the strain on the horse's back. Of course, for a given bearing surface, a heavier rider naturally means more pressure. But: for a given rider weight, a larger saddle bearing surface reduces the pressure.
So a saddle with as large a bearing surface as possible minimises saddle pressure. The ideal endurance saddle makes full use of the length and width available in the saddle area – for example, through especially large-area saddle padding. At the same time, it's naturally important that the lumbar region, shoulders and a sufficiently wide channel around the spine remain free of saddle pressure: the saddle should therefore be as long and wide as possible, but as short as necessary.
So a saddle with as large a bearing surface as possible minimises saddle pressure. The ideal endurance saddle makes full use of the length and width available in the saddle area – for example, through especially large-area saddle padding. At the same time, it's naturally important that the lumbar region, shoulders and a sufficiently wide channel around the spine remain free of saddle pressure: the saddle should therefore be as long and wide as possible, but as short as necessary.
As long and wide as possible, as short as necessary. — Bearing Surface of the Endurance Saddle
How Iberosattel® Creates a Large Bearing Surface
A good solution to this problem is offered by the Iberosattel® Comfort Pad. Unlike conventional wedge or banana panels, this saddle padding uses the full width of the saddle area and can thereby nearly double the bearing surface in many cases. If the requirements for lumbar and shoulder freedom force a particularly short saddle, the compact short version of the Comfort Pad still creates a maximised bearing surface.
Another advantage of the Comfort Pad: the yielding, multi-layer padding absorbs impacts noticeably better than tightly stuffed saddle panels.
Another advantage of the Comfort Pad: the yielding, multi-layer padding absorbs impacts noticeably better than tightly stuffed saddle panels.
The Iberosattel® Comfort Pad achieves a maximum, softly padded bearing surface. — Ideal Pressure Distribution
Endurance Saddles Must Fit Without Compromise
A large bearing surface on the saddle ensures that your horse doesn't develop pressure points even on long rides – provided the saddle fits!
Load can only be transferred to the horse's back where the saddle actually makes contact. If that's only the case at a few points, even the largest (theoretical) bearing surface doesn't help – the effective bearing surface is small, and the saddle will press.
For the saddle to sit with as much of its surface in contact as possible, the three-dimensional contour of the underside of the saddle must follow the curved shape of the horse's back as precisely as possible along its entire length.
Bearing surface is wasted in the following cases:
With fit errors in the saddle, the respective contact points are the "weak points" where pressure sores and muscle atrophy can develop.
Load can only be transferred to the horse's back where the saddle actually makes contact. If that's only the case at a few points, even the largest (theoretical) bearing surface doesn't help – the effective bearing surface is small, and the saddle will press.
For the saddle to sit with as much of its surface in contact as possible, the three-dimensional contour of the underside of the saddle must follow the curved shape of the horse's back as precisely as possible along its entire length.
Bearing surface is wasted in the following cases:
- The saddle is wider or narrower angled than the horse's back and wedges into the back – for adjustable saddles, the gullet width and angle is adapted by regulating the head plate.
- The saddle has less curve lengthwise than the horse's back and bridges.
- The saddle has more curve lengthwise than the horse's back and rocks. Whether bridging or rocking: the saddle tree must correctly reflect the curve of the horse's back.
With fit errors in the saddle, the respective contact points are the "weak points" where pressure sores and muscle atrophy can develop.
The saddle's gullet width and curve must match the horse's back. — Fit of the Endurance Saddle
How Iberosattel® Ensures an Uncompromising Fit
Our saddles are always individually fitted to your horse: every Iberosattel® has an adjustable head plate, which allows the saddle's gullet width to be precisely set and repeatedly re-adjusted – not just at the initial fitting, but later too.
The saddles in our Premium Line are made to measure for you and your horse after measuring the horse's back. As well as the gullet width, this also allows the dimensions of the padding and the curve of the saddle tree to be individually adjusted.
The saddles in our Premium Line are made to measure for you and your horse after measuring the horse's back. As well as the gullet width, this also allows the dimensions of the padding and the curve of the saddle tree to be individually adjusted.
Every Iberosattel® is individually fitted. — Uncompromising Fit
Important for an Endurance Saddle: Spinal, Shoulder and Wither Freedom
The final verdict on how well a saddle fits can only be given by a test in motion: can the shoulder glide under the saddle without resistance? Does the wither have enough room under the saddle even when the rider sits down heavily? And do the spinous processes of the spine not knock against the saddle during a bend?
Impacts between the shoulder or spine and the saddle tree are painful for the horse, impair motivation – and can lead to sore spots on long rides.
Impacts between the shoulder or spine and the saddle tree are painful for the horse, impair motivation – and can lead to sore spots on long rides.
- Spinal freedom is ensured by a sufficiently wide, sufficiently high central recess in the saddle padding, known as the spinal channel.
- Wither freedom means there should be about two to three fingers' width of space between the pommel and the withers, as well as to the sides between the withers and the saddle panels. Gullet width and the attachment points of the saddle panels both play a role here.
- Shoulder freedom is achieved when the cut of the saddle tree and padding allow the shoulder to glide underneath without rigid resistance.
So that the saddle doesn't restrict movement. — Shoulder, Wither and Spinal Freedom
How an Iberosattel® Improves Spinal, Shoulder and Wither Freedom
The Iberosattel® Comfort Pad can be flexibly fitted under the saddle. This allows us to ensure a sufficient width of the spinal channel and guarantee lateral wither freedom. Additional wither and shoulder freedom is offered by our EWF saddle tree with integrated head plate.
The EWF saddle tree from Iberosattel. — More Wither and Shoulder Freedom
A Comfortable Seat with Room and Leg Freedom
Sitting in the saddle all day – that can be hard work too. Spare your seat, and treat yourself to a soft saddle!
Over the course of an endurance ride, you'll mostly trot, but also ride walk or canter for short periods. This involves adopting different seat positions. A seat that doesn't fix you too rigidly is therefore sensible – in other words, a flat or semi-flat seat. It can also be a good idea to choose a seat size half an inch larger for your endurance saddle than your preferred size for a dressage saddle.
Also important: in an endurance saddle you need leg freedom – among other things, to be able to move well into the light seat. A wide saddle flap is best suited for this; knee rolls could get in the way.
Flat or semi-flat seat, 17 or 17½ inches, knee rolls – ultimately you have to try out what feels most comfortable for you and what works best for you.
Over the course of an endurance ride, you'll mostly trot, but also ride walk or canter for short periods. This involves adopting different seat positions. A seat that doesn't fix you too rigidly is therefore sensible – in other words, a flat or semi-flat seat. It can also be a good idea to choose a seat size half an inch larger for your endurance saddle than your preferred size for a dressage saddle.
Also important: in an endurance saddle you need leg freedom – among other things, to be able to move well into the light seat. A wide saddle flap is best suited for this; knee rolls could get in the way.
Flat or semi-flat seat, 17 or 17½ inches, knee rolls – ultimately you have to try out what feels most comfortable for you and what works best for you.
In an endurance saddle, you need a bit more room than in a dressage saddle. — Flat or Semi-Flat Seat
How an Iberosattel® Supports Your Riding Seat
Flat, semi-flat or deep – with the saddles in our Premium Line, the seat shape is freely selectable. You can choose the knee rolls for your saddle from a wide range of different shapes. Velcro knee rolls are an option too.
Seat shape and knee rolls freely selectable. — Iberosattel® Made-to-Measure
The Topic of Saddle Sores
Most women know the problem: on long rides, painful pressure sores and chafing develop when the pubic bone repeatedly knocks against the pommel. On endurance rides, this is of course especially disastrous.
How an Iberosattel® Prevents Saddle Sores
Every Iberosattel® comes standard with our Amazona solution: a foam-filled, leather-covered cut-out in the saddle tree effectively protects the pubic area from saddle sores.
But we didn't stop there. Even more comfort is offered by our Amazona solution 2.0: here, further padded recesses also provide protection around the seat bones.
But we didn't stop there. Even more comfort is offered by our Amazona solution 2.0: here, further padded recesses also provide protection around the seat bones.
No more saddle sores. — The Iberosattel® Amazona Solution
Safety on the Trail
Endurance riding often means riding fast over rough terrain. A bit of extra grip in the saddle is highly welcome here. Endurance saddles therefore quite often have an arched raise or even a kind of "handle" in the pommel area. You'll find similar support in a baroque saddle, whose front and rear cantle rails securely frame the rider.
Here's the link to the Iberosattel® Baroque Saddles >>>
Here's the link to the Iberosattel® Baroque Saddles >>>
Which Iberosattel® Models Are Especially Suitable for Endurance Rides?
The El Primero
With its weight of just 6.5 kilos, its semi-flat seat with Amazona solution and the original, extra-wide Comfort Pad, our El Primero is very well suited as an endurance saddle. For extra shoulder and wither freedom, this lightweight saddle can optionally also be fitted with the EWF saddle tree.
Especially short horses can travel back-healthily thanks to the Comfort Compact Pad, which can be shortened down to 44 centimetres. Even then, we can still realise seat sizes up to 19 inches on this saddle!
The saddle tree and padding are individually made for every El Primero according to your horse's measurements – so a perfect fit is guaranteed. And of course, thanks to its adjustable gullet width and flexible padding, our trail and endurance riding saddle also easily accommodates changes in your horse's build.
Here's the link to the El Primero product page
Especially short horses can travel back-healthily thanks to the Comfort Compact Pad, which can be shortened down to 44 centimetres. Even then, we can still realise seat sizes up to 19 inches on this saddle!
The saddle tree and padding are individually made for every El Primero according to your horse's measurements – so a perfect fit is guaranteed. And of course, thanks to its adjustable gullet width and flexible padding, our trail and endurance riding saddle also easily accommodates changes in your horse's build.
Here's the link to the El Primero product page
Experience Report from Uschi A. on the El Primero
I've already ridden several trips with my El Primero and everything has worked out great – it's also very comfortable for me to sit in.
I also enjoy training in the arena with my El Primero.
Three months after I bought the saddle, the fit had to be reworked once more, as my horse's muscling had changed. Once the work was done, Ibero personally delivered my saddle to my front door – I was really pleased about that.
I also enjoy training in the arena with my El Primero.
Three months after I bought the saddle, the fit had to be reworked once more, as my horse's muscling had changed. Once the work was done, Ibero personally delivered my saddle to my front door – I was really pleased about that.
The Ibero Amazona Comfort / Ibero Classic Plus
Our Ibero model offers safety on the trail thanks to prominent front and rear cantle rails. The clever part: the rear rail can be easily removed. So you're not "pinned in" either – you have the support when you need it, but can also do without it at any time, for example during dressage work.
Thanks to the slightly forward-cut flap with small knee rolls, the especially soft-sitting Ibero also offers plenty of leg freedom. Naturally, it comes with Comfort Pad, Amazona solution and adjustable gullet width.
The Ibero is available in the Premium variant with all the advantages that individual made-to-measure production offers, and in the Classic variant – the more affordable, off-the-shelf version with equally wide panels and extensive fitting options.
Ibero Amazona Comfort – product page >>
Ibero Classic Plus – product page >>
Thanks to the slightly forward-cut flap with small knee rolls, the especially soft-sitting Ibero also offers plenty of leg freedom. Naturally, it comes with Comfort Pad, Amazona solution and adjustable gullet width.
The Ibero is available in the Premium variant with all the advantages that individual made-to-measure production offers, and in the Classic variant – the more affordable, off-the-shelf version with equally wide panels and extensive fitting options.
Ibero Amazona Comfort – product page >>
Ibero Classic Plus – product page >>
Experience Report from Carina N. with Ibero Amazona Comfort on a Friesian
The service, quality and the concept of wide bearing surfaces absolutely convinced me. My Friesian moves noticeably more freely and relaxed with this saddle. I myself feel like I'm sitting closer to the horse, the small knee rolls give me enough leg freedom, and the cantle rails still make me feel securely framed.
The Ibero Barock
Comfortable seat, supportive cantle rails and plenty of leg freedom, rings for saddle bags – this saddle has everything a rider needs on a trail or endurance ride. And at a relatively affordable price.
The baroque saddle from our Classic Line has an adjustable gullet width and plenty of spinal freedom. With a saddle length of just 48 centimetres, it's ideally suited to short horses.
Here's the link to the Ibero Barock product page
The baroque saddle from our Classic Line has an adjustable gullet width and plenty of spinal freedom. With a saddle length of just 48 centimetres, it's ideally suited to short horses.
Here's the link to the Ibero Barock product page
Experience Report from Diana S. with Ibero Barock on a Quarter Horse:
"Soft" – that was my first thought. Without knee rolls, I could move my leg just as freely as I was used to in a Western saddle. Since it was urgent and I (and my horse ...) fortunately chose an in-stock model, Mrs Thoma made it possible for me to hold my new saddle, padded for my horse, in my hands less than two weeks after placing the order.
Also Important: Does an Endurance Saddle Need a Saddle Pad?
Saddle pads and saddle cloths serve a whole range of functions: they can provide extra padding for the saddle, compensate for small fit imperfections, absorb sweat and help regulate the temperature under the saddle. No question: all of this can certainly be needed on an endurance ride. Accordingly, virtually all endurance riders ride with some kind of saddle pad – and sometimes even with several.
But: whether felt, gel or high-tech functional foam – no saddle pad can make a grossly ill-fitting saddle fit!
But: whether felt, gel or high-tech functional foam – no saddle pad can make a grossly ill-fitting saddle fit!
A saddle pad makes sense with an endurance saddle, but it doesn't replace careful saddle fitting. — Saddle Pad for the Endurance Saddle
In addition, every saddle pad adds thickness under the saddle. This effectively makes the saddle narrower and less stable, pinching and chafing become more likely, and wither and spinal freedom can potentially be restricted too. If you use a pad permanently, it absolutely must be taken into account when fitting the saddle. For occasional pad use, the rule is: don't overdo it! The pad cannot replace the necessary re-fitting of the saddle.
Felt: The Ideal Saddle Pad for Endurance Rides
The ideal pad for a well-fitting endurance saddle is probably a felt saddle pad: if any material can keep the saddle area reasonably dry under the conditions of an endurance ride, it's sheep's wool felt. The natural material also has a climate-regulating effect: depending on the outside temperature, the air trapped between the felt fibres can retain body heat or evaporative cooling.
Felt saddle pads absorb shocks and equalise pressure without adding too much bulk under the saddle. They don't form creases and adapt increasingly well to the horse's body over time. And: felt saddle pads come in many colours – including unusual ones. Unlike a purely functional pad, a felt saddle pad can therefore certainly look good too!
Here's the link to the felt saddle pads in the Iberosattel® Shop >>>
Felt saddle pads absorb shocks and equalise pressure without adding too much bulk under the saddle. They don't form creases and adapt increasingly well to the horse's body over time. And: felt saddle pads come in many colours – including unusual ones. Unlike a purely functional pad, a felt saddle pad can therefore certainly look good too!
Here's the link to the felt saddle pads in the Iberosattel® Shop >>>
A Word on Stirrups
The stirrups matter too: long distances in the light seat can be managed better with stirrups that have a wide, padded tread. When it comes to stirrup leathers, many endurance riders make an unorthodox choice: they use Western fenders.
The extra-wide stirrup mounts keep the leg nice and still against the saddle. And: unlike with conventional narrow stirrup leathers, chafing on the inside of the thighs or knees can't occur here.
Western fenders suitable for use with an endurance saddle, in various colours and leather types including stirrups, can be found in our shop.
The extra-wide stirrup mounts keep the leg nice and still against the saddle. And: unlike with conventional narrow stirrup leathers, chafing on the inside of the thighs or knees can't occur here.
Western fenders suitable for use with an endurance saddle, in various colours and leather types including stirrups, can be found in our shop.
Get in Touch
Would you like to arrange a saddle appointment? Or would you like to know more about our saddles? Then we look forward to hearing from you!