About Axl and the Saddle Sweet Spot Pad
Axl was a 17 year old off the track Thoroughbred. I bought him in 2017. He hadn’t been worked in years, but there was something about him that I really liked. He seemed sound, calm, and exactly what I needed after my previous horse—a powerful and very spooky boy - knocked my confidence with a back spill (is it ever not bad when you’re mature-boned?).
As I started bringing Axl into work with about four rides a week, I noticed he was developing a sore back. No matter which saddle I used—western, half breed, stock, dressage, all-purpose, or jumping. Some of these saddles were fitted by saddle fitters but there were always issues. Axl would not walk out confidently and resisted downward hills by weaving (and taking pokey little steps) and or stopping. It was if he was asking me to dismount (which I usually did).
At one point, I caused two large roaning (grey) patches to appear on his beautiful bay coat over the lumbar region (see photo). These spots were incredibly sensitive to touch and clearly painful for him.
Frustrated, I went on a mission to learn more. I read every article about skeletal structures and sore backs, boosted my WiFi, and binge-watched YouTube videos. Finally, I found the problem: Axl was short-backed, and all the saddles I’d tried were simply too long for him.
I started measuring backs on other horses and discovered that, generally horses have around 33 cm (13 inches) of weight-bearing area from behind the scapula to the last rib. Obviously ponies tend to be shorter still. The problem is the length of their backs is much shorter than most saddle panels. Saddles seem to be based on the measurement of the riders seat and not the horses back. I even measured the under panels of the smallest seat saddles to the largest seat saddle and the panels were the same length.
Designing and producing the Saddle Sweet Spot Pad was actually the easiest part of this journey. Mind you it took many years finging the correct thickness and denisity of foam that would do the job. Not too thin/not too thick and with the right compression.
So now with the Saddle Sweet Spot pad under Axl's saddle, he now walks confidently straight down hills without hesitation—no more hoping I’ll hop off! His extended walk stride is impressive as I am usually the one way out front on group rides. All his gaits are much smoother, and those greying hotspots have completely disappeared and his back is strong to any pressure test.
I hope the Saddle Sweet Spot Pad finds others who are having the same concerns and or are in the same predicament.
What I am saying about saddle length verses back length cannot be considered controversial. When you think about it, someone riding bareback will not take up more than 33 cm (13 inches) of that weight bearing space. The bareback rider's seat doesn't come anywhere near to crossing beyond the last rib and nor does the riders seat/legs impact the scapula or wither. Of course, I’m not suggesting we all ride bareback—our pointy seat bones wouldn’t be comfortable for the horse—but it made me realize how important it is to concentrate the saddle pressure within the horse’s natural weight-bearing area.
As I started bringing Axl into work with about four rides a week, I noticed he was developing a sore back. No matter which saddle I used—western, half breed, stock, dressage, all-purpose, or jumping. Some of these saddles were fitted by saddle fitters but there were always issues. Axl would not walk out confidently and resisted downward hills by weaving (and taking pokey little steps) and or stopping. It was if he was asking me to dismount (which I usually did).
At one point, I caused two large roaning (grey) patches to appear on his beautiful bay coat over the lumbar region (see photo). These spots were incredibly sensitive to touch and clearly painful for him.
Frustrated, I went on a mission to learn more. I read every article about skeletal structures and sore backs, boosted my WiFi, and binge-watched YouTube videos. Finally, I found the problem: Axl was short-backed, and all the saddles I’d tried were simply too long for him.
I started measuring backs on other horses and discovered that, generally horses have around 33 cm (13 inches) of weight-bearing area from behind the scapula to the last rib. Obviously ponies tend to be shorter still. The problem is the length of their backs is much shorter than most saddle panels. Saddles seem to be based on the measurement of the riders seat and not the horses back. I even measured the under panels of the smallest seat saddles to the largest seat saddle and the panels were the same length.
Designing and producing the Saddle Sweet Spot Pad was actually the easiest part of this journey. Mind you it took many years finging the correct thickness and denisity of foam that would do the job. Not too thin/not too thick and with the right compression.
So now with the Saddle Sweet Spot pad under Axl's saddle, he now walks confidently straight down hills without hesitation—no more hoping I’ll hop off! His extended walk stride is impressive as I am usually the one way out front on group rides. All his gaits are much smoother, and those greying hotspots have completely disappeared and his back is strong to any pressure test.
I hope the Saddle Sweet Spot Pad finds others who are having the same concerns and or are in the same predicament.
What I am saying about saddle length verses back length cannot be considered controversial. When you think about it, someone riding bareback will not take up more than 33 cm (13 inches) of that weight bearing space. The bareback rider's seat doesn't come anywhere near to crossing beyond the last rib and nor does the riders seat/legs impact the scapula or wither. Of course, I’m not suggesting we all ride bareback—our pointy seat bones wouldn’t be comfortable for the horse—but it made me realize how important it is to concentrate the saddle pressure within the horse’s natural weight-bearing area.