Why does my DP saddle move?
Did you know that one of our key features for many of the DP saddles is a special “scoop” at the back? The back of the saddle actually scoops up, which allows for full freedom of movement through the back and sacoriliac (SI) joint. The saddle will move with the horse, which is part of its unique design.
The Ultra flex tree
Made out of high quality carbon fibre, the ultra flex trees are incredibly durable whilst still flexible. They will not collapse under the rider’s weight but still allow movement with the horse. These trees are incredibly strong and reliable - having seen these in production, I truly believe these are one of the best on the market. They are so strong that a person can jump up and down on them and no damage occurs! (Although this was tried out on a tree in the workshop, I wouldn’t recommend doing this to your beautifully finished saddle!)
The channel
The panels of the saddle are attached at the front and the back only. Keeping the middle of the panels unstitched and free from the saddle allows the panels themselves to take any pressure, rather than the spine of the horse. Attaching the panels in this way allows the horse to move freely whilst eliminating the possibility of spinal injury to the horse.
In action…
As you can see in this video, the saddle is certainly flexible with the horse’s movement. The rider is not slipping, nor is the saddle slipping, but the saddle allows a nice fluid motion as the horse and rider move together. Notice the scoop at the back? This means the saddle is not sitting proud on the horse’s back like many saddles on the market; it allows for the rider’s weight to come down whilst riding, but without restricting any movement from the horse.
* In this video it shows a mechanical horse and also two different live horses in action.
So, what’s the problem?
With respect, traditional saddle fitters are not always accustomed to the Deuber & Partner range because of the features mentioned above. A common observation is this movement of the saddle at the back, but without an understanding of the design or the saddles’ mechanism. These saddles are best serviced by a Deuber & Partner representative who have been trained how to work with the saddles and know how they are best fitted to individual horses.
