YOUR HORSE’S BACK MUSCLES NEED TO MOVE FOR BOTH HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE (9th, December 2010)

If you still need to be convinced that supple, healthy backs facilitate soundness and performance, take a look at the short video on the Sue Carson Saddles website (www.suecarsonsaddles.co.uk) where you can watch a horse’s back from above as he walks on a water treadmill at the new Bennett Equine facility and see just how much movement there is in the back muscles.

This highlights again the importance of a well-built saddle that fits correctly and is comfortable for both horse and rider, as a stiff rider will also impact on the horse’s ability to move correctly.

A pilot study by Sue Carson Saddles has recently shown that the Flair® air-flocking system in saddle panels has a positive effect on movement and this new short video highlights how vital it is that the saddle can be – and is – adjusted to correctly fit the horse.

Poorly fitting saddles, which might be because the tree is too tight or too wide, the saddle panels are causing pressure points and need re-fitted, or because the saddle panels cannot be adjusted at all and the horse has changed shape!

Your horse’s back is the ‘centre’ of his locomotion system and if he is not comfortable under his saddle, then at best your competition performance will be compromised, but by trying to avoid discomfort, your horse could suffer an injury - which might or might not be his back!

So before the new season starts, get your saddle checked by an experienced saddle fitter and if you don’t think that’s necessary, just try wearing your friend’s shoes for a couple of hours – even if they aren’t the right size!

To find out more about Sue Carson Saddles and Flair®, contact 01629 540343 or visit www.suecarsonsaddles.co.uk

Caption for accompanying image – Margue H, Sue Carson’s grand prix dressage stallion enjoys a workout on the water treadmill at Bennett Equine.

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