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A customised saddle
for a young horse?

When is the right time to buy a custom-made saddle?

When is the right time for a custom-made saddle for my horse? Many horse owners ask themselves this question when thinking about breaking in a young horse. Does it make sense to have a custom-made saddle made right at the beginning, when the horse is still going to change so much? Or should you start with a second-hand saddle or a cheaper alternative?

How can a saddle fitting be carried out on a horse that has not yet been broken in? What stage of training should my horse be at for a customised saddle to make sense? Can the saddle "grow" with my horse? How often do I need to have my customised saddle changed or adjusted on a young horse? We would like to give you some food for thought on these questions.

Breaking in young horses - a magical time

Breaking in a young horse is a magical time. Something very special in the life of a horse that is now entering the world of riding horses. As a horse owner, you want to do everything right and provide the horse with the best possible basic conditions. The horse should be at least 3 years old so that it is physically able to carry the rider. If the horse has enjoyed good rearing conditions, it should be healthy and strong at this point - if not, it is worth giving it a little more time to catch up on this development.

The groundwork has already begun - the horse has already learnt the basics through regular contact with humans, groundwork and lunging. It can be handled, groomed, led and lunged. Through ground work with a halter or cavesson, it is familiarised with many stimuli and gymnastic work supports muscle development and balance. Now is the time to introduce it to its first saddle.

Prerequisite - getting used to the saddle

To get the horse used to the feeling of a saddle on its back, we recommend a gradual approach: First, you can get the horse used to being "saddled" with a saddle blanket only. This can be attached to the horse's back with a rubber belly strap from a horse blanket when lunging, for example. This allows the horse to get used to feeling a very light but constant pressure on its back.

The next step is to "saddle" the horse with our OMEGA Innovation Pad, for example. This comes closer to the feel of the saddle and is ideal for practising girthing, mounting and dismounting and also mounting and dismounting with the horse.

Now it's time to get the horse used to the saddle itself. To ensure that the careful preparation is not ruined in one fell swoop, make sure that the saddle fits well. For this reason, we strongly advise against starting with just any old saddle that has not been fitted. Only a well-fitting saddle can offer the horse the greatest possible comfort and make riding a positive, pleasant experience for him.

Customised saddle or second-hand saddle?

Does it have to be a custom-made saddle or do you start with a second-hand saddle? The highest priority in this decision is the fit and adaptability of the saddle. When choosing the type of saddle, we generally recommend a large contact surface to distribute the pressure gently on the back. Especially with young horses that do not yet have well-developed and trained back muscles, this feature contributes significantly to the horse's well-being under the saddle.

It is advisable to involve your trusted saddler in the search for a suitable saddle at an early stage. The saddler can get an idea of the horse and its stage of development on site. The saddler can determine the horse's measurements, even if the horse has not yet been ridden routinely. If a second-hand saddle is available that can be adapted to the young horse's measurements, this is a good solution for the time being.

However, it should be noted that a second-hand saddle can always involve a compromise. As the saddle was originally built for a different horse, it may reach the limits of its customisability over time. In contrast to a second-hand saddle, the future development of the horse can already be estimated and planned for when making a new customised saddle. This allows the greatest possible scope for customisation throughout the horse's life.

Custom-made saddle concept for young horses

What requirements should a custom-made saddle for a young horse meet? It makes perfect sense to have a custom-made saddle made for a young horse right from the start. This ensures that the horse is given the best conditions for an optimal start to life as a riding horse. But what must this saddle be able to do? The adaptability of the saddle to changes in the horse is the top priority!

Our saddle concept is built on this basic idea. Over time, only the leather cover of the saddle will remain the same. All elements of the saddle fit, which are made to measure for the horse at the beginning, can be changed or even completely replaced. The saddle tree is built according to the anatomy and curve of the horse's back. The padding underneath is made according to the rider's weight, the sensitivity of the horse and its needs. An adjustable gullet plate and an adjustable rib cage adjust the angles of the panels at the front and rear of the saddle independently of each other. If the horse changes in the course of its development, all these parameters can be changed with it bit by bit or even replaced completely.

Summary: Special features

Summary of the most important features of a custom-made saddle for a young horse: