Saddles with a large contact surface
A large contact surface is the core element of the OMEGA saddle concept. But what exactly is a large contact surface and how did it come about? What advantages and challenges does a large contact area bring for the fit of the saddle? And how do I find the right saddle with a large contact surface for my horse?
Our vision: Even & gentle pressure distribution on the horse's back
More than 15 years ago, driven by the vision of saddles that are gentle on the horse's back, we began developing and producing our OMEGA saddles. When designing our customised saddles for horse and rider, we pay particular attention to a wide contact surface that enables even and gentle pressure distribution on the horse's back.
This wide contact surface is combined with the widest possible spinal canal and ample shoulder freedom for unrestricted freedom of movement. This way, the horse is offered maximum comfort and optimum freedom of movement under the rider.
Origins of the large contact surface
The concept of a saddle with a large contact surface is not new. If we look at the development of different saddle types, we find a large number of saddles with a large contact surface. Saddles with a large contact surface have developed particularly in areas where riders have spent many hours on horseback. This includes all types of working saddles, for example: From the western saddle, the stock saddle, the vaquero saddle to the Camargue saddle.
However, despite their large contact surface and excellent pressure distribution, many of these traditionally manufactured working saddles would not fulfil the requirements of a well-fitting saddle from today's perspective. For this reason, we have combined the large contact surface with a modern and versatile saddle concept that can be customised and modified and can now offer you an almost unlimited variety of saddles.
What exactly is the contact surface?
When we talk about the contact surface of a saddle, we are talking about the area available to us for pressure distribution. The panels are the central element of the saddle. A large contact surface enables the rider's weight to be distributed evenly over the horse's back as comfortably as possible and without pressure peaks. However, before we take a closer look at the advantages of a large contact surface and the challenges of fitting it, we would like to define the term contact surface.
The mathematical formula for calculating the contact surface is: length x width of the saddle panels. The actual size of the contact surface is calculated from these two dimensions. The larger the individual values in this formula, the larger the contact surface. The wider or longer the saddle panels are, the larger the area available for pressure distribution. The smaller or shorter the panels are, the smaller this area becomes.
We are all familiar with this principle from carrying a bag or backpack, for example. If the shoulder straps are wide and softly padded, the weight of the backpack is evenly distributed over the shoulders and is therefore comfortable to carry. In comparison, the same weight on a backpack or handbag with narrow straps without padding would quickly lead to aching shoulders and you would want to get rid of this backpack as quickly as possible.
How do I measure the contact surface of a saddle?
How exactly do you measure the size of a saddle's contact surface? One measurement often given by many manufacturers is the length of the saddle or saddle panels. However, these cm of contact surface do not provide any information about the actual size of the contact surface, the suitability of the saddle or the actual pressure distribution. The exact size of the contact surface is difficult to generalise due to the curves and the individual shape of the saddle panels and would have to be measured in each individual case. We therefore recommend using the general rule: length x width of the saddle panels as a general guide.
What does SIGNUM look for in the contact surface?
The special feature of the large contact surface of the OMEGA customised saddles is the load-bearing contact surface! There are many saddles with visually large panels that advertise a large contact surface. But here too, you should take a second look. Not all saddles with large panels have a load-bearing contact surface that can distribute the pressure in a targeted manner.
The load-bearing support surface
Only if the saddle tree is as wide as the saddle panels (as with our OMEGA custom-made saddles) or the panels are "held in shape" by an additional pressure-distributing construction (as with our OMEGA confection saddles) can we speak of a load-bearing contact surface. If the saddle tree or the pressure-distributing construction covers and stabilises the saddle panels up to their outer edge, the panels can provide the stability required for a load-bearing contact surface.
