SADDLES
The movement of the soft-gaited horse and the ride given by the Australian stock saddle is a partnership that works.
My joyful association with soft gaited horses has endured for more than forty years. I have used many different saddles. Once I discovered the Aussie saddles twenty years ago, I knew I would never use anything else.
Many of the breeds require specific saddlery in the show ring. Unfortunately, in the show ring, tradition has taken the place of common sense. On the trail we can put the horse's well-being first, and here, the Australian stock saddle is brilliant.
The relationship between the Aussie saddle and the soft-gaited horse is no accident. The stock saddle is designed for the way the Australians ride. Although there are few soft-gaited horses in the Outback, the needs of working cattle require two major gaits from the stock horse. ...the walk, and the gallop. Stockmen walk tracking cattle, and when they catch up with them they gallop to turn the mob, and thus contain them. As they say in the bush: "Somebody trotting someplace hasn't made up his mind whether he wants to get there sooner or later."
This high priority on a good walk is not only reflected in the design of the Australian stock saddle, but a fast walk on a horse will fetch a higher price than a fast gallop. So those of us who enjoy our soft-gaited horses can benefit from a saddle designed by countless "down-under" stockmen for over 200 years.
The Australian stock saddle is, in fact, the only saddle that was ever designed for the primary purpose of keeping a rider seated, safe and comfortable. Western saddles were designed for roping, English saddles for jumping, dressage saddles for dressage, race saddles for racing and so on. Thus the Australian saddle is unique to the trail, evolving to fit perfectly.
To enjoy trail riding, it is important to have true athletic equipment. There are great demands made on the musculature of a soft-gaited horse. Imagine, for every two footfalls of a trotting horse, the soft-gaited breeds step four times. There is a lot going on under that saddle, and it is critical that the saddle doesn't interfere with the action of the horse.
First of all, the skeleton of a horse is designed to protect and support its internal organs. The vertebrae is connected to the skeleton on only two places. The vertebrae is not designed to support weight from above but the thoracic vertebrae, which is over the rib cage, is best equipped to carry a saddle and rider.
Since the back of a gaited horse is characteristically short, the Australian stock saddle is a beautiful accommodation. It tucks into the natural pocket just behind the wither and the configuration of tree and padding displaces the rider's weight evenly. It creates an air channel over the spine.
The seat design places the rider closer to the front; to the horse's center of gravity and off the kidneys. It sets the rider down at the back, and cuts in such a way that the rider's legs can go slightly forward.
In terms of comfort, this puts the rider not just on his or her backside, but on some of the thigh, greatly increasing the bearing surface of the rider on the saddle. And for the horse, this means a load more evenly distributed.
With endless tree and seat sizes, the needs of all of our diverse body types (both horse and rider) are met with the Australian stock saddle.
Another plus is
the Australian tack. The
Australian hunt breast collar supports the position of the saddle without interfering
with the shoulder movement of the horse. Some of the soft-gaited breeds, particularly
the Peruvian Pasos, also employ the crupper for vigorous trail riding. For the
comfort of a very round wither, the crupper is a great aid.
These well-designed pieces of athletic equipment allow the horse to move freely. This ease of movement is important for a gaiting horse. This is "usin" gear for "'usin" horses.
There are so many different styles of Australian saddles. There is the conventional under padding as seen on the third saddle above; and the fleece under side, similar to that found on a Western saddle, as shown in the first two saddles above. (A style that is particularly desirable on the broad back of so many of our gaited horses.) The saddles seen here are the Patrol Poley, the Southern Cross and the Suprema. For more information and purchasing: