Where do you get your Marshall sport saddle?

By Mary Midkiff:
http://www.womenandhorses.com/index.html

I have had so many questions lately about saddles and saddle fit as well as
fitting my new horse, Redge, that I think it is time to share more
information with you about this important piece of equipment.

Remember this "A man can ride in a woman's saddle, but a woman cannot ride
in a man's saddle."

Let's start with this idea and move through the various traditions of riding
and riding equipment.

The english saddle traditions come from the military, the cavalry and the
hunt field. Before World War I there were english saddles made specifically
for men and english saddles made specifically for women both side and
astride. World War I changed everything as the demand for cavalry and
military equipment was needed. All other saddlemaking was done away with.
With the disbandment of the US cavalry in the 1950s, military saddles began
to disappear and the hunt saddle for jumping and the cutback saddle for
gaited horses took over for pleasure and show riders. Today, even though
the horse rider market is predominately women, we still have a tremendous
selection of male oriented english saddles and only a handful of female
friendly english saddles to choose from.

The western saddle traditions come from ranching and farming. Late in the
19th and early in the 20th centuries women had western saddles specifically
made for them to choose from including a Mexican and South American variety.
But these saddles had high pommels and high cantels to hold "the lady" in
her seat. This was not desirable to ranch women who wanted to be equal with
the ranch men. Over the last 100 years western saddles have been designed
for their use and not for the sexes. There are barrel racing saddles,
reining saddles, cutting saddles, bronc riding saddles, ranch saddles,
bulldogging saddles, and pleasure saddles. Almost all western saddles are
built for the male body biomechanics and only three or four saddlemakers are
considering the female rider biomechanics.

There are also Australian saddles, endurance saddles and hybrids out there
that are making their way into the mainstream market. These saddles are
almost always custom made giving the buyer the opportunity to have it fit
their body and the horse's body, which of course is the ideal.

If you, as a female rider, go to a stable to take riding lessons you will be
put in a saddle that more than likely will not give you the advantages you
need to learn riding in a safe, comfortable, supportive way. I want you to
realize that yes, you have a lot to learn when you take riding lessons, but
your equipment has to help you in movement not work against you. So, in
these riding lesson situations where you are borrowing a saddle and riding
different horses, try to find a saddle that will work for you. The stable
probably has a large selection. Even if they don't have a female friendly
saddle, don't just accept what is given to you if it hurts, chaffs, pinches,
or keeps you off balance. If worse comes to worse and you just cannot find a
comfortable saddle try buying and using a seat saver. They come in wool and
fleece and fit over any saddle's seat to give you some comfort.

Now, the next question is "What is a female friendly saddle?" The tack
store employees don't know, your instructor probably doesn't know, your
friends probably don't know but you do need to know. And hopefully, in our
lifetime people who are selling and making saddles will all know how to find
a female friendly saddle for riders. It's a tall order I know, but it's one
of my big wishes because in the end the horse's benefit.

A female friendly saddle is a saddle that:

1) Has a seat which supports the female pelvis and gives a base to the
points of the pelvis or seat bones (ischial tuberosities. The seat of the
saddle meets/joins the seat bones and is firmly underneath them. In narrow
twist saddles the female is sitting more on her crotch than her pelvis. She
is literally teatering in the middle with no support.

2) Has a twist or waist to the seat which tapers off slowly allowing the hip
joint and upper thigh to move freely.

3) Supplies the proper amount of rise to the pommel which will alleviate
friction on the pubic symphasis or soft tissue area of the crotch.

4) Places the stirrup bars under the hip joint for proper biomechanical line
up of the leg under the torso.

5) Provides cushioning in the seat for extra comfort and give, tender seat
bones, long hours sitting and menstruation discomfort.

I have a list of female friendly saddle makers on my website but highly
recommend Balance International.

Mary
http://womenandhorses.com

You can get the Bob Marshall Sports Saddle from several places, one is www.loristack.com/

BTW, there's a new email list that discusses different treeless saddles:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/treelesssaddles

From: "Kim and Monte Harrison"
Subject: horse stuff for sale

Need to sell to pay emergency vet bills.....
...
Suede Bob Marshall saddle with higher pommel and cantel. Horn has been cut
off. Used a LOT, but completely usable. Nothing wrong with the structure
at all. Not sure how to measure it Bob Marshall wise. From pommel back to
cantel is 10".

Black memory foam pad with "Skito Equalizer" tag on it. I bought this off
of ebay used and have not gotten to use it yet myself. Used, but no rips or
tears. Has the open spine area for treeless saddles. Measures 18" along
spine.
...
I can take pics of any of these if you are interested.

Kim in Arkansas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reducing numbers of horses and children so for sale:

15" Bob Marshall Circle Y Barrel model round skirt sport saddle. This was
custom with extras and comes with the included package:

Saddle is light oil basketweave with darker brown accents (horn, stirrups,
flank strap, breastcollar straps). Package deal inlcudes matching
basketweave breastcollar, leather covered stirrups, fenders over stirrups,
original back cinch set and:

full saddle custom fitted sheepskin fleece cover. This cover is fitted over
cantle, and goes to top of stirrups and accomodates long-legged riders. It
can velcro off to a shorter length for shorter legged riders. Only pommel
on saddle is exposed. Very nice and cushy! Saddle has been covered with
sheepskin since I got it.

Included also is almost new skito pad, which is Broken Arrow Woodland color
and the wool blend fleece on bottom,. Choice of regular 3/4" skito foam
inserts or insert with thicker top shim for horses with more prominent
spines. You choose.

Breastcollar is also basket weave and matches saddle.

I can also include, if you want, an almost new 30" neoprene cinch with
center ring, and elastic at ends.....

Condition: excellent. This is a used saddle but has always been kept clean
and conditioned. Saddle under cover looks new, pommel shows some exposure
to use, not much. One buckle on back cinch shows a bit of rust. Sheepskin
looks good and has a lot more use. Skito pad was always used with Dixie
Midnight pad, so fleece on bottom is very clean. Everything has been
washed, clean and soaped.

Circle Y is no longer making these saddles; I heard Bob Marshall pulled the
patent. This is a very nice saddle, everyone says it is extremely
comfortable.

Asking $1,000 plus $40 shipping. Firm on price but might be able to throw
in a few more things, so contact me soon!
Thanks, Karen Sullivan
greymare56@sbcglobal.net

@Message Board Manager:

That´interesting! I´ve never heard of a "female-friendly" saddle. Never heard that there where such a thing as saddles that did´t fit women. Of course I´ve riden in saddles that I din´t like or that where uncomfoteble as , but I´ve never realised that it could be becouse their where built for men... Funny, you learn something new every day!

/Freyr

Saddle Fitting Article:

http://www.fourwinds.net/esadcat/esadfit.html

I have been having a hard time finding a saddle to fit my very wide Ice mare. I have tried a Goertz and it bridges on her back. Has anyone used a Brenda Imus 4 beat saddle on their Icy? It sounds good to me but would like to know from someone that has had experience with one. Thanks.