How to reduce pressure over the withers -

Due to the flat tree design and the high in the arch panel design, we are sometimes accused of excessive tightness when the rider is mounted and they put their fingers under the front of the panel . Why then, with our saddles, do horses build more wither muscle when the saddle appears to be tighter. Of course ,the panel at the arch and the stirrup bar is massive and reduces concentrated pressure but the real advantage comes from the change in flexibility as the saddle warms and the whole structure becomes more flexible. (Imagine a treeless saddle. You can sit on a treeless and lift the arch off the horse completely without lightening the seat at all!) This puts most of the rider's weight on the part of the horse's back that is most capable of carrying without hindering his musculature; T14.Providing we keep as much surface area as we can under the rider and the panel material resembles firm smooth muscle itself, the risk of damage to the horse is negligible providing the training is progressive and the tissue has time to cope with the job.