Parts of the English Saddle

Depending on their intended purpose, parts of English saddles have slightly different construction in terms of padding and angling. Some purposes to which an English saddle might be put include dressage (show ring), all purpose (bridle path pleasure riding and other uses), eventing, and racing (lighter weight than other styles). All saddles of this type are, however, constructed of the same parts with one exception, that being the lack of a saddle in a "treeless" saddle.

  1. The Foundation of an English Saddle

    • For most English saddles the base, or foundation, is known as the saddle tree. The saddle tree can be made of wood or of fiberglass. As with anything that rests on a foundation, the quality of the foundation itself has enormous impact on quality of the final product.

      There is a European trend towards a “treeless” saddle. Some find this new design offers greater comfort to both horse and rider. All other parts of an English saddle are built onto the saddle tree except for treeless design saddles.

      In a treeless saddle, the front and back of the saddle are built onto a stiff surface such as fiberglass, with the remaining saddle parts built onto thick foam padding. With a treeless saddle, using an appropriate saddle pad is imperative. Treeless saddles have provoked controversy because they can place the rider over parts of the horse’s anatomy more susceptible to injury from carrying a rider.

    The Rider's Chair

    • The upper parts of a horse’s saddle act as a "chair" for the rider while mounted. These parts, listed from front to back over the top of the saddle, then back around for parts lower than the top of the saddle include: the pommel, twist, seat, cantle, panel and skirt.

      The pommel is a raised structure at the saddle’s front, and is stiffer than some of the other parts. Though covered by leather, the pommel’s base is usually made of wood or fiberglass. A key difference between a saddle seat and other styles of English saddle is that the pommel is usually cut back about four inches in comparison to other types of English saddle. This type of saddle is usually used for high-stepping horses like Tennessee Walking Horses and Morgans. The pommel acts as a kind of forward "bumper" to the chair portion of the saddle.

    Other Chair Parts

    • The cantle is an elevated portion of the saddle at the back of the saddle. Like the pommel, the cantle acts as a kind of bumper. The panel is a section of thick padding underlying the upper parts of the saddle. The panel helps protect the horse’s vital organs from the weight of the rider.

      The skirt is a protective leather piece for the rider. Functionally, the skirt also serves as a kind of connective part to the lower saddle, or "leg room" parts of the saddle. There is a separate skirt on each side of the saddle.

      The twist and seat comprise the upper portion of the section of the saddle where the rider sits in the saddle. Most of the rider’s position in the saddle occupies the seat, but the rider’s legs angle forward around the twist. The twist slopes upward and forward from the seat towards the pommel, while the seat slopes upward and backward away from the twist toward the cantle. Both are made of leather or a synthetic material of similar texture.

    "Leg Room" Parts

    • Other parts of an English saddle affect the rider in terms of “grip,” or how and where the rider applies legs and feet while riding. These parts of the English saddle, from highest (closest to the parts serving as a chair) to lowest (and also front to back where applicable) are: the stirrup bar, the knee roll, the saddle flap, the stirrup leather (which extends from under the skirt to usually below the bottom of the saddle flap) and the stirrup iron. There is a separate one of each of the "leg room" parts on each side of the saddle.

    "Leg Room" Saddle Parts Description

    • The stirrup bar attaches the stirrup leather to the saddle flap under the skirt. The stirrup leather attaches the stirrup iron to the saddle by way of buckles and buckleholes that provide for raising and lower the stirrups as the rider wants.

      In relation to the stirrup bar and stirrup leathers, the skirt covers the stirrup bar and buckles on the stirrup leathers thus protecting the rider from direct contact with these metal pieces. The skirt is attached to the upper parts of the saddle but covers the upper portion of the lower parts of the saddle.

      The saddle flap provides a structure onto which the stirrup leather gets attached and also provides padding between the rider’s upper leg and the horse. The knee roll provides a padded surface for the rider to grip with the knee. The stirrup iron provides the rider with a foot grip in riding the horse.