About the EQUES saddles
Since 2009 EQUES has been creating saddles for Icelandic horses with great passion.
At EQUES we emphasize:
- A saddle in balance. When the saddle is placed on the horse, the deepest point of the seat must be in the middle. The saddle should neither tilt in the front nor the back when the girth is tightened.
- A flexible saddle tree. In that way the saddle is more likely to adjust to the specific equipage and not least ensure space of movement for the horse.
- Accommodation to a short back. EQUES saddles are designed with panels of same length as that of the saddle (not longer) to avoid inappropriate pressure on the rear part of the back of the horse.
The construction of the saddles is designed to stand the tough everyday life in Rasmus Møller Jensen’s professional training stable. At the same time, the saddles meet the requirements of functionality to ensure freedom of movement for the horse, which is necessary for it to work properly under the rider.
Saddle trees
The saddle tree is the construction on which the saddle is built. EQUES saddles are built on 4 different saddle trees.
The A-tree is the most common saddle tree in EQUES saddles. It is a flexible tree with an open center and a wide channel. This combination fits many Icelandic horses well. The gullet has a vertical position in the tree.
The B-tree looks similar to the A-tree in its construction, but the channel is even wider which ensures a close connection between horse and rider. The flattened angle of the bars further contributes to the sense of close contact. The position of the gullet has a forward pointing angle in the saddle tree so that the saddle opens up towards the shoulders of the horse and hereby ensures freedom of movement.
The C-tree is solid but still flexible. The tree has a narrow waist which means that the middle part of the seat, on which the rider straddles, is narrow. The position of the gullet has a forward pointing angle in the saddle tree so that the saddle opens up towards the shoulders of the horse and hereby ensures freedom of movement.
The Original Champion tree has a narrow waist and concave construction which makes it suitable for horses with a slightly sway back . The gullet has a vertical position in the tree.
The L-tree is a solid tree produced in a highly flexible and strong material. The tree has no wooden- or metal braces. That means the tree is extremely flexible but will always return to its original shape. This flexibility facilitates an increased feel of the horse’s movements, like in a treeless saddle. The angle of the gullet opens up towards the shoulder of the horse, securing freedom of movement for the horse.
Gullets
The saddle tree defines which type of gullet fits the saddle. Gullet A fits the saddles built on the A-tree and the B-tree, gullet C fits the saddles built on the C-tree and saddles built on the L-tree uses L-gullets.
All EQUES saddles come with a medium size gullet which fits a large section of the Icelandic horses. If your horse is either narrow or broad behind the shoulders it might be necessary to change the gullet. The gullets come in the sizes: 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30.
How to measure the size of gullet your horse needs
Panels
The panels are the two “pillows” underneath the saddle which are in direct contact with the back of the horse. EQUES saddles have short panels as the Icelandic horse generally has a short back. The panels vary a bit between the models. For instance, several models are cut in the front part of the panels to ensure freedom of movement for the shoulders of the horse.
Latex |
Wool |
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Strengths |
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Weaknesses |
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Inches
The inches of the saddle describe the size of the seat and how much space it offers. The actual space is determined by the saddle model. That means that a 17” saddle offers different amount of space according to the model, while the seats can be either deep or open. EQUES saddles are available in 16.5”, 17” and 17.5” where 17” is standard. 16” and 18” are available as special orders.
Size check. The size of the saddle is right when you can place your hand in an upright position between the cantle and your bum. The size needed depends on the shape of the seat and your body (the size of your bum and the length of your thighs).
Channel width
The channel of the saddle defines the cleft between the panels, which lies above the spinal column of the horse. . All EQUES saddles are built with a relatively wide channel which ensures mobility and freedom of movement. The size of the channel does not vary much between the different models, regardless the size in inches.
Contact surface
The contact surface describes the length of that part of the panels, which takes pressure from the weight distributing construction (the saddle tree). There are many opinions on how to measure the contact surface of the saddle. But it is actually not possible to measure the contact surface from the outside of the saddle as the saddle tree alone defines the contact surface. We have created a guide with contact surfaces of the different EQUES saddle models.
You cannot measure the contact surface of treeless saddles (saddle pads) since they do not have a bearing/weight distributing construction (a saddle tree).
16" |
16.5" |
17" |
17.5" |
18" |
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| A-tree | 40.1 cm | 41.3 cm | 42.6 cm | 43.9 cm | 45.1 cm |
| B-tree | 38.9 cm | 40.1 cm | 41.4 cm | 42.7 cm | 43.9 cm |
| C-tree | 36.7 cm | 37.9 cm | 39.2 cm | 40.5 cm | 41.7 cm |
| Original Champion-tree | 40.3 cm | 41.5 cm | 42.8 cm | 44.1 cm | 45.3 cm |
Seat
The seat defines the part of the saddle in which the riders bum is placed. The seat of EQUES saddles is divided into 4 categories: Open, medium open, medium deep and deep.
On a scale from 1-4 the categories describe how much support the rider can expect from the seat. It is a matter of taste if you prefer an open seat with a lot of freedom to move or a deep seat with great support.
One of the most important things when acquiring a new saddle is that the rider sits well in the right position. The seats vary a lot from the different models. For instance, Champion and Champion A has a bit of a backwards shifted balance point, compared to the other saddle models where the balance point is positioned in the middle of the seat. Sella Plus has an open seat while X has a deep seat.
Deep seat
Medium open seat
Knepads
The kneepads are positioned in the front of the saddle to support the rider’s knees and thighs to sit in the right position. The kneepads are placed on the outside on all EQUES saddles and are designed in a soft material to increase the comfort as much as possible. The shape of the kneepads vary a lot between the different saddle models, and it is a matter of taste if the rider prefers a lot of support from the kneepads and if they should be short or long.
Long kneepad
Short kneepad