The Prestige saddle tree characteristics and merits


The Prestige saddle tree, designed to provide an ideal fit with the horse and allow riders to maintain the best seat, is built with a special mix of composite fibres that secures a weight reduction of at least 1 kg as against traditional saddles.
This tree offers advantages over those made with natural materials such as wood. The Prestige tree, by contrast, has been purpose designed to provide the same elasticity as a wooden tree while also ensuring the utmost stability over time. For this very reason the product guarantee covers its entire lifetime, barring where there is an accident.
In addition, the gullet of the Prestige tree can always be changed. It may be made narrow or wide according to the shape of the horse, without dismantling the saddle. For more information, please contact your trusted Prestige stockist.


Prestige Italia, made-to-measure saddles

Prestige Italia has developed a unique and thoroughly innovative method for measuring a horse's back. Using a withers measuring gauge - a special rod-like instrument that retains whatever shape it is bent to and has references notches - a paper tracing can be obtained of a horse's exact morphological features. Prestige also has a special level measure that locates the exact point at which the horse is horizontal. In this way it can make panels that are customised to the horse's shape. The aim it to produce panels that are more raised or more sunken, so enabling riders to obtain a balanced position in the saddle.
Made-to-measure saddles for horses: The diagram below shows the ten different sizes of Prestige saddle gullet: from 28 through to 37. Given the possibility making panels that are enhanced or reduced, the horse can be provided with a saddle perfectly tailored to its shape.
Made-to-measure saddles for riders: The diagram shows how tailored saddles can be provided also for riders. In particular, all Prestige saddles (with the exception of the TREKKER, Endurance, or Pony models) have three seat sizes: 16", 17", and 18". The choice will depend on the weight of the rider. There is also a 15" version for junior riders. In addition, all saddles (except for the TREKKER models) have 5 different lengths of flap: from XS up to XXL. Jumping saddles also offer 3 projection sizes: standard, +2 cm, and +4 cm, to match your riding style.



INCORRECT POSITION CORRECT POSITION

The position of the saddle must be such that there is sufficient room behind the shoulder to avoid in any way hampering shoulder movement (see illustrations). You can ensure this by running your fingers over the shoulder of the horse until you feel contact with the scapula. Leave a space equivalent at least to the width of your four fingers and position the saddle at that point. In this way you will be left with a space as wide as the palm of your hand between the scapula and the girth. Bear in mind that the front part of a jumping saddle may jut beyond the shoulder of the horse. However, under no circumstances must the fixed part of the saddle, the tree, do likewise.

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Five key checks to perform

1 - Size of tree: if the saddle is correctly positioned the tree will slide parallel and as close as possible to the shape of the horse's back.
2 - Due regard for the spine and withers: the gullet between the saddle panels must ensure the comfort of the horse's spine and not press down on it under the weight of the rider. The size of the arch at the pommel must enable compliance with the “4-finger” rule, meaning that a roughly a 5-cm gap should separate the pommel from the withers of the horse.
3 - Balance: once it is seen that the saddle is the right size, the next check is whether the saddle is rightly balanced. The position of the saddle on the horse's back must adapt to its shape so that the weight of the rider is evenly distributed over the entire surface and excess weight is not brought to bear either at the front (on the horse's scapula) or at the rear (on its loins).
4 - Contact of panels: the panels must provide a snug fit at all points over their entire length along the back of the horse; this will ensure that the rider's weight is properly distributed.
5 - Symmetry: look at the horse from the rear and check that the saddle is lying parallel and positioned symmetrically with respect to the spine of the horse.

I f each of these 5 checks gives a satisfactory result, the saddle is correctly positioned and will be comfortable for the horse.