A force or pressure sensing device comprises one or more magnets resiliently held spaced from one or more magnetic sensors such that pressure on the device displaces the magnets relative to the magnetic field sensors. The device may be incorporated into an insole of a shoe, or integrated into a shoe, or integrated into a seat, cushion, mattress or saddle. The device includes one or more magnetic focussing elements on the opposite side of the magnetic field sensor from the magnets to focus and condition the magnetic field passing through the sensor. The magnetic focussing elements may be permanent magnets or magnetic materials having a high magnetic permeability such as mu-metals. Additional magnetic focussing elements may be placed adjacent to the magnets. Plural magnetic field sensors can be arranged in a symmetrical arrangement in a plane below the one or more magnets so that shear forces applied to the device causes lateral relative displacement of the magnet and magnetic field sensors changing the magnetic field sensed by the magnetic field sensors. The device can also include a motion detector such as an accelerometer which may be integral with the magnetic field sensor.

A locking headplate for an adjustable saddle tree includes opposed, hingedly connected plates for securing to a saddle tree head portion and a rotatable displacing element for displacing the hingedly connected plates inwardly or outwardly, wherein the rotatable displacing element assists in retaining the hingedly connected plates in a set spaced-apart configuration when not being rotated. The locking headplate further includes at least one supplemental locking mechanism for selectively preventing rotation of the rotatable displacing element. The locking headplate further includes a supplemental motion restrictor for restricting outward motion of the opposed hingedly connected plates to a desired range of motion. Saddle trees and saddles incorporating the locking headplate are provided.

Multiple flex units are used to provide predetermined focused areas of flex in a substrate, such as an equine saddle tree, Apertures are placed on the underside and filled with either a combination of stopple and slimy or slurry alone, each forming a flex unit. The placement, dimensions and fill of the flex unit enable a predetermined focused area of flex to be established within the specific area. The slurry is a mixture of carbon fibers and epoxy and the stopples are a mixture of substrate and epoxy to form hard stopples, a mixture of composite and flexible epoxy to form more flexible stopples; or a combination hard and flexible mixture in a stopples. The shape, periphery, diameter and depth each of the apertures and hardness, size and: category of the stopples as well as location of placement determines the area, degree and direction of the flex.

Multiple flex units are used to provide predetermined focused areas of flex in a substrate, such as an equine saddle tree, Apertures are placed on the underside and filled with either a combination of stopple and slimy or slurry alone, each forming a flex unit. The placement, dimensions and fill of the flex unit enable a predetermined focused area of flex to be established within the specific area. The slurry is a mixture of carbon fibers and epoxy and the stopples are a mixture of substrate and epoxy to form hard stopples, a mixture of composite and flexible epoxy to form more flexible stopples; or a combination hard and flexible mixture in a stopples. The shape, periphery, diameter and depth each of the apertures and hardness, size and: category of the stopples as well as location of placement determines the area, degree and direction of the flex.

A horse riding saddle comprising a supporting frame, which defines a seat which extends along a longitudinal axis of the saddle, and at least one first flap and second flap, which are associated with the supporting frame and are arranged on opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis; the first and second flaps are stably associated, at a respective front resting portion, with a knee roll which defines a respective contact body for a portion of the leg of the user; the knee rolls define a coupling surface which is designed to be arranged so as to face a respective front resting portion of the flap and which comprises at least one portion which defines a concave surface which extends around an axis which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the saddle.

A horse riding saddle comprising a supporting frame, which defines a seat which extends along a longitudinal axis of the saddle, and at least one first flap and second flap, which are associated with the supporting frame and are arranged on opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis; the first and second flaps are stably associated, at a respective front resting portion, with a knee roll which defines a respective contact body for a portion of the leg of the user; the knee rolls define a coupling surface which is designed to be arranged so as to face a respective front resting portion of the flap and which comprises at least one portion which defines a concave surface which extends around an axis which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the saddle.

A conditioning device for use with an animal to improve the animal's physical well-being and develop physical strength, the device comprising a saddle arrangement for positioning on the back of said animal and a girth assembly for securing the saddle arrangement on the animal, and a compartment assembly located on top of the seat portion of the saddle, wherein the compartment assembly includes an inner space adapted to receive and fixedly hold therein at least one removable weight assembly.

A conditioning device for use with an animal to improve the animal's physical well-being and develop physical strength, the device comprising a saddle arrangement for positioning on the back of said animal and a girth assembly for securing the saddle arrangement on the animal, and a compartment assembly located on top of the seat portion of the saddle, wherein the compartment assembly includes an inner space adapted to receive and fixedly hold therein at least one removable weight assembly.

A saddle tree for a riding saddle has rear, middle, and front sections. The saddle tree has at least two flat panels projecting from the rear through the middle into the front section, as well as a frame element structure having at least one rear bridge element interconnecting the two panels in the rear section, and a front bridge element interconnecting the two panels in the front section. The connection of the panels via the rear bridge element is largely designed to be rigid. The panels in the rear section are substantially and relatively immovable. The connection of the panels via the front bridge element is movable so that the panels in the region of the front section and optionally also in the middle section can be deflected by bending and/or torsion out of a rest position defined with respect to the region of the panels in the rear section.

An apparatus configured for use with a saddle while that saddle is secured to an animal. In a typical application setting, the saddle will include a horn. The apparatus can comprise a main body having a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion being configured to receive the aforementioned horn of the saddle. The apparatus can also comprise a securement mechanism configured to selectively and temporarily secure the main body to the saddle while the saddle is secured to the animal.