A saddle for horse riding includes a supporting frame associated with at least one covering body designed to define a seat for a user, the supporting frame having a front region, which has a pommel, and a rear region, which has a cantle, the supporting frame is provided with connecting elements configured for connection between the front region and the rear region that are adapted to allow a rotation about an oscillation axis, which in use is substantially vertical, of the rear region with respect to the front region.

A cassette to be inserted in a saddle pad pocket, having one or more multiple aligned rigid elements that independently teeter totter about a fulcrum under a conventional saddle, creating an instantly morphing interface to match the dynamic shape of the horse’s back in order to better distribute the weight of a rider and reduce peak pressures as the horse moves.

The invention relates to a saddle tree for a riding saddle and to a riding saddle having such a saddle tree. The saddle tree according to the invention comprises a saddle tree structure extending in the longitudinal direction from a pommel to a cantle, the upper side of the saddle tree structure forming a seat for a rider and the seat defining a contact area for the rider's sit bones. In the area between the contact area for the sit bones and the cantle, the saddle tree structure has a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal direction, about which the cantle, starting from a zero position with respect to the pommel specified by a stop, can pivot towards the upper side. The riding saddle according to the invention is based on saddle tree of this kind.

A comfort bridge for use with an English saddle. The bridge is formed of sole bend leather of a particular size, shape, and thickness positioned between a tree point and the back of the saddle tree. The bridge is placed on each side of the saddle and either placed within a panel or attached thereto. The bridge increases the structural support area by carrying the rider's weight over a larger area under the rider's leg. Each bridge is tapered around the edges to provide a smooth connection to the saddle panel, and provide for the comfort of the rider by avoiding the large material stuffing mass that has been traditionally used in the saddle panels of early designs.

Saddle with passively morphing interface panels and method of use, wherein passively morphing interface panels morphs in surface profile to be reshaped upon contact with a supporting surface of a horse's dynamic back and of horses of varying sizes and shapes, so that a direct load path is created from the riders concentrated downward weight on a chassis through a pair of symmetrically opposed line of contact edges, aligned with tilted sagittal plane sections through the horse's back surface, and making contact with the midline area of opposed pair of elements made of rigid materials that are caused to tip out of plane until moment forces are balanced, which occurs when the element's entire length makes contact with the supporting horse's back causing the elements interface's surface profile to be reshaped, without directed input, to momentarily match the varying supporting surface profiles of a horse's dynamic back.

A saddle having a pair of rockrail edges along each lateral side of the saddle, where the rockrail edges serve as fulcrums, that bear on multiple, rigid load bearing arms that teeter totter with the horse in motion, instantly morphing to match the horse's back in order to better distribute the weight of a rider. A saddle pad having multiple, rigid load bearing arms that teeter totter about a fulcrum with a conventional saddle, instantly morphing to the horse's back in order to better distribute the weight of a rider and reduce peak loads.

A comfort bridge for use with an English saddle. The bridge is formed of sole bend leather of a particular size, shape, and thickness positioned between a tree point and the back of the saddle tree. The bridge is placed on each side of the saddle and either placed within a panel or attached thereto. The bridge increases the structural support area by carrying the rider's weight over a larger area under the rider's leg. Each bridge is tapered around the edges to provide a smooth connection to the saddle panel, and provide for the comfort of the rider by avoiding the large material stuffing mass that has been traditionally used in the saddle panels of early designs.

A piezoelectric adaptive mesh includes multiple piezoelectric fibers that include piezoelectric structures that can act as sensor and/or actuators to enhance a person's comfort. The piezoelectric structures communicate with a controller and/or a software processing system and may identify the position of a user and make adjustments through the actuators to increase user comfort by providing support, assistance, treatment, and/or temperature adjustment.

In some examples, a saddle tree having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the saddle tree includes a proximal-most segment, a distal-most segment, at least one intermediate segment disposed between the proximal-most segment and the distal-most segment, a first articulation mechanism coupling each of the at least one intermediate segment to proximal ones, and a second articulation mechanism coupling each of the at least one intermediate segment to distal ones.

A saddle having a pair of rockrail edges along each lateral side of the saddle, where the rockrail edges serve as fulcrums, that bear on multiple, rigid load bearing arms that teeter totter with the horse in motion, instantly morphing to match the horse's back in order to better distribute the weight of a rider. A saddle pad having multiple, rigid load bearing arms that teeter totter about a fulcrum with a conventional saddle, instantly morphing to the horse's back in order to better distribute the weight of a rider and reduce peak loads.