While Western saddles had uneven pressure distribution, study horses showed no signs of saddle-related discomfort. | Photo: iStock

If you think your Western saddle provides better pressure distribution than a smaller English saddle, think again: A recent Swiss study revealed that Western saddles can have uneven pressure distribution—twice as high in the front third than in the rear third and up to three times the weight of the rider.

“Contrary to popular belief, the fact that there’s greater contact surface with a Western saddle compared to an English saddle does not mean there’s more uniform pressure distribution,” said Katja Geser-von Peinen, DVM, clinical researcher in the Department of Sports Medicine at the Equine Clinic of Vetsuisse Faculty, in Zurich. She presented her work at the 10th Annual Swiss Equine Research Day, held April 19 in Avenches.

In their study, Geser-von Peinen and her fellow researchers evaluated the forces created by Western saddles on the backs of 10 horses. All the horses were ridden by two test riders with the animals’ usual saddles and pads at the trot in a straight line. The team analyzed pressure data from the front-, middle-, and rear-thirds of the saddles and looked at total force, maximum force, and average force for each third, as well as the percent of the rider’s weight