When showing Breyer horses in performance classes, new and beginning model horse collectors are often puzzled by the descriptions of the various English riding classes and the different English saddle types. As with most things that developed over a long period of time, English horseback riding saddles developed different shapes depending on the needs of the riders. Model horse collectors follow the rules for real horse shows and choose English saddle types appropriately depending upon the class they are entering.
Basic English Saddle Types
The English saddle differs from the Western and Park or Saddleseat style saddle in several ways. English saddles lack a saddle horn and have a lower cantle (back) section and a flatter seat. Western saddles developed for use in rugged conditions where a deep, secure seat was essential. English saddles developed a flatter style to enable closer seat contact between the rider and his mount and more freedom of movement so that the rider can adjust his center of balance over fences, for example.
The three main types of basic English saddles that you need to know for model horse showing, excluding sidesaddles and Saddleseat or Park style saddles, include:
- All Purpose English Saddle: The all purpose English saddle or general purpose English saddle features a leather saddle built on a wooden or fiberglass tree. It has a deep seat and panels or flaps angled forward. Pads called knee rolls are placed on the front of the flaps and help hold the rider's leg in place. A single leather girth connects using two buckles hidden under the flap; there are buckles on both sides of the girth. Stirrups are open to the front and back and made of metal with a white rubber pad inserted into the footbase for greater stability. The stirrups hang from narrow strips called appropriately enough leathers, and the excess leather slides into a little strip called a keeper. Most saddles have tiny metal loops on either side of the front part of the saddle. If a martingale or breast plate is used, it attaches via a clip to the little metal rings or metal D tabs. An all purpose saddle is always placed over a fleece pad shaped to match the saddle. The right sized pad just peeks out from underneath the saddle. All purpose saddles are the basic English riding saddle and are appropriate for beginner English riding classes, equitation classes, basic hunter and huntseat riding classes, and English trail.
- Close Contact English Saddle: A close contact English saddle looks very much like an all purpose saddle but has a flatter seat and lacks knee rolls. It is seen in jumping classes, hunter classes, and equitation classes. Like the all purpose saddle, a white fleece pad shaped to the same contours as the saddle is used along with a leather girth.
- Dressage Saddle: Dressage means training, and dressage riding means training the horse so that he is light, supple and responsive. Dressage riding developed out of the historical riding schools in Europe. Dressage saddles look different from either the close contact or all purpose English saddle. Dressage saddles feature a deep seat and longer flaps or panels that extend straight down rather than at an angle. Stirrups are the same as for other English saddle types but are left longer than with other types of English saddles. The dressage girth attaches through buckles often at a lower point on the saddle, showing the buckles instead of hiding them under the flap. Dressage saddle pads are white and square, sometimes with slightly rounded corners.
English Saddle Colors
The preferred English saddle colors for showing both real horses and models horses are shades of brown for close contact and all purpose saddles and black for dressage saddles. In the real horse world, you can find both black and brown English saddles and dressage saddles, but brown predominates in the hunter and equitation rings and black is a must in dressage. English saddle pads are always white for horse shows, both for model horses and real horses. Girths should be of leather and girths and stirrup leather colors match the saddle color.
English Saddles for Model Horses
Choosing the right English saddle for your Breyers and model horses depends on the classes you want to enter in your next photo or live model horse show. Huntseat riding, equitation riding, and hunter over fences classes all call for an all purpose or close contact type of saddle. Breyers must always be outfitted in a dressage saddle for dressage classes. Although at real horse shows you will see beginners riding their patterns in close contact or all purpose saddles, at advanced levels or rated shows a dressage saddle is a must.
Breyer makes some nice started English saddles for Traditional and Classic scale model horses. They tend to fit some models better than others, so you may need to try them on various models within the scale they're made for to see which model horses they fit better.
If you have experience riding real horses in the English style, making an English saddle by hand is often easier for beginners than attempting the Western saddle. English saddles consist of a tree or a rigid piece that fits again the horse's back, with panels and stuffing added and shaped over the tree to form the seat. You can purchase books and DVDs as well as leather crafting equipment online for model horse tack making or saddle kits. A good step for beginners is to make a saddle or two out of an inexpensive material such as felt to get the hang of it and play with the various layers needed to build and create the right seat. After you're satisfied with the result in felt, try it in leather.
English saddle types are easier to understand if you actually see them in person. A reference book from the public library demonstrating various saddles or a quick online search yields hundreds of photos including close ups to show you the proper placement on the horse and how the rider sits in the saddle. Remember, as with all things related to model horses, realism wins in the show ring. The better you understand the English saddle and various styles of riding, the better your chances of winning at model horse shows.