While horse racing will always be seen as the pinnacle of sport on four legs, other disciplines such as show jumping, point to point and three-day events are attracting wider audiences.
In all of these sports, there have been advances made in saddle design since the first events were held over a hundred years ago. It’s important to keep making modifications to improve performance, but this aim is especially crucial in horse racing.
The Need for Speed
Like any sport where the winner is determined by a first past the post decision, victory and success can be decided by fine margins. Cycling is a good example of a sport where equipment is constantly upgraded in order to give riders a competitive edge.
Every fraction of a second counts, and the same principle applies in horse racing. The pre-meeting favourites may have been identified by horse racing odds markets, but if a runner’s equipment isn’t in pristine condition, it could put them out of contention.
The key element for all sporting equipment, including horse racing saddles, is aerodynamics. In simple terms, this is the way that objects move through the air. A certain design may be slower due to the way it’s constructed, so the challenge for developers is to speed up that process. A horse racing saddle should be relatively small, without sacrificing comfort, while the design needs to battle wind resistance so that it moves more quickly through the air.
That’s the science behind modern day design, and here’s how saddle producers have risen to that challenge through the years.
Early Beginnings
While there is that obvious need to counter aerodynamics in any horse race, it’s also vital that the jockey remains comfortable. In the late 1800s, when the sport really began to take off around the UK, the early saddles were made of leather.
The basic contours were similar to those that we see today, but underneath the surface, there was a key difference. Those initial saddles had no padding, so it must have been an extremely uncomfortable ride. Even in those early stages of the sport, it was understood that speed was crucial, and the jockey’s comfort was sacrificed for an extra fraction of pace.
Age of Innovation
The 19th century produced some significant advancements in the sport. Specialist racecourses were constructed all over the world, and horse racing’s popularity grew on a global scale.
Whereas in the past, owners, trainers and jockeys used existing equipment, items began to emerge that were specifically designed for the sport. Safety was one concern, so we began to see helmets and goggles introduced. In terms of the saddles, these were constructed so that they were more lightweight, making them a little more comfortable for horse and rider.
This was an age of some serious innovation, and those racing saddles started to resemble those that we see in modern day racing.
Bespoke Equipment
In the second half of the 1900s, equipment designers began to move away from a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Neither the horses, nor their jockeys, are built the same, and it became apparent that saddles needed to be designed with the individuals in mind.
This is why owners and trainers will have a choice of saddles, each of which is designed for specific riders.
In all aspects of saddle design, there is that drive towards finding a competitive edge, but it’s also essential to consider safety and comfort. While it’s clearly an essential piece of equipment, the saddle needs to be so comfortable that neither the horse nor its rider is conscious of it as they make their way around the course.
Attention to each of these aspects means that today’s saddles are unrecognisable from those that were in place when the sport grew across the UK and beyond in the 1700s. In the beginning, saddles were much heavier, and the lack of padding led to serious back injuries in some cases.
Modern saddle design focuses much more on the health of the horse and jockey, but it’s all about striking that delicate balance. The rider and their mount need to be comfortable, but the sport is all about finishing faster than anyone else, so the crucial element of speed has to be combined.
As technology continues to move forward, it’s likely that we will see even more advancements in saddle design. Horse racing is more popular than ever before, and that popularity shows no signs of slowing down.
Every race is important to those taking part, whether it’s a major meeting or a minor event on a smaller course. Every second counts, and that’s why saddle design is so important. It’s interesting to look back on the history of the saddle, and it will be fascinating to see it evolve moving forward.
