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What's Going on Inside your Saddle?

Panel Fillings

Let me preface this entire article with the comment that a correctly fitting saddle should need no saddle pad – these are sometimes merely expedients to poorly fitting saddles, whereas their function should be merely to protect the panel leather from the sweat of your horse! In previous articles (see the anatomy series) we have discussed the need for a 30:40:30 pressure ratio, and also that the saddle should not bridge. In order to accomplish both of these objectives we have to look at what the saddle is ‘stuffed’ or ‘flocked’ with and how that flocking can be utilized to fit the horse.

There are several different types of filler that can be used in saddles, depending on the discipline, the budget, and personal preference. The first type of filler prevalent in the majority of quality English saddles is wool stuffing, which allows for easier adjustment of the panel bottom to fit a particular horse. However, here the caveat is that the material needs to be the correct mixture of wool and synthetic fibers to ensure “give”. Over the years, we have found an amazing array of materials used as filler inn saddle panels when we have had them in for re-adjustment, including thread rests, cotton batting, crumpled newspaper, and even old socks! Obviously, all of these defeat the purpose of having a smooth, lump-free panel bottom. Think of how sensitive your foot is to the tiniest pebble underneath it, and it will give you some idea of how your horse feels the lumps and bumps in a saddle panel on its back! (Kind of like the "princess and the pea" syndrome).

Originally, before the synthetic blend arrived on the scene, your saddle would have been flocked with a deer hair/ horse hair/ wool mixture. Pure wool or ‘natural’ wool will lump or ball up too easily, and it doesn’t retain “springiness”. There are actual companies whose sole product is this wool/synthetic composite for saddleries around the world. It is the only filler which will retain the spring and shape so that your horse’s back never gets that ‘wrinkled sock’ feeling.

When a saddle’s stuffing is worked on, the panel should always be thoroughly inspected to make sure it has a smooth, even feeling. Often when a saddle has not been reflocked in a long time the panel needs to be completely removed and the wool mix properly distributed. Though this is not always a necessity, when a restuffing is done without removing the panel the correct saddler tools should be used to prevent damage to the leather itself.

The next two types of panel fillings can be dealt with (and dismissed) rather quickly, since the applications are rather limited. Rubber (foam) or felt panels are usually found in hunter/jumper type saddles, or less expensive saddles, and are incorporated into saddles that are often used on more than one horse. Any discrepancies in fit are addressed with the use of pads – keyhole pads, sheepskin pads, etc. Unfortunately, if a saddle tree is too tight across the withers, a pad will only exacerbate the problem, which is why we preach complete saddle fit above all – in the panel, the gullet, and the tree width. With felt or foam panels, the saddle either fits or it doesn’t, because of the non-adjustable nature of the filler. Because these fillers are usually used on saddles with a wooden tree and a non-adjustable gullet plate, you have to make sure from the start that the saddle will fit the horse for which it is intended. It is possible for a qualified saddler to change either of these into the more user-friendly wool or air stuffing, however, it is always advisable to start with an adjustable flocking when purchasing a new saddle.

Another type of filler which has much more recently hit the market is the Air panel system - your saddle flocked with air. This is one of the newer innovations in saddle flocking – and there are two prevailing types available to the consumer. One of them is a generic “pre-fit” (i.e., pre-inflated), which may or may not work on a particular horse. The other is adjustable to the horse and rider when the saddle is actually being sat in. Unfortunately, with the first type you are in a similar situation as with the rubber or foam panels: no adjustability. If the rider chooses air panels, we tend to be proponents of the latter, which is sold under the “Flair®” name. Air bags can be incorporated into any saddle after the fact. It has been proven that in jumping, a horse can recover its stride 7 times faster with the Flair® panel and a tree that fits than with conventional wool panels and the traditional wood tree. However, the biggest plus has to be the fact that the saddle cannot bridge. Because of the way the bags are designed the air is able to flow through the saddle panel keeping a smooth even contact without and lumps, bumps, or bridging. Not only that, but you never have to have your saddle reflocked, although you should have it examined to maintain proper fit and the right amount of air in the panels.

It is always recommended to have a saddler check your saddle fit at least once a year and at this time a certified Flair® technician can also check your air to make sure everything is in working order. Like any system, the Flair® is not for every horse and every rider. It does give a different feel with which some riders aren’t comfortable. Occasionally the freedom from pressure allows the horse to achieve such bounce in its strides, that the rider finds it impossible to sit properly. But it is definitely worth sitting in saddle with Flair® to experience the feeling.

Important: Air panels will only work effectively if the tree has been correctly adjusted for the horse’s conformation.

Panel filler is just one of the considerations to do with fitting a saddle panel on your horse. You have to think of length of panel, width of your gullet (space between the panels under the saddle), panel wedges or gussets, etc. However, filler is definitely one of the most important things to think about. A smooth even panel equals a
smooth even ride. So flip your saddle over and have a look to see how your saddle measures up!