# What is saddle seat?



## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

What is saddle seat? I know this may be a silly question, but i have heard this term used alot (in posts and videos from overseas) I'm from Australia and i dont hear about it very often. i may just be sitting under a rock  but im curious to know what this means.

THANKS!!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

A type of riding, like English or Western.

What is Saddle Seat Riding?


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

equiniphile said:


> A type of riding, like English or Western.
> 
> What is Saddle Seat Riding?


 
Again thats very helpful


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

It is also refered to as flat seat. I am attaching a picture of a saddle


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

Saddleseat is basically a type of saddle used for horses with very high withers. It is very cut back in the gullet. Wide saddle flaps for a farther back leg position.

The thing about Saddleseat riding is that it is used on multiple breeds that do their own thing. This type of saddle can be used to show Morgans who show at the normal paces or for Saddlbreds and TWH while they gait.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

GeminiJumper said:


> Saddleseat is basically a type of saddle used for horses with very high withers. It is very cut back in the gullet. Wide saddle flaps for a farther back leg position.


It has nothing to do with the horses withers. It is simply a style of riding.


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## HorseFahj (Jul 19, 2011)

Saddleseat in a nutshell is where the judge judges the horse's gaits. There are Equitation classes too though. The rider sits in a much deeper seat and high head carriage is encouraged. Typically gaited horses such as Saddlebreds and Morgans are used.


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## Fudgelove (Jul 10, 2011)

My best friend rides saddleseat and is very good! Her user name is "redd46" if you would like to ask her for a in-depth response. The horses who are ridden in that disipline pick up their feet very high (action) and are usually Saddlebreds, Standerdbreds, Morgans and gaited horses. At shows horses show off their beautiful long tails that are wrapped in vet wrap below the tailbone for saftey and flowy manes. For this type of riding a very flat saddle called a saddle seat saddle is used along with a double bridle. At these kind of shows an oregon is traditionally played in the classes which are similar to any EQ or pleasure class. There are two types of regualr saddle seat riding (non-gaited horses) classic and park. Park horses are very fun to watch because they have a ton of action! 







Park Horse


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

I don't believe Standardbreds are used in saddleseat riding.

They have their own racing.


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## SaddleDragon (Sep 20, 2010)

GeminiJumper said:


> I don't believe Standardbreds are used in saddleseat riding.
> 
> They have their own racing.


Thats like saying tbs cant be hunters....they have racing. Many breeds do saddleseat. I prefer a saddlebreds, but morgans, arabs, TWH, etc all excell at it. Even the friesians and drafts do saddleseat.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Arabs also do ss. 

The saddle is called a cutback saddle because the front is cutback to accommodate the typically high-withered horses that use the saddle. It's also measured much larger because the rider sits farther back on the saddle. 

There are more than 2 classes of ss riding - in the arab circuit anyway. Country pleasure is the lowest with knee action slightly below parallel. English pleasure is in the middle with at or slightly above parallel knee action. Park is the third with consistently above parallel knee action. By parallel, I mean action of the knee so that the forearm is parallel to the ground. The most noticeable difference in the class pattern is that the horses are never asked to canter from a trot or to trot from a canter. There is a strong trot which is the biggest trot and the one most associated with this style of riding. When turning around, they always turn to the outside, not the inside. All of this is from the class a arab circuit. Other breeds may be different.

The long tails are desired because, with the speed these horses are moving, the tails flow behind them and shorter tails look even shorter. 

The riding style has 2 origins. The first the plantation owners in the south. This way they had a horse comfortable to ride around the fields all day, but showy enough to ride into town. The second was for the elite in england to show off their flashy horses on their rides through the park. Hence, park classes. 

The rider sits very differently compared to almost all other disciples. There is a slight chair seat because the rider sits back in the saddle and the stirrup bars are set farther forward in the saddle. Notice I said a slight chair seat. Many people just assume this means to throw their legs forward. That's not the case. The hands are held high with the elbow making a 90 degree angle. The whole look is about being as flashy, showy, and - for lack of a better word - pompous/arrogant as possible. 

They're all very high energy classes with loud music, and lots of audience yelling, whistling, cheering, and general noise making.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## auTBrider (Feb 6, 2011)

SEAmom said:


> Arabs also do ss.
> 
> The saddle is called a cutback saddle because the front is cutback to accommodate the typically high-withered horses that use the saddle. It's also measured much larger because the rider sits farther back on the saddle.
> 
> ...


 
Thank you very much that answers all my questions  sounds like a lot of fun actually


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