The short, forward-facing tree points of this gullet plate will not only dig into the trapezius muscle insertion point, but also hit the shoulder cartilage, possibly damaging both areas.
There are so many saddle companies on the market today; it seems that every month another new one is launched. Some of them seem to have ‘gotten it’ and have made some crucial design changes to truly accommodate equine anatomy as per the Saddlefit 4 Life philosophy to at least try to protect the horse from long term back damage, but there are still too many ‘doing it the way it’s always been done’. The materials may have changed from the traditional English spring tree with its riveted gullet and layers of laminated wood to incorporate titanium, polyurethane, or other chemical compositions, but unfortunately some of the changes made (or not made) are not necessarily always positive. Too many tree points are still either too short (digging right into the trapezius) or still facing forward (impacting the sensitive cartilage on the tip of the scapula). Saddle tree points (direction, angle and width) are critical in their impact on equine scapular health.
This photo shows a gullet plate with forward-facing tree points, which impacts the shoulder cartilage even if the saddle is positioned correctly behind the shoulder blade.
Tree points are either forward-facing, straight (perpendicular to the ground) or rear-facing. They are usually relatively long (as in olden days) but some saddleries are now coming out with shortened tree points as their latest innovation. Forward facing tree points have proven detrimental effects to shoulder health. MRIs and fibre optic cameras have shown the cartilage chipping that can occur as scapula rotate upwards and backwards when the horse starts moving. Every time the foreleg is extended (during trot, gallop, and of course simultaneously when jumping) tree points will hit the scapulae, potentially causing damage at the skeletal level. In some countries the manufacture of these saddles with traditional forward facing trees has been banned completely in recognition of the potential damage caused. Read the full article here.
Tree width and angle are just two of the 80 points analyzed in on-site Saddlefit 4 Life® Diagnostic Evaluation. Personal saddle fit sessions include saddle fitting to the biomechanics of movement, horse and rider evaluation, saddle support area analysis, saddle fitting adjustments, recommendations, demonstrations and educational programs by Saddlefit 4 Life®- protecting horse and rider from pain and long-term damage.
www.saddlefit4life.com www.saddlesforwomen.com
~ Jochen Schleese CMS, CSFT, CSE, courtesy of Saddlefit 4 Life
