The Western Hybrid Equitation Saddle has a unique design that combines the appearance of a Western saddle with the lightweight features of a Dressage saddle. This saddle allows the horse to move in its natural biomechanical frame while allowing the rider to sit in a relaxed shoulder-hip-heel position. 

Unlike the underside of a traditional Western saddle, on the left, which can’t be adjusted for the horse's asymmetry, our version of our Western Hybrid saddle, on the right, has wool panels that can be flocked to address that asymmetry.

When a saddle is adjusted to allow the rider to sit evenly on their sitting bones in the center of the horse’s back, their horse will develop equal muscling on each side of their frame. The result will allow the horse to track evenly with their hind legs - notice footfalls to the right of the left sketch - two-tracking.

However, when the saddle is not flocked correctly to address the asymmetry of the horse’s back, the rider will be forced to sit on the strong side of the horse, creating physical compensation with both the horse and the rider. Eventually, the horse will be forced to three-track, as shown by the inward rotation of the right hind, which is the horse’s reaction to help carry the weight of the rider sitting on the left side of their back. 

Almost all Western saddles, to the left, place the rider against the back of the saddle or the saddle’s cantle.   Not only does the rider represent ’dead’ weight to their horse, but communicating their aids becomes almost impossible. 

In Dressage, the rider's position is vital. By sitting in the saddle’s center, the rider can represent a ‘live’ weight to the horse. This removes the stress from her knees and lower back and enhances her communication with the horse, leading to a more harmonious ride.

For the horse carrying the rider's weight on its lower back, the left sketch will hollow its back, create tension in its poll and jaw, and prevent the horse from correctly articulating its pelvis—the energy required to build the strength of its top line muscle group, longissimus dorsi.

When the horse can carry the rider closer to their shoulder, the right sketch creates relaxation for both the horse and rider.

What prevents the rider from sitting behind the motion, as shown to the right on the left picture, is the ability to adjust the rider’s leg position with our 5-position adjustable stirrup bars, which we install in our Dressage, Jumping, and even our Western Equitation saddle.

In addition to changing the position of the stirrups, the saddle's fender is also adjustable, as shown in the above picture—from the full position required for most men to the ‘centerfire’ position for women with disproportionally longer femurs and upper legs in relation to their lower legs.

All of our saddle fitters have been trained to identify the correct and compensating musculature of the horse and supporting tendons and ligaments. Because our saddles have wool panels, they can be flocked to address the asymmetries that, to some degree, all horses have. Adjustments to the saddle ensure the horse can move in its natural biomechanical frame and allow the rider to communicate their aids in a relaxed position.  

We have tried to make our saddles look like the traditional Western Saddle but have used the qualities of the Dressage saddle to make it more functional for both horse and rider:

· Very soft and rich Italian leather.

· Lightweight - they only have a single skirt.

· Narrow twist.

·  5-position adjustable stirrup bars.

· Wool panels that can be adjusted for the asymmetry of the horse.

· Four different tree sizes.            

·Our Western Hybrid saddle comes in 8 different colors, of which two can be used if the seat, leather, or suede is requested.

Our Western Hybrid saddle sizing differs from what you would typically require for a traditional Western saddle because we use a dressage tree, and the sizing meets those requirements.

If we don’t have a Western saddle in stock, we can have one made and delivered in 6-8 weeks. 

       We have saddle fitters throughout the East Coast and the Midwest, and we are looking for more individuals to train to cover additional areas. The best part? In-depth training on saddle-fitting plus horse and human anatomy will be provided to you, completely free of charge, as a token of our appreciation for your interest. 

                    For more information on our products and services, please call us at (224) 447-5414 or Email us at conradreupert@gmail.com            

Manufactured by  CG REUPERT GmbH     Frankfort, Germany