TERMINOLOGY

Parts of the saddle:

Knee roll:  On the front of the sweat flap on cc and ap saddles; runs the length of the front of the sweat flap.

Pencil knee roll: As above, but thin.

Knee block:  On the top of the sweat flap above your knee; usually a short triangular shape.

Calf block:  On the rear of the sweat flap on some close contact and all purpose saddles.

Thigh block:  On the front of the sweat flap on dressage saddles, may run the length of the front of the flap; can be tapered or straight.

Gullet:  Area under the head (front, pommel) of the saddle.

Channel:  Space between the panels.

Mono-flap:  Saddle with one single flap (see photo below).

Flap strap:  The strap on the bottom of the flap, either buckles to the girth or to itself.  Pretty common on older models of dressage saddles, now rarely seen (except on the Bates and Wintec Isabell).

Overlay billets:  External billets that lie on top of a monoflap saddle’s flap:

Flocked panel- wool (or synthetic fiber) is ‘stuffed’ into the panel. These panels are often the softest of all the panels and break in quite quickly and can be adjusted by adding, shifting, or removing wool. .

Swiss panel:  Wool flocking encased in felt.  These panels can be adjusted by flocking, though not to the degree a plain flocked panel can.

French panel:  Foam encased in felt.  Can only be adjusted with pads and shims.

Foam panel:  Plain foam.  As with the French panel, these can only be adjusted with pads and shims.

Independent panels:  Usually on close contact saddles; each panel is a separate unit.  Many saddles have panels that are joined at the cantle and under the pommel.

Integrated panels:  Panel is sewn into the sweat flap.

Gusseted panel:  Panel with a triangle-shape piece of leather sewn into the side of the panel under the cantle (outlined in green).  This panel is often the best choice for a flatter-backed horse.

Plain panel:  Panel without a gusset.  Often a good choice for a horse with a more curved back.

Swing or sliding billet – Rear billet attached by a ring to a nylon strap; this strap is attached at both ends to the saddle tree, creating a “V”.

Point Billet:  Billet attached to point of saddle tree

Centimeter measurements (for those saddles that have them):  Every saddle co. measures its saddles in a different place.  A 30 cm. Stubben, a 30 cm. Prestige and a 30 cm. Duett will all be different sizes.  We give a general idea of the tree width (medium, medium-wide, etc.) in each saddle’s description.

Definitions of condition:

“Fair”:  Well-worn but still useable.  May have some staining, scratches, cracked leather, or loose stitching; may need reflocking or minor repairs (which will be noted in the description).  Great starter saddles, often older models of quality saddles.

”Good”:  Serviceably sound in leather, stitching and flocking, with normal wear, color fading and marks on flaps, seat and billets.  Saddle may have a ding, scratch or surface cracking of the leather that is cosmetic and does not affect the integrity of the saddle.  Saddle has seen the equivalent of  4 or more years’ worth of use.

Very good:  Well broken in, showing a little fading or wear; a saddle that has been well cared for and has seen the equivalent of  2 - 4 years’ worth of use.

“Excellent”:  Just broken in, with leather and stitching showing very little wear.  Flocking not lumpy or uneven, no color fading, no scratches or dings.

“Demo”:  Saddle has had a few rides and may have light rubs on flaps or marks on billets.