Equestrian Sports and how women have historically held their own with saddles designed for men

[Sinamin]

I've been riding since I was three and to me a saddle was just a saddle (as long as it fitted the horse) until I read an article a few years ago which was a real eye opener.

Possibly today's top female equestrians are benefitting from saddles designed for women but Marion Mould (née Coakes) and all of the top women riders of my youth including the amazing Ann Moore and Princess Anne were competing on saddles designed for men and were still winning.

I think this says so much about how equestrian women just got on with it in one of the very few sports that they could compete in as equals to men, even though they were starting with a great disadvantage that they were probably completely unaware of.

https://holistichorse.com/health-care/saddle-fit-for-women/

https://www.womenandhorses.com/saddles-for-women.html

https://fitrightsaddlesolutions.com/female-saddles

https://schleese.com/why-schleese/

I rode a lot as a child & teenager and had no idea about saddles being shaped on a male pelvis. Thank you for sharing.

Makes complete sense the same as car seats & steering wheels are designed for male geometry, running shoes for women are nearly always built on a shrunken male last, and all the various ways we use “unisex” equipment that’s actually built for a male shape.

@Kissedbyfire1 and @tattychicken

I owe you both a massive apology,

I am so so sorry. I was so focused on trying to get across how well female riders have historically done even with male designed kit and it made me rude and horrible to you both and it is inexcusable.

I hope that the thread is still interesting for you both and that I haven't totally spoiled it.

Seat belts! Have to be male designed.

Twist width definitely has an impact, I know a few women who ise the Heather Moffett seat saver as that helps.

Yes, as females make up the most riders it seems to make sense to cater to them ... until you realise there's a profit to be made by selling female ergo saddles at a higher price point. If you own/loan a horse you're going to buy a number of saddles over the years, why would manufacturers give away a selling point that they can charge for.

For it being news, any half decent saddle fitter should be discussing this with you when fitting a saddle...

Side saddles typically have a wider flatter seat more suitable for a female pelvis but that is incidental rather than intentional due to the different design and riding position.

The fact that historically women didn't ride aside will have contributed to saddles being designed around male anatomy but the male as default human was also a factor.