• This question is easy to answer. Experts tell us that approximately 80 to 90% – perhaps even more – of all horses have back problems. Unqualified riders may cause some of the problem, but the overwhelming majority are due to ill-fitting saddles. Some riders may think this figure too high, but this is probably because many riders are completely unaware of the problems their horses are suffering from. Saddle pressure is still often equated with the appearance of white hair, swelling, edema and dry spots.

• By the time these symptoms appear, saddle pressure limits may already have been exceeded and irrevocable damage already been done to the horse’s tissue. Saddle pressure begins much earlier. To recognize it (and to be willing to recognize it), the rider must observe the horse and judge its actions and reactions. A little prodding and probing of the horse’s body will give the best chance of finding and localizing problems. This procedure of physical palpation is far more advantageous than anything on the market. It is more accurate and economical than any computer measurement. It is easy too. It is hands on, right now, right there with your horse.

• To find a real solution, one must deal with the root of the problem. We begin with purely theoretical considerations about the effects of an inflexible object, like a saddle on a horse’s very agile back. Logically, how can we expect that a stiff object such as a saddle be able to fit a free moving horses back?

Let us take a close look at the dynamics of this rigid tree saddle.

When your horse turns, one side becomes shorter and the other longer. A conventional saddle cannot adapt to this movement, and this results in increased pressure at certain points.

A horse with its head lowered has a relatively straight spine. As with a horse that move down hill, more pressure is place on the front edges of a conventional saddle.

• But this is only the movement problem. Problems actually begin much earlier. They begin with the fact that horse backs come in an infinite number of shapes, with different shoulders, different withers, different muscle structure, etc. This is why the saddle industry has produced so many different saddle tree patterns (about 8-15), nearly all ready-made sizes. But will these ready-made tree sizes really fit your horse? Take a look at how many different horse types you can see in the pastures, regardless of whether they are all the same breed or not. Can you really believe a saddle or saddle tree manufacturer could provide for all that variation?

• Now that we have established the fundamental variation in horse backs, we still have the problem of how the shape of a horse changes with movement. And, finally, the same horse is continuously changing over the course of its life! As the result of growth, aging, training, conditioning, feeding, etc. its contours are constantly evolving.

• This last point alone means you need to alter a production saddle or acquire a new one six to twelve times over the course of a horse’s life. A very costly matter indeed.

• If all of this was not bad enough, another structural problem now arises, the pressure load on the horse’s body resulting from the rider’s weight. From medicine, we know that pressure of more than 105 grams per square centimeter [24 oz. per square inch] damages and can destroy organic tissue. Let's take a look for example at an English saddle: an average English saddle has a supporting surface on the horse’s body of approximately 440 square centimeters [27 square inches]. Now, we put another 75 kg [165 lb.] onto the saddle – the rider. This gives us a load of 170 grams per square centimeter [39 oz. per square inch]. Acceleration, gravitation, etc may at least double this value during movement, producing a load of 340 g/cm² [78 oz. per square inch].

• Let's repeat this sample calculation with a western saddle. An average western saddle has a supporting surface of 620 cm² [96 sq. in.]. Let's take our 75-kg rider again, giving us a load of 121 g/cm² [28 oz. per square inch], or 242 g/cm² [55 oz. per square inch] during movement. These values are valid for contact over 100% of the supporting area. As we know however, the horse alters its shape during movement, making this 100% completely impossible to attain. Even if you add at least 1/4 to the load, your calculations will still be very much skewed in favor of the saddle. Now, think back to that 105-gram [24 oz.] limit once again.
   

• So for review, any activity that involves concussion (jumping, posting, etc,) will effectively double or even triple the rider's weight. What is that doing to our pound per square inch? Are we causing damage? The only way to know is by palpation.

So What Is the Solution to All These Problems?

• An adjustable saddle (bars & gullet)? Well yes, not such a bad idea but here again it would still be subject to the basic constraints of fitting it to the horse. Also, any adjustment reaches a limit at some point, not to mention that in this case the "normal rider" is always dependent on assistance from others (saddle dealers). In addition, we did not want something that is calibrated but something that changes continuously. First, because there are almost infinite variations among horses, but also because these variations are gradual and not divided into standardized sizes. These comments also apply of course to these interesting variations of "saddle systems" that work with individually added padding.

• Custom made saddles? On the basis of all these considerations, we rejected the idea of custom-made saddles from the beginning. Even a custom-made saddle can only in the best-case scenario, fit the horse 100% in a standing position, and then only with respect to the horse’s present state.

• A treeless saddle? Also not such a great idea. With this, there is no need to take the traditional fit parameters into account. But there remains the problem of uneven, selective weight distribution. And the added problem of the pressure load on the spiny processes, because a treeless "saddle" cannot keep this area clear.

A saddle in which the supporting surface is independent of the saddle tree, automatically conforms to the greatest variety of horses, is able to adapt to the horse during movement, and is large enough to distribute the weight over an area that is more than sufficient.

Thus the purpose of a saddle...  To offer the rider support while distributing the riders weight over a large surface area.

• This was the beginning of the various systems that revolutionized the panel saddle.  With the System X  there is a strong, inflexible tree as a "chassis" to give the rider the desired stability. Mounts are attached to this tree to connect it to the panels. These mounts are shaped to allow the panel to move in all three dimensions (up, down, side-to-side)– independently of the tree! In order to guarantee that the weight is distributed over the whole panel, we have chosen a material that is very smooth and flexible - Delrin. At the same time, it is strong enough to distribute the force over the entire surface. This was very important, because only in this way will it work as a whole. Of course, there are many saddles "out there" that resemble these panels, where the panels give way in the front and behind, but they are not really able to actually distribute the weight. All other saddles – whether flexible or traditional – have one thing in common: you ride these saddles on the bars of the saddle tree, which is the source of the problems. 

• This is a cross section showing the panel construction. You can see that it has a multi-layered structure. This is very important, because only in this way is it possible to distribute the load over the entire surface. A single-layer panel, as found under other flexible panel saddles, is flexible only in the ends. It looks nice, but it doesn’t distribute the rider’s weight. You ride such saddles – like any other saddle – on the bars of the saddle tree. If connected with joints, a single-layered panel could even have disastrous effects. The joints could push through and cause uneven loads in certain places. With our saddles, the tree and supporting surface are independent. Although panel and tree form one unit, they are isolated from each other. This means that the supporting surface on the horse can assume a shape quite different from the shape of the tree

With the panel now perfected, the mounting insert or how it is connected to the saddle tree is critical in the articulation of the panel.  The insert design of the System X operates as a true ball and socket or ball bearing.  This combined with the specially designed radius of the washer delivers pure fluidly of motion to the panel so that it can conform to the different widths of the horse. The panel thus independently produces the classic fit parameters like gullet width, flair, twist, rocker, etc. The flexibility of the material also helps it to further nestle against every curve.

State of the art technology

In the front area,¹ the panel is built in the form of slats. This permits an extra soft shoulder rotation. The slats extend as far as the withers area,² so horses with extremely wide withers never feel too much pressure on this area.

The second layer of the panel³ overlaps with the slats from the first layer. This permits a transfer of the forces to the subsequent layer and also a simultaneous distribution to the center of the panel.

The remaining course⁴ of the panel construction guarantees an optimal distribution over the entire surface. The distribution thus takes place in several "stages." In this way, we for example prevent leverage on the panel from causing excess pressure on the opposite side for horses with very wide shoulder areas. This gives us an even fluid distribution of forces. Through the choice of different material strengths for each layer, we also avoid the possibility of partially appearing pressure points.

Also developed is a particular design for each layer in the rear area⁵ as well. This special shape guarantees an optimal weight distribution over the entire panel – even in the middle.

The Saddle Trees 

Just because we have a great panel and mounting system does not assure that it will perform correctly on your horse or mule. We took great pride to find a saddle tree maker who would custom make each of our saddletrees to our panels specifications. Remember that a traditional rigid saddle tree is designed to offer the rider support while distributing the riders weight evenly over the horses back. However, in our case, the  Evolutionary Saddles' ä  tree is designed to offer the rider support and then is especially designed - not for the horses back, but for the System X panel.  It is this panel that will bend and flex enabling the saddle to distribute the riders weight evenly over a moving horse's back. Having a saddle tree too thick, too straight and too narrow - not to mention crooked, will not allow the System X to perform properly.  Having a tree too wide, too heavy, and weak also raises havoc with the rider and life time performance of the saddle. 

The saddle trees are designed for the panel - not the horse!  The panels are not designed for the saddle tree - as so many are.  This panel is designed so that it will fit the horse and it is the tree that must be designed fit the panel. 

Below are two examples of trees from another manufacture - look how inconsistent the trees are!  To thick and the panel will not perform, too thin and you don't have a saddle tree that will last.

After a very diligent search for perfection we were led to The Precision Saddle Tree Company.

  Using modern technology not previously employed by the saddle tree industry, Precision Saddle Tree Manufacturing is able to deliver quality and uniform trees. They use only the best material. Tradition is disregarded when these superior, modern materials are available. Precisely engineered designs and hands-on production ensure quality saddle trees that last a lifetime.
About The Precision in the Precision Saddle Tree. 
Precision Saddle Tree Company uses Three-Dimensional Scanners and Computer Aided Design (CAD) software to engineer parts that are cut on Computer Number Controlled (CNC) Machines. This equipment allows parts to be produced that are precisely the same each and every time. The right bar is a mirror image of the left bar. The right side of the swell is identical to the left side. This unmatched precision allows the tree parts fit perfectly together (i.e. without the use of fillers), providing greater strength and the highest level of consistency in the industry. Once these precision parts are cut, a jig is created for each tree style. These parts are then assembled in this jig to deliver the same precision to which the parts were cut. 

The saddle trees are made with Ponderosa Pine followed by a fiber glass strainer or ground seat and then two different type tree coverings are applied. The first covering consists of hand-laid fiberglass that is wrapped on the horn, swell, bars and cantle and topped with a clear coat resin.  The second covering is made using a product called DURAhide™, which is sprayed over the fiberglass. 

What is Fiberglass?  Fiberglass is a woven cloth that provides great strength and durability when layered with a resin to form a hardened composite.  This cloth is applied by hand and has greater tensile strength than steel wire of the same diameter, at a lower weight.

 What is DURAhide™?  DURAhide™ is a polyurea elastomer that is specifically formulated as a high performance coating designed to prevent damage from moisture, corrosion, abrasion, weather and wear.  This material is not only an effective sealer, but adds strength to your tree.  DURAhide™ carries a tensile strength of 2300-2500 lbs psi @ 75F.  DURAhide™) withstands temperatures from minus 50 to plus 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In conclusion, Precision Saddle Tree Company is a stable company who is able to offer the best saddletree in today’s industry and that carries a lifetime warrantee. (Upper right tree has encased panels on and rigging)

NOW FOR: The Dinning room table test
 

Variable Girth system:  Naturally these saddles will have the dropped cross-center fire ring rigging, eliminating bulk under your thigh and allowing you to adjust your girth placement up to six inches in either direction. We also are proud to introduce our new Slide n’ Lock rigging. This rigging is twice the strength, weighs a pound less and is the easiest to use. It also allows you to moderately adjust your rigging to your girth and pad length. Saving the expense of purchasing multiple cinches. With either rigging you can have Full, 7/8th, 3/4, centered and anywhere in-between. You have it all plus some, with this rigging. All forthcoming saddles will have the new, Slide and Lock rigging.

Production Details: Distance, leisure and western saddles all have a tab "girth keepers" on the saddles for attaching your girth when your saddle is not in use. On the English and Endurance saddle models that have English rigging will come standard with the girth and stirrup strap that you can hook-up your stirrups so your shins will not get banged when carrying your saddle. With your saddle you can choose (If available for your particular model) between the comfortable standard seat containing 1/2 inch of neoprene or select the soft-seat.  The soft-seat is comprised of two materials, first is the 1/4 inch of neoprene padding followed by 3/4 inch of thick foam that is ergonomically sculpted for the riders butt.  This special high density (HR #26) foam, not only has best spring-back, but the longest life expectancy (20 years plus) in the industry. There are some points to consider when deciding to select this option-with the Soft Seat.  First, you will lose some of the room that the saddle has to offer for your rear-end - so if you are between sizes use this to help gauge your seat size. Secondly when you select the Soft Seat, you will lose a bit of the "pocket" to sit down in, (since the extra padding is now there for your rear-end and /or your bone-y butt bones). Lastly, with the Soft Seat, the saddle will have a bit of a narrower twist. The twist is the part that is between your thighs (your crotch area). Therefore, if you like a narrower twist, have a bony butt or need a smaller seat size, adding the extra padding of the Soft Seat is key.

Stitching and Edging: We strive to make every detail as perfect as the next.  We use twist thread #207 with # 24 matching needle and never less than 6 stitches per inch. We then make sure every piece of leather is edged, burnished, died and waxed.  Quality is just that.  QUALITY.

• Border Tooling: Available.

• Stirrup Hanger Bar:  All English and endurance saddles will come standard with a 3-position hanger bar. This allows the rider to select one of three setting for exact leg position. 

New and improved is our Stainless Steel hanger bracket that soon will be standard on all saddles that take English leathers.

• Hardware: The hardware is all stainless steel unless brass is selected. Saddles come with all of the necessary fittings, (breast, crupper and accessory D-rings)  The type and number of fittings varies according to saddle model and rider request. Western saddles will all have strings as standard.  Silver is also available.

• The leather: The leather used is grade A, top and full grain hides (the highest quality on the market) and is purchased from US tanneries, using US grown hides. Only the Garment leather is imported, as that process has now gone overseas.  As for the color of leather, we have two color selections, a Havana or dark brown and Black.  These selections can be altered to offer the rider a two tone saddle, such as a brown saddle with a black seat. Now, in many western saddles and tack, no dye is used and the leather is left natural with oils such as peanut, olive, animal fats etc., used to darken it to a honey or amber color.  However these un-dyed saddles will continually change to a darker color when exposed to sunlight, cleaning, elements of the weather and the daily wear of riding. The saddle in time will not be recognizable as the same saddle color you purchased as every mud and sweat spot will show. The seat and leg area of your saddle will also become several shades darker than the rest of your saddle.  This inconsistency in color is unacceptable to us and therefore not offered in our line of saddles.    Click here  for a photo showing five NEW saddles in this light oil color and how the same color can vary directly from the tannery/manufacture.    

• Price, Performance, Quality: The saddle will come standard the amazing System X panels. The panels are made and assembled in the United States, as are the saddletrees. All those little details that were overlooked or deemed unimportant, using inferior materials by shoddy builders are a thing of the past. Tauer Manufacturing cannot be more excited and proud, for it is here that you will find the best quality functional saddle at an affordable price. Evolutionary Saddles™, are engineered to fit horses and mules. Automatically these saddles address gullet size, twist, flare, and rocker, while distributing the rider’s weight, allowing for complete freedom of movement for the back and shoulders. Regardless of shape or size, this system flexes to fit.

Just how are those panels put on? To mount the panel, whether it is encased in a leather skirt with fleece on the bottom side or in the vinyl zippered encasement,  You will see a small hole or slit in the under side of the panel.  This is where an Allen tool is used to enter the panel to reach the bolt for the panel's attachment to the specialized mount that has been drilled into saddle tree.  This bolt is counter sunk and enclosed in the panel among the various layers of backer foam.

1.  Is the System X Evolutionary saddle ä a synthetic, flexible saddle?  No the Evolutionary System X is a high quality, all leather saddle with a solid wood tree, which is guaranteed for 10 years. This system is sometimes confused with treeless, sport or other flexible saddles because the name indicates a flexible panel system. But this saddle is NOT a treeless saddle or a flexible tree saddle.

2.   Is the System X saddle just a "knock - off" of other flex panel saddles? No, it is not a knock-off. This is an entirely new system and is not anything like the other flexible Delrin panel saddles. True, this new system design is based on an older original idea and true, this system uses Delrin in the building process, but the way the Delrin is cut, shaped, layered and assembled using advanced technology puts this panel in a class of it’s own. To get into this classification, stainless steel/nickel rivets are used to hold the various layers of Delrin together thus creating the unique progressive loading for weight distribution. Both the backing and the padding layers are cut to match all of the finger cuts in the Delrin panel – allowing for complete panel performance. The slide plate, as well as the washer are of stainless steel eliminating any rusting issues in the future, with the insert of steel allowing it to rust ever so perfectly securing a strong hold within the saddle tree. This combination of materials attached to a specifically designed saddle tree for the best panel function, is what makes this system so easy to use and maintain and, in fact, makes it so different it is in a class of its own.

3.   What is Delrin and how does this make this saddle different? Early in 1950 research director and chemist Frank C McGrew developed a tough and heat resistant material he called "synthetic stone." During the years of development, which involved a patent dispute, DuPont patented Delrin® in 1956. Delrin® (Polyoxymethylene) is an acetal homopolymer resin that is a durable lightweight crystalline plastic, which uses a breakthrough in stabilization technology. It has an excellent balance of desirable properties that bridge the gap between metals and ordinary plastics. This Delrin not only has memory (which allows it to return to it’s natural shape), but also has a unique combination of strength, stiffness, tensile strength, hardness, dimensional stability, toughness, fatigue resistance, solvent and fuel resistance, abrasion resistance, low wear, low friction, creep resistance under a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions, with high fatigue endurance, corrosion resistance and mechanical resilience. Due to these outstanding characteristics Delrin is popular for its versatility within a broad use of industry applications, such as automotive, aerospace, electrical and medical applications.  At our manufacturing facility, this product is cut, assembled and mounted to a saddle tree of very specific proportions to allow maximum performance of this incredible System X panel. In western models of Evolutionary Saddles ä , the flat panel is sandwiched inside the skirts of the saddle. These skirts are mounted so that they spread the rider’s weight over a large area and flex to fit either a horse or mule, whether the animal has a very wide round back or a narrow skinny back. You can actually see the skirts flex as you ride. These skirts do not look different from traditional western skirts. With over 20 years of feed back from earlier systems of panels and saddle designs, they have proven to a horse so much more comfortable. In many cases horses quit displaying behaviors caused by pain from rigid tree saddles, and now perform better than with a traditional saddle that inhibited movement. The very same panels are on the English and Endurance saddles mounted beneath the rigid saddle tree. The difference is these panels are encased in a zippered pouch, which actually gives the panel a softer more flexible feel since there is no added leather skirt.

4.  The Evolutionary Saddles ä System X is designed to make the horse move more freely, but what about the rider? The way the trees are constructed in the Evolutionary Saddles gives the rider a narrower seat which helps prevent hip and knee pain, while also providing a close feel to the horse. The bars of this saddle are very thin allowing the rider’s thighs to get closer to the mule or horse. The trees are thin and functional when made to our specifications, being solid wood reinforced with layers of hand-layered fiberglass cloth then coated with expensive epoxy resin. This allows the trees to be made thin and much lighter in weight than traditional trees without compromising the strength needed even when used for heavy roping. This is why these saddle trees can carry a 10-year warranty. Because the saddle trees are anatomically designed to the rider’s seat they require minimal padding; but if desired, they are available with nearly two inches of extra padding stitched to a correct pattern for incredible comfort during long hours on the trail. The unique way of mounting the rigging removes bulk from under the rider’s leg, which again, keeps knees from becoming strained and hurting. The stirrup leathers are generally narrower than found on traditional saddles and are mounted on the tree in such a way as to allow them to twist and move easily, which also prevents knee, hip and ankle strain. Our saddle models that use traditional one-inch leathers are designed so these leathers can be positioned forward, center and rear to give the rider additional leg positions – a feature not found on other saddles. All of our saddles come with stirrups that have a special pad that absorbs concussion and reduces aching feet. All of these features, plus the spring panels that absorb concussion provide much greater comfort for the rider – as confirmed by 20+ years of feedback. Many people who have arthritis in the back, hips and knees say they can ride much farther and longer in these saddles than in traditional saddles. Heavy weight riders see benefits in all areas due to expanded weight bearing surface area on the horses back, as the panels are sized in proportion to the seat of the saddle, thus providing for a comfortable transfer of rider weight to the horse’s back. This shock absorption is the icing on the cake for the horse and we all are pleasantly surprised that this jarring concussion to the rider is reduced as well.