Muscular development: Advantages of training with the Barefoot saddle system
A good rider in combination with proper training is especially important for the horse's back. In this respect, it doesn’t matter so much what kind of riding style we choose as long as the anatomical and physiological needs of the horse are our main concern. The aim of training must be to enable the horse to carry our weight without harm by building up the correct musculature. Therefore, first and foremost, a saddle horse must learn to arch its back upward. This arching, this flexion of the thoracic spine, opens up the vertebral arch joints, leads to a better blood supply in the muscles and allows the lateral inclination of the upper part of the spine.
However, if the correct movement pattern is prevented by an ill-fitting, rigid saddle or by a rider who is sitting too far back in the saddle, this goal cannot be achieved. The Barefoot saddle positions the rider exactly over the horse's centre of gravity (Vertebrae 9-13) and leaves the rear part of the thoracic spine free where the spinous processes converge (Vertebrae 15-16). This creates an ideal basis for horse-friendly riding.
In combination with correct training methods, the Barefoot saddle sytem promotes muscle development.
Before - After photos after one year of correct riding with a barefoot saddle.
However, the Barefoot saddle system is not an alternative to correct, pressure-free training methods!