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 Imus 4-Beat Saddle FAQs from Circle Y
Q: Why does the gaited horse benefit from the 4-Beat Saddle?
A: Fitting gaited horses for a saddle is almost as much art as it is science. A rigid tree rarely is a good fit. Even when it seems to fit like a glove when the horse is standing still, the horse's back and shoulders change dramatically as its gait action is transferred up through its loins and back. When a horse is gaiting, every single foot moves independently of every other foot. This requires an usual degree of flexibility across the back, loins, and shoulders. If a saddle has no flexibility, then the back action is restricted, ans so is the gait. When a horse goes from an uncomfortable, rigid tree saddle to an appropriately made flexible tree saddle, the change is amazing! In addition to the flexible tree, the shock-absorbing Supracor skirt padding and 3/4 position rigging create a saddle that perfectly complements the gaited horse by allowing freedom of movement.
Q: What are the weight and measurements of the 4-Beat saddle? My horse has a very short back.
A: The Western style 4-Beat with a 15" seat weights 24 lbs. It's about 1lb. more per added seat size. Length of saddle on a 15" seat would be 12", front to back, with an additional inch of length for each additional length of seat. However, the saddle fits over the TOP of the wither and shoulder, which means it will not be too long for even an extremely short back horse. The cantle is 4".
Q: What colors and styles are available?
A: We've designed the Imus 4-Beat saddle to be as beautiful as it is functional and comfortable. It is available with or without a horn, with Western fenders or English stirrup leathers, in Rich Pecan or True Black. It boasts simple but classic signature 4-Beat hand tooling and rounded skirt leathers. We use full grain leather through out that is heavy enough to guarantee decades of trouble-free wear, light enough to be easy to handle, and offers and relatively short break-in-period.
Q: What type of pad do I use with the Imus 4-Beat saddle?
A: With premium Supracor padding built right under the bars of the tree, we recommend a light, thin pad.
Q: How do I know if I need a wide tree or a standard tree?
A: Most horses will not need a wide tree. Unless your horse is very barrel shped, has mutton wither, or has broad shoulders and back like a Quarter horse, a standard tree should suffice.
Q: Does your saddle have a flexible tree?
A: We use a tree system that has truly flexible bars--think of a material like a hard rubber tire with enough body to offer support but enough flexibility for comfortable movement. The pommel and cantle of the tree consist of wood to give the saddle stability from side to side. This prevents the saddle from rolling too freely back and forth, pinching the horse, or from allowing the saddle bars to collapse under the rider's weight.
Q: Where should the Imus 4-Beat Saddle rest on the horse?
A: The Imus 4-Beat Saddle is designed to fit forward over the horse's wither and shoulder, reather than in the spot just behind the back of the scapula. This places the rider in a lsightly less veritcal seat position, more in the back of the saddle, than what is common today. Because of this poisitoning and flexible bars, the saddle cannot interfere with the action of the shoulder--a common saddle fitting problem often not recognized.
Q: How does the rider sit in an Imus 4-Beat saddle?
A: To further enhance the correct seat position and to take pressure off the rider's knees, the free swinging stirrups are placed an inch more forward than usual. This riding position has long been promoted by some equestrians as being superior to the typical head/hips/ankles alignment that is currently a popular belief. The 4-Beat's overall design and positioning places the rider exactly over the horse's center of gravity, in spite of the less rigidly upright seat position. Though it sometimes requires a short ride or two to adjust to this position, it is a fun and unique riding experience when both the horse and the rider are comfortable, and when riders experience the pleasure (often for the first time) of truly being one with the horse.
Placement of the Imus 4-Beat Saddle
The placement of the saddle OVER the shoulders allows complete freedom of movement and places the rider where the horse has the largest weight-bearing area. The angles of the bars are designed to cup the shoulder with very little or no contact. The flexible tree combined with Supracor padding allow the horse's shoulders complete freedom of movement.
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Horse Saddle Shop Inc., All Rights Reserved. Prices are in U.S. currency and subject to change without notice.
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