03/12/2021
**CENTAUR BIOMECHANICS BLOG SERIES**
IT IS MORE THAN JUST THE RIDER….!
If we just focus on the rider, are we in danger of burying our head in the sand and overlooking the root cause. Here I am referring to saddle slip, there appears to be a belief by some, that the rider is solely responsible for inducing saddle slip with little consideration for the global interaction between the horse, saddle and rider. It is fully appreciated that it may be “easier” to place responsibility on the rider, and in some cases, it maybe preferred by the rider, if they felt that they were the cause (self-concluding that there is nothing wrong with the horse and or saddle) however, this approach can often be misleading and in danger of overlooking the primary cause(s) of the saddle slip. (Primary defined here as the start - which component (horse, saddle, rider) initiates saddle slip.
To date there is no objective evidence to support the idea that the rider is the primary cause of saddle slip even when considering the rider’s hand/leg preferences. This blog is not suggesting that the rider is not a contributing factor, riders need to optimise their own biomechanics on and off horse, in order to ride effectively, however the purpose of this blog is to discuss which component initiates saddle slip.
There is a growing body of evidence that the horse is the primary factor. Grieve and Dyson have shown that in horse’s with hind limb lameness, the saddle slips towards the lame or lamer hind limb, and after diagnostic analgesia, the saddle slip was abolished (1, 2). Previously we have shown, in non-lame horses that saddle slip occurs and can be corrected with saddlery interventions (3) and others have shown that the saddle can have a lateral displacement when trotting on a treadmill (4) all highlighting the importance of evaluating the horse, saddle and rider interaction as opposed to just focusing on the rider. In addition, we have data from riders who ride multiple horses, some of which have saddle slip to the left and some to the right… We and others continue to research this area and will continue to explore the rider effect but the overarching findings to date is that we need to quantify the horse, saddle rider interaction and that the horse is the primary factor for inducing saddle slip.
The purpose of this blog is to raise awareness of saddle slip. Whilst I appreciate the sensitivities around lameness, in horses who have saddle slip does not necessarily mean that the horse is lame. However, what it does mean is the interaction between the three components (horse, saddle and rider)is aysmmetric and generally that the horse is moving asymmetrically, which is causing the saddle to slip to one side. The reason that the horse is moving asymmetrically should be the focus of discussion. If we pursue the idea that the rider is the only cause, and thinking that a few rider specific exercises, and or shortening one stirrup will resolve saddle slip is a fallacy and sadly, is wasting time on addressing the primary causes.
Furthermore, saddle slip could be used as a sensitive indicator on movement asymmetry. If the saddle is generally straight when ridden on both the left and right rein across all gaits, and then starts to slip to one side, then this could be an indication of asymmetry and must not be ignored. Let’s not bury our head in the sand or be misled that saddle slip is primarily a rider factor, lets discuss saddle slip with the home team; saddle fitter, vet, farrier, coach, equine and human physio and collectively make a plan evaluating and managing horse, saddle and rider interaction. Early detection of movement asymmetry can help reduce the risk of injury….the longer we pursue the rider being the only cause, the longer the movement asymmetry will develop…of course, the rider also needs to address there own asymmetries as this too may compound the global asymmetry, but the question remains - what is the primary cause…
Hope the above is of interst please share to raise awareness.
Dr. Russell MacKechnie-Guire
Centaur Biomechanics
www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk
1. Greve L, Dyson SJ. An investigation of the relationship between hindlimb lameness and saddle slip. Equine Vet J. 2013;45(5):570-7.
2. Greve L, Dyson SJ. The interrelationship of lameness, saddle slip and back shape in the general sports horse population. Equine Vet J. 2014;46(6):687-94.
3. Mackechnie-Guire R, Mackechnie-Guire, E., Fisher, M., Mathie, H., Bush, R., Pfau, T., Weller, R. Relationship between saddle and rider kinematics, horse locomotion and thoracolumbar pressures in sound horses. JEVS. 2018;69:43.52.
4. Bystrom A, Roepstorff L, Rhodin M, Serra Braganca F, Engell MT, Hernlund E, et al. Lateral movement of the saddle relative to the equine spine in rising and sitting trot on a treadmill. PLoS One. 2018;13(7):e0200534.
