Understanding the award-winning SMART Saddle Design: What Does ‘Fully Flexible’ Really Mean?

At SMART Saddles, ‘fully flexible’ is more than just a marketing phrase - it’s a defining feature that sets our unique, patented saddles apart from other designs.

Every part of a SMART Saddle can flex independently.  This enables the saddle to move with the horse, not against it - providing unmatched freedom, stability, and comfort.

One of the key components that makes this possible is the base panel, the direct interface between the saddle and the horse’s back. How this base engages and flexes with the horse’s movement is fundamental to the performance and success of a SMART Saddle.

More Than Just Flexibility: Tailored Fit Options

To accommodate the wide variety of equine back shapes, the SMART Saddle range includes two distinct base panel designs:

The SMART Native

Designed for wide, flat, or round-backed horses and ponies, the SMART Native features:

• Short, shallow panels that don’t extend down the shoulder or behind the seat
• Close, stable contact without bulk
• Ideal for horses with short backs, big shoulders, or compact conformation

 

The SMART Elite

Suitable for horses with higher withers or more defined back profiles, the SMART Elite offers:

• Deeper panels with additional technical layers for enhanced support
• Extended weight bearing coverage across the back
•  Refined shape to fit narrower, more angular back shapes

 

What Both Panel Designs Have in Common

Despite their differences in structure and target fit, both the Native and Elite panels are:

• Fully flexible
•  Able to accommodate the six degrees of freedom of the horse’s spine
• Designed to move in synchrony with your horse, without restriction

How a SMART Saddle Moves With the Horse

Here's how SMART Saddles dynamically respond to motion:

🔄 Longitudinal Flexion

The entire base flexes along the horse’s back, allowing the saddle to move with every stride - even during jumping.

🔀 Independent Panel Movement

Each panel responds independently. For example, when the nearside long back muscle lifts, the saddle flexes there while maintaining steady contact on the offside.

💫 Flexion Without Displacement

From behind, the cantle can be observed flexing, - not rocking. Unlike traditional saddles that may twist or lift, SMART Saddles maintain even contact.

Spinal Clearance

The panels engage with the long back muscles, without spinal pressure.
For horses with prominent withers or underdeveloped topline musculature, dorsal pads can be added to provide greater support when required.

Inside the SMART Panels: High-Performance Materials

SMART panels are crafted from precision-cut fine English leather and high-density layers of technical materials for long lasting support, shock absorption and cushioned comfort. The entire panel is encased in a soft Italian calf hide for a soft, supple and hard-wearing finish.

 Inner Layers:

• High-density felt for structure and consistent support

 Outer Layers:

• High-grade closed-cell EPDM foam - the interface with the horse’s back

• Superior Cushioning & Impact Absorption
• Flexibility & Resilience
• Lightweight

 

Gullet Width

SMART Saddles are designed with a generous, wide gullet channel to allow full spinal flexion without impingement, even for horses with very wide spinous processes.

 

In Summary

The SMART Base isn’t just a technical component; it’s the foundation of how our saddles support horse and rider in motion. With a fully flexible design, different panel options, and technical materials, SMART Saddles deliver freedom of movement and precision fit.

Want to learn more or find the right base for your horse?
Contact our team or book a fitting today.