Saddle seat is an English riding discipline designed to exhibit the high action of certain horse breeds, particularly the American Saddlebred. The style developed into its modern form in the United States and is also seen in Canada and South Africa. To a much lesser extent, it is ridden with American horse breeds in Europe and Australia.
The goal of the saddle seat riding style is to show off the horse's extravagant gaits, particularly the trot. It is not to be confused with the various hunt seat disciplines. History Saddle seat riding began as a distinct style within the broader group of English riding disciplines developed in the United States. The first source was the Plantation tradition of the American South, where smooth-moving, high-stepping horses were used by plantation owners and overseers to travel across the fields. The horses had to be smooth riding and comfortable enough for hours of riding while overseeing the plantation, but the owners also preferred an impressive, high-stepping horse for riding in town. A second influence was European: a flatter English show saddle was developed from the tradition of riders who would often show off their flashiest, highest-stepping horses by riding them in city parks on Sundays. Hence, the term "park horse" is still used today to describe competitions in which the action of the horse is of paramount importance. In the northern United States, showing high-stepping horses in a flat park-style saddle at fairs was one way breeders would promote their horses.
Equitation
Saddle seat is a style of English riding that differs considerably from other styles such as hunt seat and dressage. To the casual observer the rider sits well back in the saddle, carrying his or her hands higher than in other disciplines. Riders in equitation classes are penalized for leaning forward to any significant degree. However, like any other riding discipline, the position of the rider reflects the desired position of the horse. The rider must make the riding look effortless, and stay still and well-formed on the horse, sitting upright, with shoulders back and posting that is graceful and quiet. In saddle seat, high-stepping gaits are required of the horses shown, and the rider's position, behind the center of balance of the animal, allows the riding aids to be used to encourage front leg action in the horse.
Type of horse required Horse breeds usually shown saddle seat style typically have upright necks and free-moving, animated gaits. Several breeds do well in this discipline, with the most well-known being the American Saddlebred. Other breeds commonly exhibited in saddle seat style include Arabians, Morgans, Tennessee Walking Horses, and assorted partbred or crossbreds derived from these breeds, such as Spotted Saddle Horses, National Show Horses, and Racking Horse. In addition, Hackneys, Dutch Harness Horses, Paso Finos, Missouri Foxtrotters, and Rocky Mountain Horses are sometimes shown in this discipline.
The trot or gait for applicable breeds and divisions is generally considered to be the most prized gait. The 2020 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rule book defines movement for American Saddlebred and Half-American Saddlebred horses to be "clean, rhythmic and fluid action which is straight and true". Saddle seat horses should appear to be energetic and pleasant, while responsive to the exhibitor.
Show classes
In the United States, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) creates and maintains the rules for most breeds shown in saddle seat competition.
Classes under saddle may include: Three-Gaited: Open to American Saddlebreds, shown at the walk, trot, and canter. Five-gaited: Open to American Saddlebreds, shown at the walk, trot, and canter, as well as the four -beat ambling gaits known as the rack (a fast, showy gait), and slow gait (four-beat gait with great suspension). Plantation Walker: Open to Tennessee Walking Horses, shown at the flat walk, running walk, and canter. Park: A class designation used in Saddlebred, Arabian, and Morgan competition, where horses are shown at a walk, trot, and canter, judged on their brilliant, high action. Pleasure: An English pleasure class designation used in almost every breed, designated classes where good manners and smooth performance are more important than brilliant action. Most pleasure classes require horses to show at a walk, trot and canter, often calling for extended gaits. Classic or Country Pleasure: This type of pleasure class that puts even greater emphasis on manners in the horse. The horse still has a high-set head position and somewhat animated gait, but animation is of less importance. Horses show at the walk, trot, and canter, often with extension, and are required to back. Equitation: judges the rider's form and use of aids.
Class terminology varies between breeds. For example, Saddlebreds may be shown in "English Show Pleasure" or "English Country Pleasure". Morgans have Park, English Pleasure, and "Classic" Pleasure classes. Arabians have Park, English Pleasure, and "Country" Pleasure classes. Tennessee Walkers exhibit in three categories: Flat shod, Plantation Pleasure, and Performance. Each class may ask for different variations of the gaits, extended gaits, and sometimes for any specialized gaits.
Any of the breeds used for saddle seat competition may also be shown in driving classes in harness, usually called "fine harness" or "pleasure driving", usually requiring a walk and two speeds of trot. Rules for horse grooming and handler attire parallel saddle seat rules.
In any competition, classes may be broken down by any of the following criteria: Age Divisions: may be divided by age of horse or rider. Horses may be divided into junior horses, usually age 4 and under, and senior horses, usually age 5 and over. Under the rules of the USEF, riders can be broken down into age groups as follows: 10 and under, 11–13, 14–17, 18–39 and 40 and over. Experience: divided by the experience of the horse or rider. The most common categories are: Maiden – never having won before in the division, Novice – never having won over three classes in the division, Limit – never having won over six classes in the division.
Tack
Saddle seat riders use a special saddle not seen in other English riding disciplines. These saddles have a cut-back pommel, which is set back several inches (usually four) to allow for the higher withers and neck set of the horse. The saddle has little padding, a very flat seat, and is placed further back on the horse to allow the extravagant front end movement of the horse. This saddle also deliberately places the rider slightly "behind the motion", which makes it easier to influence both the headset of the horse and the animal's gaits.
Due to the cutback pommel, these saddles are usually a few inches longer than other English saddles. Even a properly balanced saddle seat saddle is quite flat and places the rider farther back on the horse in a position that feels less secure. However, good riders that ride a balanced saddle seat with long stirrups in a "classical" position (legs balanced under the rider, not sitting too far back on the horse's loins), are able to properly ride their horses, encouraging the animals to step under themselves and collect, raising their backs, elevating their necks, and working off their hindquarters. Poorly made saddles of this style can be unbalanced and an improper seat leads to a hollow-backed horse who does not have properly engaged hindquarters, with a superficially correct front-end position that is achieved by improperly forcing the horse's head and neck up and in, usually by means of leveraged training aids.
The saddle seat horse traditionally wears a double bridle (full bridle), with both a curb bit and a bradoon. A pelham bit is also legal for pleasure classes, though not common. The double bridle is preferred (and mandatory in most equitation classes) because it allows more fine-tuning of the horse's head and neck position, though a pelham can be used in a few specialized classes such as Saddlebred Pleasure Equitation. A single curb bit is used for gaited horses such as the Tennessee Walker and Missouri Fox Trotter. The shanks of the curb bit are often longer than those found on the Weymouth style double bridle used in dressage, often 7 inches in overall length (some breeds have length limits in the rules). The browband is commonly brightly colored leather or vinyl, red being the most common color. The cavesson is sometimes plain leather, and sometimes colored to match the browband, depending on breed and fashion trends in tack.
Junior classes, limited to horses under four or five years old, may allow horses to wear a snaffle bit. The use of martingales with snaffle bits in the show ring varies by breed, but setups for junior horses and other horses in training may include the use of a running martingale, a German martingale, or draw reins. These tools are commonly used in training.
Shoeing and action
High action is prized in the saddle seat horse. Therefore, many horses used in saddle seat are allowed to grow longer feet than in other disciplines and are shod with pads and special shoes. While ordinary horseshoes are usually held on with horseshoe nails clinched on the outside wall of the hoof, shoes on high-action breeds are often held in place with a metal band, as well as with clinches, because of their weight. Longer toes and heavier shoes encourage a saddle seat horse to lift its feet and knees higher, or reach them out farther, with more "snap" and flash. Toe length and shoe weight therefore is an often controversial issue among saddle seat competitors. Toe length and, at times, shoe weight, are often measured at sanctioned shows. Pad height is also governed by breed: some breeds and divisions either prohibit pads altogether or only allow minimal pads. Other breeds, such as the American Saddlebred allow a 1-inch wedge pad, while at the extreme, 4-inch "stacks" are seen on certain Tennessee Walking Horses.
In Country Pleasure competition for Saddlebreds and flat shod divisions for Tennessee Walkers, built-up shoes and pads are not allowed, all action must be produced from natural ability. In saddle seat breed competition for Morgans and Arabians, pads and slightly weighted shoes are allowed, but with strictly enforced limits on overall toe length and shoe weight.
The exact combination of elevation (knee height) and extension (how far out in front the horse reaches with its feet) is determined to some extent by breed and fashion. However, for the health of the horse, specialized shoeing should not change the hoof angle to any significant degree, as more than a 3 degree alteration may lead to lameness.
Big Lick
The Big Lick is widely considered an abusive training method, as it causes great pain and stress to the horse and will often damage its legs. The balance of the shoe can alter action: The three-gaited American Saddlebred and the Hackney Horse have the highest knee action, while the Tennessee Walking Horse is asked to perform the "big lick", exaggerated action of the front legs, especially in the running walk, where the horse both lifts its feet very high and reaches them out in front as far as possible.