Horse & Harmony Barefoot FAQ 3

What is the difference between a Barefoot and a 'Conventional' Saddle?

Not only throught its optical appearance is the Barefoot Saddle hard to confuse with a conventional saddle - he also funtions totally differently beacuse of its 'inner live' with VPS-System.

Under a Barefoot Saddle a horse can move freely, arch his back and therefore allow a true sideway movement of the spine. The horse can bent without having to avoid pressure on the back.

The Barefoot is the most flexible saddle in the world. It can therefore adapt, anytime, to any changes of the horse's back. A horse's back mainly changes due to seasonal changes, training or age. The back also changes shape (see illustration) during forward- upward movement.

A conventional saddle cannot keep up with the movement - he blocks at least part of the back muscles, build up of muscles is not possible - muscle atrophy is the end product. Under a Barefoot, a horse can let go, relax his muscles, stretch forward - upwards, without any pressure from above. He learns to move without pain and that moving under a saddle can be fun!

We have often noticed that horses increase their tempo, the strides automatically become bigger. The horse suddenly offers what a rider tries to achieve month after month through training.

What is VPS?

VPS stands for 'Vertebrae Protection System'.

It consists of a combination of different materials, some more pressure distributing whilst others are more pressure absorbing. All materials are totally flexible allowing the saddle to instantly adjust to the horse's movements and changes to the horse's back. The VPS-System is not bulky and does not interfere with the rider's communication through the aids.

Why VPS?

VPS aids the best possible weight distribution in the aera that can carry weight, between the withers and the 15/16 thoracic vertebrae. Pressure points are eliminated, as pressure readings prove. The soft panel construction to the left and right of the spine allow for a distinct spinal channel and guarantie constant spinal & wither clearanance. The rider's weight is still distributed over the whole saddle area, even when standing in the stirrups (Rising Trot) - there is no rider's weight limit.

Very elastic 'sandwich construction' made of shock apsorbing Elastomer layers and a pressure distributing Polymer layer.

All materials have a smooth surface and beleveled edges. We do not use upholstery material which could compress unevenly and create uneven pressure distribution.

How is Barefoot different from Treeless saddles?

Nowadays you will find many manufactuerers of Treeless Saddles. 'Treeless' has become a fashionable word to the decriment of riders and more importantly horses. Many riders think : Nothing can cause pressure if I buy my horse a saddle without a tree and my horse will be happy' The truth is very different. There are Treeless Saddles which are not very back friendly or, for example, only suited for a certain type of horse - a horse with another built might suffer as the flexibility and/or the anatomical shape are missing. Some saddle companies are trying to ride on this fashion train, as there is money to be made, and bring Treeless saddles to the market which are questionable to say the least. Unfotunately many of these companies have no knowledge of the anatomie of a horse and its movements, therefore there are now some warning out regarding the use of Treeless Saddles. The Barefoot Saddle System has been repeatedly confirmed in pressure tests that its build is truly horse-friendly - on all tsted horses and by independant horse osteopath's, not paid by Barefoot, and therefore really objective!

Important conclusion : TRREELESS AND TREELESS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE SAME

Why is the Barefoot Horse-Friendly?

Every horse’s back is different. The back of the individual horse will change often during its lifetime, whether through age, training, disease or seasonal transitions. Whenever we ride, the horse’s back is constantly in motion. The dynamic and ongoing changes in posture while the horse moves under the rider are determined by the level of collection, flexion and gait.