English Jumping Saddle Spotlight: The Close Contact Saddle
Hunter and Jumper riders typically choose a close contact English saddle. The close contact saddle typically has a narrow twist, low-set pommel, forward flap and a shallower seat than other types of English saddles, allowing for jumping.
A Close Contact saddle is the standard in hunt seat saddles. Considered a Hunter Jumper saddle or more broadly, an English jumping saddle, the Close Contact Saddle is regularly seen in the hunter show ring in Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation and Hunter Over Fences classes.
Over the years the Close Contact Saddle has evolved in appearance and design. Years ago, a fashionable Close Contact Saddle was made without a knee roll at all! At that time a Close Contact Saddle had a stark, plain, completely flat front flap compared to today’s standards. Today’s Close Contact Saddles have soft and padded knee rolls and are made with leathers so supple the need for painfully breaking-in a saddle is a thing of the past.
More recently close contact saddles have incorporated features from other saddles such as the molded knee roll and thigh blocks like front pencil rolls, back triangles. In some models, these are even adjustable! These features have the ability to make the saddle more comfortable, provide more support and help keep the rider’s leg in place.
Although leather is still the traditional standard of the Close Contact Saddle, there are now models made with synthetic material. Synthetic Close Contact Saddles have all the same features of leather models but require less maintenance and cleaning care. Another Synthetic Close Contact Saddle bonus is that most of the synthetic saddles offer an interchangeable gullet system allowing the rider to fit one saddle to many horses.