Gina, coach and adult rider competing in dressage

Currently, I ride in the Bates Artiste dressage saddle on my young dressage horse Pearl. It’s a relief to know that the HART technology in my saddle is allowing her progress and improve. As she grows and her muscles develop, making simple changes to my saddle makes a big impact on Pearl’s way of going after each fit – I can feel the difference and that’s a beautiful moment.

Over the 25 years I have ridden in saddles featuring HART on multiple horses I’ve never had a horse with a sore back.  

For a saddle owner, it’s a relief to know that because my Bates Artiste has HART, it will be able to be adjusted to fit Pearl's shape as she moves up the levels and gets stronger. For a horse owner, it’s an even bigger relief to know that Pearl will always be comfortable. 

As a rider, being able to move the external bloc and the stirrup bar to suit me or my student’s position in a mere minute is a luxury that I’ll never give up! The Bates Artiste in particular is exceptionally close which means my aids are more refined and more precise. It actually took me awhile to stop using such a strong aid and realise that I could be so subtle in this saddle – I just think of it and it happens.

As a coach, I know when my students ride in my saddle on my horse they are able to get that WOW experience, and feel their aids and seat bones in such a clear way that they’ve never been able to before. I just know that they are thinking how close and easy it is to ride in this saddle and I love watching that realisation.

I use an equine vet who is a biomechanics expert, and she has been extremely impressed with Pearl. She said that her muscle development has taken her from a horse that was always well conditioned to one that is toned. That is a huge compliment to me and would not be possible without my saddle.

Thanks to HART in my Bates Artiste, I feel my position and effectiveness is the best it’s ever been. If the saddle is fitted and balanced, I feel like there is no saddle and that we are really in tune and close together.

The future is exciting!