Welcome to Parelli Saddles

SADDLE PLACEMENT and BALANCE
CUSTOM FITTING with Shims
you've done it RIGHT!

IMPORTANT
PRINCIPLES

1. Be certain you know WHERE is the MAXIMUM BACKSWING point of your horse’s scapula.

2. Place your saddle’s STIRRUP BAR NO FURTHER FORWARD than at that point.

*Stirrup Bar weight point is indicated by RED arrows (at the front edge of the stirrup strap, which you can see under the seat jockey)*	The lowest point of the seat should be at BLUE ARROWS when you are sitting in the saddle. Read more inside for detailed information about how and where to place your saddle, and how to properly fit your particular horse.

The point from which your stirrup leathers hang from the “stirrup bar” or saddle tree is the first weight-bearing point of your saddle. It should not be allowed to obstruct/inhibit the full, free motion of your horse’s scapulae if you desire healthy, balanced stride.

3. SHIM under saddle properly for YOUR HORSE’S BACK SHAPE (see guide on Page 4) so the LOWEST POINT of the SADDLE is TOWARD the BACK, enabling rider to easily access and stay on Balance Point. This keeps weight back and off your horse’s front end, which is critical to engaging hindquarters for balanced stride and horse’s health over time.

4. If in doubt...add a shim! Horses are actually more comfortable with more shims CORRECTLY PLACED and staggered/ spread apart (not bunched up). (Examples and details inside) Caution: too many shims can make the saddle less stable.

5. Gather feedback from your horse and EXAMINE SWEAT PATTERNS after riding. Adjust shims and/or upgrade Fluid Riding techniques as needed. Also: make certain your horse is structurally balanced (See www.HealthyStride.com). Reminder: As your horse’s back develops, re-evaluate your shimming needs. Generally, less shims will be required sooner than you may think. ALL of this is TERRIFIC for your Relationship, your Savvy and your Never-Ending Self Improvement...as well as your horse’s!

WHY we SHIM:

1. SCAPULA CLEARANCE

2. BALANCE POINT

3. MUSCLE ATROPHY

CHECKLIST: Use our SHIMMING GUIDE inside this brochure 1. Can I FEEL my horse’s SHOULDERS when I reach under the front of the saddle all the way back to the stirrup bar (even when cinched)....it’s not too tight?
2. Can I EASILY ACCESS my BALANCE POINT?
3. Is my horse STRECHING DOWN and BLOWING as I circle him online or ride? ( It may take a few minutes... but horse should be obviously comfortable ).
4. Do I see DRY SPOTS or RUFFLED HAIRS?

THERAFLEX : The Revolutionary, Non-Slip, “Custom Fit” Saddle Pad System
HOW TO get the most out of its performance for you and your horse:
The checklist and hints below will be helpful to your understanding of important principles of use of this remarkable pad system. If you desire more thorough descriptions and instructions , you can find them online at ParelliSaddles.com / Theraflex Saddle Pad . You’ll also see very helpful demonstrations on our complimentary DVD, which is available on that website for shipping/handling costs.

FEATURES/BENEFITS:

	Pad is constructed of a high-tech bonded felt which is BREATHABLE. Its top and bottom outer layers have an ANTI-SLIP property which helps saddle stay in place.
	The AIR CELLS fit INSIDE VELCRO POCKETS that leave the open/close valves exposed for easy access. The Theraflex air cells are of revolutionary, patented ThermaRest technology. They AUTO-INFLATE, and contain open-cell foam, which slowly re-distributes air and allows the cells to re-shape as the horse moves.
	AUTO-BALANCING: Evenly distributes weight; Alleviates pressure points; FACILITATES CLOSE CONTACT and improves the feel of riding, especially for your horse.
	COOLING to the horse: allows skin to “breathe”; Improves air flow and heat release.
	IMPROVES SADDLE FIT, but can’t be expected to do the entire job on its own. Years of dedicated research and testing in the development of this pad revealed that the pad and shims will help ANY saddle tremendously, but more help for the horse and rider was needed. The fact that many saddles were found to be causing serious problems for horses led to the develpment of the revolutionary PARELLI SADDLES that put the horses’ needs first. Testing on thousands of horses under riders of all levels of skill and discipline has proven beyond doubt that Therapeudic Felt SHIMS (which fit into the velcro pockets on top of the air cells), help provide quintessential PERFORMANCE-EDGE-QUALITY comfort, balance and performance. They customize the fit to individual horses’ back shapes, which allows the Parelli Saddles do their job of PROVIDING ROOM and FLEXIBILITY for the horse in motion.

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE: Our saddle systems will help improve your harmonic riding skills and provide valuable feedback when things are not right for your horse. When you examine your horse’s sweat patterns after unsaddling, you will have an honest “report card” on your riding...and a “blueprint” for developing strategies for improvement. SOME TIPS:

CHECKLIST:

	AIR CELLS are INFLATED, and VALVES are OPEN when pad is stored and when pad and saddle are first put on the horse.
	Select and position SHIMS INSIDE pad’s VELCRO POCKETS on each side of pad (ON TOP of the AIR CELLS) to accommodate HORSE’S PARTICULAR BACK SHAPE See instructions and photo comparisons on Page 4
	Place saddle on pad , making certain that it is centered left to right and front to back, so that saddle tree is centered over air cells.
	If horse has A-Frame shaped shoulders, pull pad’s front web strap loop high up into saddle gullet so pad valves are approx. 1” apart at withers, and level. If your horse has round shoulders, leave valves wider apart, level with withers.
	Cinch/Girth up as usual (2 to 3 polite tightenings). Then, for western saddles, buckle/tighten rear cinch (closely hobbled to front cinch) See Saddle DVD
	On FINAL cinching, (Make sure horse is standing square), PRESS BACK OF SADDLE DOWN with your elbow, while you CLOSE the VALVES See Saddle DVD
	DOUBLE CHECK Balance Point accessibility by making sure LOWEST POINT OF SEAT is toward the back. See IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES and watch Saddle DVD
	BEFORE MOUNTING, play with horse on the ground, send over poles/jump to allow the air to distribute, and make sure horse is comfortable with the feel.
	Make certain you DO NOT HAVE TOO MUCH AIR, nor TOO LITTLE AIR in the pad’s cells, or they can’t do their job. See Saddle DVD
	CLEAN the pad regularly. Do not allow hair and sweat to build up, or pad will lose non-slip features, cooling/breathability, etc. See Saddle DVD or download detailed instructions off website from printable pdf file.

RUFFLED HAIRS or RUB MARKS? A sign of disharmony with the horse. Could indicate too much weight/pressure on front end or back end...but more probably, it is caused by FRICTION, which is a Fluidity issue. Where were you stiff in your body? (for instance: ruffles at horse’s shoulders could mean your shoulders were stiff...at the back, it could mean stiffness in your hips or heels. (In hollow backed horses, it’s important to make sure the saddle isn’t sitting down too low so that the pad runs into the horse’s hips. Over-shimming in front could also create too steep an angle (see diagrams on website and shim pattern suggestions on reverse side of this brochure). Were you moving in opposition to your horse? Were you bracing in your stirrups? Driving with your seat? Such things CAN CAUSE A SADDLE TO TRAVEL FORWARD, too. “Saddles don’t slide uphill”, Linda says. Use your shimming, your fluid riding techniques, transitions exercises, etc. to get weight off the forehand.

DRY SPOTS in sweat pattern? Dry down the center of the spine where there is no contact (because of the open center channel) is ok. A dry spot can tell you about no pressure or too much pressure. Consider too much weight/pressure on front end...If unaddressed, white hairs may show up...which will go away if you adjust shims/remedy problem. If you feel under saddle and it is tight where the shims are, change their position / turn them sideways /add or subtract one...whatever it takes to release the pressure. In the case where you feel underneath and there is no contact at all with the saddle and pad, more shims would help the saddle “hug” your horse with even contact. This invites him/her to round his back, push up into the comfort and reach under farther from behind. (Just as you would do if carrying a backpack that was loaded softly/evenly, compared to having an uneven load with lumps or pinches, which would make you want to arch your back to get away from the pain.

LUMBAR PAIN? Should not be a problem with a Parelli saddle (unless, as with any saddle, it is placed too far forward on a horse, and the horse must carry too much weight on his front end, which forces him to arch uncomfortably). If a horse has a bit of a muscle ache in early stages of using a Parelli saddle system, it would be because he is using his back differently (FOR THE BETTER!) and pushing previously under-used muscles up into the pad. If you don’t brace in your stirupps, arch/stiffen your back, sit too far forward. etc., any new-use aches should go away...as they would for you!

WHITE HAIRS vs WHITE MARKS? Flecky white hairs are evidence of friction or too much weight or pressure at the front of the saddle , which puts damaging weight on the horse’s forehand. They are usually temporary and are evident on soft tissue areas, such as behind the shoulders. Adjust your shimming to make certain you don’t feel pressure on that spot and you can also easily get on your Balance Point when in the saddle. WHITE MARK SCARS occur when the shoulder blade/bone is slammed/pinched into a hard saddle tree. These scars are usually permanent and are caused by a saddle that presses onto the shoulders because it is too narrow, far forward or downhill. (see shimming patterns on reverse side for downhill horses. These horses need extra attention re: pressure).

Pad feels too hard or bouncy? Too much air in the cells...open both valves at same time, and let out burst of air...DON’T LET IT ALL OUT. But, too much air makes you feel unconnected w/ horse.

Pad slips down/back/forward/goes crooked? Girth/Cinch too loose? (don’t over-tighten it, though). Rider driving with seat can cause the saddle or pad or both to slide forward. Rider bracing in stirrups can sometimes cause the pad to slip backwards....this also dumps too much weight on horse’s front end (feet should just be resting ion the stirrups. When pad goes crooked, this can tell you about crookedness in horse or rider, tension or uneven muscle development. Major displacements could require re-saddling., but minor crookedness is not an issue. Check symmetrical placement.