By Editor Design.nl /asdf 17-06-2008

Spark design & innovation has developed an innovative new horse-riding saddle with industrial designer Aafke Kauffman and the TU Delft.

Called "Unite", the saddle is extremely user-friendly, and allows the rider simply to adjust the saddle to contours of the horse’s back. A patent has been applied for and the product is to be developed further by Spark.

Most existing saddles do not fit a horse’s back exactly, and back injuries are common. Every horse’s back is uniquely shaped, and specialist knowledge is required to fit a traditional leather saddle. The Unite is equipped with adjustable pads that allow the saddle to adjust automatically to the shape of the horse’s back and movements. This ensures that the rider’s weight is distributed evenly over the horse’s back, and prevents injury.

At 3,5 kilograms, the saddle is unusually light, through the use of high-tech materials like spacer fabric and carbon. The modular construction also makes it possible to modify the saddle for different riding disciplines.

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