The Ryder Range
Made from the highest-grade premium leather, Ryder Saddles are top quality made-to-measure saddles, designed specifically to suit the individual requirements of horse and rider.
With over 30 years’ experience making, retailing and fitting saddles, the British saddle makers at Ryder Saddles have perfected the craft, giving riders across the world the freedom to choose exactly what they desire in a saddle.
All saddles are hand-made, with every part customisable, to fit the needs and wants of horse and rider. Some of the many options include dual or mono flap, with knee rolls either fixed and under the moulded flap, fixed and external or changeable on velcro. One of the most unique features of the Ryder Saddles is the wide selection of trees, to suit all different shapes and breeds of horses, which is like having access to many different brands and companies.
As with the VH Signature Saddle Collection, Ryder Saddles are made using only 100% British wool from Jacob’s sheep for flocking, to ensure it doesn’t compress or change the fit as with synthetic options. Every Ryder saddle is made from the highest-grade premium leather, ensuring your saddle will last for many years to come.
From just $4950, Ryder Saddles represent excellent value for money.
VH Saddlery is proud to be an official agent for Ryder Saddles (UK), with six dressage models to trial right here in Western Australia.
With over 30 years’ experience making, retailing and fitting saddles, the British saddle makers at Ryder Saddles have perfected the craft, giving riders across the world the freedom to choose exactly what they desire in a saddle.
All saddles are hand-made, with every part customisable, to fit the needs and wants of horse and rider. Some of the many options include dual or mono flap, with knee rolls either fixed and under the moulded flap, fixed and external or changeable on velcro. One of the most unique features of the Ryder Saddles is the wide selection of trees, to suit all different shapes and breeds of horses, which is like having access to many different brands and companies.
As with the VH Signature Saddle Collection, Ryder Saddles are made using only 100% British wool from Jacob’s sheep for flocking, to ensure it doesn’t compress or change the fit as with synthetic options. Every Ryder saddle is made from the highest-grade premium leather, ensuring your saddle will last for many years to come.
From just $4950, Ryder Saddles represent excellent value for money.
VH Saddlery is proud to be an official agent for Ryder Saddles (UK), with six dressage models to trial right here in Western Australia.
handcrafted to perfection
Made to Measure.
HandmadeMade on an individual basis to suit horse and rider requirements and preferences.
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Highest qualityPremium grade leather and 100% British Wool flocking from Jacob's sheep.
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Unique lookCountless options to customise saddles for a unique look.
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Ryder Saddle Range
Available through VH Saddlery
Ryder MolineuxThe Ryder Molineux gives the rider a feeling of security and the horse great freedom through their back and shoulders.
With a slightly forward cut knee roll and an open seat, it is an ideal saddle for rider with longer legs or those who prefer to ride with shorter stirrups. An ideal saddle for short-backed horses, with a roomy seat for the rider. The Ryder Molineux has a U-shaped tree and exquisite leather detailing. Price start from just $5150. 
Ryder PanameraThe Ryder Panamera is a mono flap saddle with a narrow twist. It has a deep seat, is lightweight and features Ryder's unique double SS panel design. This design allows horses to work through their backs and shoulders; with a wide channel to ensure there is no tightness to the area and plenty of room for the spine.
The perfect saddle for horses with big shoulders and those with that are wide at the base of the wither, the Panamera provides room to move for the horse while maintaining a narrow twist for the comfort and security of the rider. Price start from just $5150. |
Ryder zaraThe Ryder Zara is a compact saddle perfect for big moving, uphill horses, with a deep seat for great rider security.
The beautifully designed exterior knee blocks make this saddle stand out in a league of its own. Incredibly classy in appearance and an ideal fitting saddle for a range of different horses, the Ryder Zara is one of the most versatile and comfortable dressage saddles on the market today. Price start from just $5150. 
Ryder Legacy UltraThe Ryder Legacy Ultra is designed for comport, closeness and lower leg stability. The open, soft and central seat, with options for standard or wide, enables excellent rider balance.
The flap is blocked out over the knee roll, and the saddle features wonderful leather detail, resulting in a modern and chic look for this beautiful saddle. It is easy to understand why this is a very popular show saddle in the UK. Price start from just $4950. |
Ryder BaroqueThe Ryder Baroque has a U-shaped tree specifically designed for horses that are particularly wide around the wither.
The incredibly comfortable deep seat and moulded knee roll provides the ultimate rider security and balance. The wide, flat and short panels sit well on a range of horses, particularly warmbloods and the baroque breeds for which it was designed. Rider's on short-backed horses can't go past the Ryder Baroque. Price start from just $5150. 
Ryder excellenceThe Excellence allows for incredibly close contact between horse and rider due to the twist of the tree and unique closeness of the rider's leg. It has a comfortable soft seat, with different blocks available to suit each individual rider. The wide channel and tree design used in this saddle makes it a great choice for broader horses, with the back panel shape and gussets making it brilliant for short-backed horses. Price start from just $5150. |
Choose from the following options
monoflapwith fixed external knee roll.
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dual Flap 1with external knee roll.
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Dual flap 2with fixed knee roll under a moulded flap.
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Dual flap 3with moveable knee roll on Velcro under the padded flap.
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Ryder Saddle Features
Dressage flaps
Standard (16"), Short (15") and Long (17") with special options also available.
Tree twistStandard, narrow and wide on all saddles.
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GussetsCompletely custom made to suit the horse, in any gradient required.
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Panels and ChannelsCompletely custom made to suit the horse.
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Billets and Girth StrapsFully adjustable or fixed in position, with the option of adding extra, a chrome solid wrap or wrap like stirrup leathers.
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Make it your own
Excellence with External Knee Roll and Inlaid Flap
Giraffe Print Cantle Insert with Orange Welt
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personalise your Ryder saddleRyder Saddles can be customised to suit the rider's preferences. The rider has a great variety of choice when it comes to personalising the cantles, leather and welts of the saddle, to make it completely unique.
There are 14 leather options, over 20 colour options for welts and cantles and a variety of special designs to finish the saddle off including snake, floral and croc patterns. If you're into a bit of bling, Swarvoski Crystals can be incorporated into the cantle design, along with a personalised badge. |
Floral Inlaid Skirt
Double Cantle Insert
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best saddles for wide flat-backed horses?
The most suitable saddle for wide flat-backed horses depends on the shape and size of the horse’s withers. Horses can be wide and have little or no wither, or be wide and have a very pronounced wither. This makes a very big difference to which saddles may be suitable. Take the Discovery saddles for example: they come in two totally different tree types and both can go out from medium to extremely wide. The difference is the WB tree is suitable for the flatter backed horses and the TB tree for the horses with more shape in their backs. Jeffries also have trees that vary in the flatness and angle of the rails with the Liberty tree more for flatter backed horses. Of the Ryder saddles the Baroque, Excellence, Legacy Ultra and Zara have flatter trees than the Molineux and the Panamera. The VH saddles were designed specifically for the flatter-backed horses and are excellent for these. Once the tree has been chosen the back panels must be considered as even a flat-backed horse may require shortened back panels or raised up stitch-lines to alleviate pressure in this area, particularly if they have a short saddle platform area or highly developed loins muscles. Victoria is more than happy to discuss the individual requirements of your horse. Contact us to find out more.
What are the best saddles for short-backed horses?
It is all relative! Sometimes even a horse with a reasonable length of back is being ridden by a very long-legged rider and the same situation occurs where the rider needs a longer saddle to allow them to be balanced and able to sit in the middle of the saddle that the horse’s back allows. Some saddles are more open in the seat while others are more forward in the flap, both of which will give the rider more room as will saddles with moveable knee rolls if thinner or shorter knee rolls are used. Discovery saddles are ideal, as are any of our custom-made range (the Ryder Saddles and VH Signature Saddles) as they can be made to fit the rider and horse combination perfectly. Of the Ryder saddles the Zara, Baroque and Excellence are brilliant for short-backed horses.
What are the best saddles for horses with big shoulders?
Horses with big shoulders often also have a forward girth groove which can be more problematic than the shoulders. When placed in the correct position on the horse, a suitable saddle allows the girth straps to hang perpendicular. If the straps have to be pulled forward to girth up, the saddle has no hope of staying back off the shoulders. Many saddles have been designed to alleviate shoulder pressure and restriction. Some saddles such as the VH Signature Saddles have the tree point angling backwards, allowing greater shoulder freedom but resulting in the girth points on these saddles being further back. This is due to the fact that the further most forward girth strap can only be as forward as the tree point. These saddles must be placed and balanced correctly because if the whole saddle is behind the shoulder, not just the tree point, they will never stay in position. This is why it is so important your saddle fitter is either extremely experienced or knowledgeable on particular brands. There are other saddles that do the opposite, with tree points that flare out and angle forwards. This not only allows the shoulders to move freely but it also enables the girth straps to be very forward, hence keeps the saddle off the shoulders. Discovery WB tree and Max Benz One saddles are examples of such saddles. Max Benz also has a uniquely shaped front panel, allowing the horse’s soft tissue more room, but still excellent support for the moveable knee roll. Yet another unique solution is found in the Ryder Baroque saddles which were developed specifically for Friesian horses and have short tree points which are then flexible.
What are the best saddles for downhill horses?
Downhill horses and those with low withers can be challenging to ride but this need not be the case! It can be caused by conformation or age, but some horses may move downhill due to pain or training. For example, sore front feet can change the way a horse moves biomechanically, and they can travel on the forehand, as can horses that have been incorrectly stretched down in their work. Saddle stability and balance is of utmost importance in these situations and Discovery Saddles excel in this area. With a choice of a flatter or a more shaped tree, changeable gullets and incredible girthing options, they can fit almost every shape of horse. Custom-made saddles including our Ryder and VH Signature Saddle ranges are also good for these horses as the balance of the saddle can be perfected by requesting different front panel and gusset options. The choice of saddle would depend on the shape of the horse’s back and rider preference. Many horses that have travelled downhill for some time actually completely change the way they move when in a different saddle. Trying many different saddles on a horse through a saddle trail/consultation can paint a picture as to what the horse does and doesn’t like about the various parts of a saddle. Sometimes it is the pressure directly applied by the saddle to the horse, but often it can be how the rider sits in different saddles, with more balance or a different rider position making such a big difference to the horse.
What are the best saddles for young horses?
Young horses are going to develop and change, and how much depends on the breed, workload and age. For most people it is sensible to use a saddle with changeable gullets if the horse is under 5 years of age. such as the Discovery Saddles or Max Benz One Saddles. This way the gullet may be changed at any time and over a large range of sizes. They also have generous panels and gussets to allow a lot of adjustments to be made through the flocking by your saddle fitter. After 5-6 years of age, depending on breed and development, many riders choose a custom-made saddle from the VH Signature or Ryder range of saddles. These saddles can be pressed in or out 1 size either way by your saddle fitter, 3-4 times throughout the saddle’s life, which along with their wool-flocked panels, allows for great adjustability.
What are the best saddles for horses with atrophied back musculature?
The most suitable saddle for a horse with atrophied back musculature will depend on the reason for the atrophy, so history is very important. It may be due to a recently ill-fitting saddle, a past injury or illness, or past poor training. All of this needs to be taken into consideration along with the horse’s age and level of current work, nutrition and rider expertise. Also important is the position of the atrophy. Is it just around the wither area, the entire saddle platform area, only towards the back of the saddle or perhaps the whole topline of the horse? The position helps piece together the reason the atrophy has occurred. Max Benz One saddles have excelled with these horses due to their incredible panel design, maximising the weight bearing surface without impeding any important structures. They also have super clearance around all aspects of the wither – which often is a very problematic area for the horses with marked atrophy. Max Benz One saddles are like Discovery saddles in that they have changeable gullets. It would depend on the location of the atrophy and the shape of the horses back as to whether the WB or TB Discovery tree would be the best. Sometimes it will be necessary to wait and do some in-hand work to build up the muscles before selecting the best saddle. Often this is recommended if there is severe atrophy, and a custom-made saddle is being purchased. A big advantage of custom-made saddles, such as the VH Signature Range and Ryder range, is not only can the tree be made to measure, but the panels can also be made to whatever depth is required so extra flocking can be put in to make up for the loss of musculature and removed when the muscles re-develop.
What are the best saddles for horses with a forward girth groove?
Horses with big shoulders often also have a forward girth groove which can often be more problematic than the shoulders. When placed in the correct position on the horse, a suitable saddle allows the girth straps to hang perpendicular. If the straps have to be pulled forward to girth up, the saddle has no hope of staying back off the shoulders. Many saddles have been designed to alleviate shoulder pressure and restriction. Some saddles such as the VH Signature Saddles have the tree point angling backwards, allowing greater shoulder freedom but resulting in the girth points on these saddles being further back. This is due to the fact that the further most forward girth strap can only be as forward as the tree point. These saddles must be placed and balanced correctly because if the whole saddle is behind the shoulder, not just the tree point, they will never stay in position. This is why it is so important your saddle fitter is either extremely experienced or knowledgeable on particular brands. There are other saddles that do the opposite, with tree points that flare out and angle forwards. This not only allows the shoulders to move freely but it also enables the girth straps to be very forward, hence keeps the saddle off the shoulders. Discovery WB tree and Max Benz One saddles are examples of such saddles. Max Benz also has a uniquely shaped front panel, allowing the horses soft tissue more room, but still excellent support for the moveable knee roll. Yet another unique solution is found in the Ryder Baroque saddles which were developed specifically for Friesian horses and have short tree points which are flexible.
What are the best saddles for horses with high shark-fin withers than extend a long way back?
There are lots of options for these horses, depending on the width, length and shape of the horse’s back. Jeffries make a tree specifically designed for these horses – the Xtra, but the Jeffries Sport is also very good. Max Benz One saddles excel in wither clearance, especially laterally, and have super generous back gussets to help with the balance in these situations. Discovery TB tree saddles are great for these horses and have the changeable gullets as do the Max Benz one saddles. Of the Ryder saddles, the Zara and Molineux are amazing for these horses, the choice depending on how much shape they have in their backs.
What are the best saddles for nervous riders?
Riders looking for great security should be looking at saddles with a deep seat, sticky leather, bigger knee rolls and close contact. Discovery, Ryder Baroque and Ryder Molineux are all great choices. For extremely close contact, any Ryder saddle can be ordered in a mono flap design with the knee rolls aligned perfectly for the rider. Riders can also choose from 7 different types of knee rolls, all varying not only in size and shape but also softness/firmness. Leather choices from super sticky, to smooth soft calfskin, to textured grainy leathers and everything in between!
What are the best saddles for riders with back pain?
Often back soreness in riders is markedly reduced when the rider is completely balanced. When they are able to ride in a neutral spine position without always fighting to find their balance, riders can use less muscular tension and just relax and ride. For some riders, having a softer seat can be helpful and this option is available in the Jeffries range of comfort seat saddles as well as in all the custom-made Ryder and VH Signature saddles. Other riders prefer a firmer flat place to sit as this can help with their posture. Often it depends on the type and length of riding as well as rider fitness and previous injuries.
What are the best saddles for riders with narrow hips?
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to seat and twist width.
Generalisations suggest females prefer a wider seat and more narrow twist than males due to the difference in pelvic shape, but this is not always the case. Also, people often feel totally different things in the same saddle as others, so it is important to just get in and try as many saddles as possible, remembering that the balance of the saddle is incredibly important in these situations. If a saddle is down in front the rider will be sitting in a totally different place compared to if it is balanced or even up in front. Even as little as a few mm’s can make a saddle the rider’s favourite or most hated saddle! Riders need to be aware that the seats of saddles usually also reflect the fit for the horse, unless they are built up so much off the horse to allow a completely different shape seat. This is not a problem if the rider has a lot of leg to spare but may be problematic for short legged riders riding very round, wide horses and wanting a very narrow twisted saddle. It all comes down to rider preference along with horse comfort, but we are confident we have a saddle to suit. The best plan is to come and try them for yourself.
Generalisations suggest females prefer a wider seat and more narrow twist than males due to the difference in pelvic shape, but this is not always the case. Also, people often feel totally different things in the same saddle as others, so it is important to just get in and try as many saddles as possible, remembering that the balance of the saddle is incredibly important in these situations. If a saddle is down in front the rider will be sitting in a totally different place compared to if it is balanced or even up in front. Even as little as a few mm’s can make a saddle the rider’s favourite or most hated saddle! Riders need to be aware that the seats of saddles usually also reflect the fit for the horse, unless they are built up so much off the horse to allow a completely different shape seat. This is not a problem if the rider has a lot of leg to spare but may be problematic for short legged riders riding very round, wide horses and wanting a very narrow twisted saddle. It all comes down to rider preference along with horse comfort, but we are confident we have a saddle to suit. The best plan is to come and try them for yourself.
What is the best saddle for more than one person?
If more than one person is sharing a saddle, you should definitely be looking at changeable knee rolls, which allow for different leg shape and length. All Discovery saddles, Max Benz One and any of the custom-made saddles, including VH Signature saddles and Ryder Saddles, may be made this way.
READY TO RIDE?
Book a saddle consultation with Victoria Hamilton today!
An initial consult takes around 1.5 hours and involves a close look at your horses back, a full history, a discussion about your plans for the future, checking different trees and saddles on your horse and a discussion about your preferences. Vicky will watch you ride to determine the horses reaction and biomechanics under saddle, their willingness to work, and rider position. It is sometimes useful to try the saddle again on a different day. Next, Vicky can help you to select the saddle tree, seat size, softness, depth and twist, widths of the channel and gullet, shape of the front and back gussets, stirrup bar positioning and type, knee roll type and placement, material, flap type and length and girthing options. And finally, you get to customise the look of your saddle including inlaid seat, flap and skirt, trims and cantle inserts, leather colours and infills. Vicky has vast experience in rider and horse biometrics, and saddlery, so there's no need to feel intimidated about the process. Do you value the opinion of your coach and/or saddle fitter? Not a problem! Vicky does too. They are always welcome to get involved.
An initial consult takes around 1.5 hours and involves a close look at your horses back, a full history, a discussion about your plans for the future, checking different trees and saddles on your horse and a discussion about your preferences. Vicky will watch you ride to determine the horses reaction and biomechanics under saddle, their willingness to work, and rider position. It is sometimes useful to try the saddle again on a different day. Next, Vicky can help you to select the saddle tree, seat size, softness, depth and twist, widths of the channel and gullet, shape of the front and back gussets, stirrup bar positioning and type, knee roll type and placement, material, flap type and length and girthing options. And finally, you get to customise the look of your saddle including inlaid seat, flap and skirt, trims and cantle inserts, leather colours and infills. Vicky has vast experience in rider and horse biometrics, and saddlery, so there's no need to feel intimidated about the process. Do you value the opinion of your coach and/or saddle fitter? Not a problem! Vicky does too. They are always welcome to get involved.