About Passier Saddles
All Passier products are handmade from top-quality materials – and are subject to constant quality control during the production process. That’s how Passier saddles, bridles, and accessories meet the highest Passier standards for quality. Guaranteed. Worldwide.
There is a special warranty on all Passier saddle trees. Passier guarantees – for 5 years on all PS saddle trees and for 10 years on all synthetic saddle trees, starting from the date of manufacture – that there are no concealed defects.
PS Saddle Tree with frt-System®
PS Saddle Tree with frt-System®
Scientific evidence shows that when the horse’s foreleg touches the ground, the shoulder blade cartilage protrudes further outwards due to the contraction of the muscles behind it, which basically means more space is required.
This is where the frt-System® (free-rotation-tree-System)comes in: The anatomically formed gullet plate bars of the PS Saddle Tree prevent contact with the shoulder blade cartilage during movement. The horse’s shoulder can therefore move freely. Freedom is created precisely where it is required, enabling the horse to move uninhibited.
Freedom Panels
Freedom Panels
These saddle panels with optimized wither clearance developed by Passier are excellently suited to horses with wide or particularly sensitive withers. The special way in which they are made means wither contact will be sustainably avoided. As a result of the broader contact surface the saddle fits the horse’s back perfectly. The panels are available for all newly made Passier saddles. Lowered Channel Seam More space is created to the right and left of the horse’s withers, thanks to the lowering of the channel seam by 2 cm (3/4”). Contact of the saddle panels to the sides of the horse’s withers is virtually impossible.
Wider Channel The front third of the channel is especially wide, thus creating more freedom of movement for the horse’s spine in this area.
Freedom Panels
Divided Freedom Panels
For horses with particularly sensitive backs Passier has developed divided freedom panels, i.e. panels with optimized wither clearance which are divided at the rear in order to permit even greater freedom for the spine. This channel is wider throughout. The special design also means that these panels are particularly suitable for horses with short backs. These panels are available for all newly made Passier saddles.
Freedom Panels
“Lifter” Panels
Passier’s exclusive “Lifter” panels create even more contact area on the horse’s back are perfect for horses with high withers. With high withers, the saddle needs to be high enough at the front to avoid exerting pressure on the sensitive withers. The panels are designed so that the saddle lies horizontally on the horse’s back and therefore, as well as very good wither clearance, also ensure a good contact area. Furthermore, the short, round form of the panels at the rear exert no pressure. These special features make the“Lifter” panels very horse-friendly – and extra high gussets are no longer required! They are available for all new Passier saddles.
Personal Review
Saddles
This is my personal run-down of the Passier’s that we have ridden in over the years. My first Passier was a Corona and my second an Optimum and those are the ones we kept on buying as it’s what we knew and they worked so well. I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with the other models that we are stocking and putting them on various horses to feel the difference. Obviously different rider shapes influence saddle preference as does rider experience and the type and experience of the horses we are riding.
Corona
This has been our longest serving, most used saddle. It gives you a really good feeling of security which is great for the rider and for use on the younger horses. We usually have a lot of young horses here on training so it really serves our purpose and we love it. We have ridden so many different horses in it and it fits so well. If you want security but a super close leg contact, this is it. I cant recommend this saddle highly enough.
Corona II
The Corona II is made with Selloil leather so it’s instantly grippy. I really like it on the bigger framed and moving horses. The security in the seat and the moulded knee roll give you security without feeling like you are locked in place and can’t get out. I feel it eclipsed the Corona on the bigger horses. As with all the Passier’s you have instant calf contact. If you have a big shouldered, warmblood type I would recommend you give this a try.
Optimum
This is my personal favourite dressage saddle. The older style ones were pretty flat and firm to ride in which I loved in my younger days but these days I’m extremely happy with the newer model ones having more softness and depth in the seat. The biggest advantage with this saddle is the close contact to the horses back. You can feel what’s going on underneath you the whole time and I really love where your leg sits. This saddle is hard to beat and suits a wide range of riders. If you are trialling saddles, make sure you give this one a go.
Sirius
The Sirius has been the biggest surprise to me. The top of the range Passier has been designed to allow movement of the horses shoulder but the first few times I rode it in I wasn’t hooked. Then I rode a students horse in it that was a little jarring in its movement and it was amazing! I’ve now used our demo saddle on a wide range of horses and it’s very, very good. Actually, it’s excellent. It seems to follow the horses movement in a slightly different way than a traditional saddle and the horses really respond to it. This saddle creates a new comfort level that I really appreciate these days. So do the horses.
Happy riding,