Bates All-Purpose SC+ Saddle
Bates All-Purpose SC+ Saddle
The Bates All-Purpose SC+ Saddle provides comfort, grip and virtually effortless rider alignment.
Read more…Buy Online – Ship To Store
NEW! Place your order online and ship directly to the Dover Saddlery retail store of your choice! You will be contacted by a store associate in approximately 7-10 business days when all of your items are ready for pick up. Standard shipping is FREE! You will be responsible for any Oversize/Overweight fees which will be visible during the checkout process. Ship to Store orders are not eligible for expedited shipping.To place your ship to store order, simply add items to cart and begin the online checkout process. Select a Dover Saddlery retail location for your 'Shipping Information'. You will be asked to provide your name and phone number so we can contact you when the items are ready for pick-up.
Curbside pick-up is available. Please coordinate with the store associate when you are notified that your item is available for pick-up.
Questions? Call us at 800-406-8204.
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We will email you back within 24 hours to confirm store availability and when it's ready for pickup. If the items are not available at the store, we can ship it to you for free.
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The Bates All-Purpose Square Cantle (SC)+ Saddle in ultra-soft, grippy, double-lined leather offers comfort, grip and virtually effortless rider alignment. It features a low, square-shaped cantle and the option for you to use rear Flexiblocs, which are particularly suited for leisure riding that involves more jumping. You will experience the power of innovation with instantaneous comfort, security and balance.
The narrow twist and recessed stirrup channels create a close contact feel while molded knee inserts gently support your leg positioning. Adjustable Ergonomic Stirrup Bars offers effortless rider alignment and gives you complete control over your preferred riding position. The Adjustable Flexibloc system enables you to customize the support offered for an individualized riding position; rear Velcro® fastenings enable the use of rear Flexiblocs for additional leg support.
Built on the Elastiflex tree with drop panel points, this saddle has short triple billets with a point and balance fitting option. Horse comfort and fit is supported by the world-leading performance systems: EASY-CHANGE Fit Solution and CAIR® panels.
Description of features:
Elastiflex Tree, supported by the EASY-CHANGE Gullet, has a rigid head to maintain clearance over your horse’s withers. It also has lateral flexion to work with your horse’s muscular movements in every stride. Precision engineered to be lightweight, symmetrical and ultra-durable, this tree is guaranteed against breakage for 10 years under normal riding conditions.
EASY-CHANGE Fit Solution is comprised of the EASY-CHANGE Gullet system and the EASY-CHANGE Riser system. It offers a total saddle fitting solution for absolute horse comfort and your peace of mind.
Select the optimal gullet width in the EASY-CHANGE Gullet system for your horse’s current shape and muscling. Make adjustments within the saddle panels for optimal balance and clearance with the EASY-CHANGE Riser system. All adjustments are measurable, symmetrical and completely reversible, ensuring total confidence in the saddle’s ability to be custom fitted to your horse’s changing shape for optimal comfort and performance.
CAIR Cushion system replaces traditional saddle panel fillings with air cushion technology. It provides significant performance advantages in the way it distributes your weight and cushions your horse’s back. The air cushions fluidly mold to mirror your horse’s individual conformation and working muscles. They ensure a close, even contact over a much larger weight-bearing area and help eliminate instances of pressure points.
In cushioning your horse’s back, the dynamic nature of the air ensures it works in synergy with your horse’s muscles, rather than your horse’s muscles working against a static medium. Additionally, air provides the ultimate shock absorption, reducing instances of trauma to the horse’s muscles in work.
QUICK-CHANGE Girth Point system allows girth points can be fitted to factory standard throughout the life of the saddle. This girth system also allows customization by a saddler or saddle fitter. The unique design ensures the girth points are highly durable and ultra slim-profile, which supports a close contact feel and increased comfort for horse and rider.
Imported.
Manufacturer Restricted Price Product: Count on Dover Saddlery for the best quality, value and price possible. However, some of our manufacturers restrict advertised selling prices and prevent us from advertising discounts. For other items, some manufacturers allow us to offer and advertise a discount on a limited basis. Therefore, some products are not eligible for discounts.
Care for your saddle properly to ensure it can provide years of service.
After every ride, wipe perspiration and footing dust from your saddle with a barely moistened rag. Pay particular attention to removing grime from the billet straps. These critically important straps are the most likely area of your saddle to wear first as they are exposed to horse sweat and are always placed under great pressure during use. They may require more frequent conditioning than other parts of your saddle.
Once weekly, clean and condition all leather surfaces of your saddle using either the traditional glycerin soap method or a specially formulated leather cleanser. The economical glycerin soap method of cleaning involves wiping your saddle with a moistened sponge to remove dust and dirt. Rub hard to remove grime. When the leather feels smooth and clean, rub a nearly dry sponge or rag against the glycerin soap bar. Apply a thin layer of glycerin soap (no suds during this step) to your leather to seal its pores and keep it soft, but not sticky.
Newer methods of cleaning your saddle involve convenient and easy-to-use tack cleaning and conditioning products; follow the manufacturers’ label instructions on any product you choose. Almost every tack manufacturer has a recommendation or product preference for cleaning and conditioning its saddles, and some manufacturers produce their own. Additionally, some suede, buffalo or patent leather may require special care according to the saddle maker. Always follow saddle manufacturer’s guidelines when considering commercial leather cleaners and conditioners.
One-step leather cleaners also condition your leather as you wipe away grime. Two-step cleaners usually advise following cleansing with a conditioner that will soften and protect the leather.
A jumping, often called close contact, saddle that fits you well will help you achieve a correct riding position for taking fences and working on the flat. You'll require a fairly shallow seat with a low pommel and low cantle. Depending on your preferences, you may want knee rolls and rear thigh blocks (these vary greatly between models) combined with forward, short flaps with padded knee pads. Stirrup bars may be placed in a forward position. Together, these design features will allow you to assume a forward seat position with a short stirrup length.
Typically, a jumping saddle will have a fairly narrow "twist" to promote a close contact feel, though it is an aspect of saddle tree design intended to accommodate the horse's shape more than the rider's. The twist is located behind the pommel at the front of the saddle's seat. The front of any saddle tree has a steep angle to accommodate a horse's withers, while the back of the tree has a flatter angle to accommodate a horse's back. The twist occurs where the bars of the tree "twist" to form the transition between the front and back of the tree. The width of the strip of leather over the twist does not necessarily indicate the width of the twist.
If you feel like you're sitting on a wide board when you sit in a saddle, then the twist is too wide for your build. A twist appropriately sized for you will allow your legs to hang down softly. If a twist is too narrow for you, you won't feel supported. A professional saddle consultant can be sure that your ideal twist is appropriate for your horse's build.
Jumping saddles come with many differences of seat depth, flap rotations and flap lengths to accommodate rider preferences. Consider these guidelines as you look for your perfect fit in a jumping saddle.
- Hip to knee length determines where your knee and leg fit in accordance to the angle and point of the flap. Look to fit this part of your leg first. The rotation and size of the saddle flap should complement the angle of your leg. Your knee should hit at the top point of the flap with at least two fingers to spare.
- Saddle seat size affects your comfort, ability to move and effectiveness in seat aids. Ignore the seat size measurement of the saddle and work with what actually fits your body. Every manufacturer's saddle seat sizing will feel different. Most saddles require that you fit between three to four fingers (a hand's width) behind your bottom and the tip of the cantle. If you feel confined in a deep-seated saddle, then try the next seat size up.
- Flap length is less important than the way the flap shape complements the angle of your leg. As a general guideline, the flap will fall only about a third of the way down your calf. The goal in determining flap length is to avoid having the edge of the saddle flap catch on the top of your tall boot or half chap.
- Riding style, your own personal preference, for any one factor of the saddle and your position as determined by your unique physical build is always important. If you feel confined or restricted in a saddle, or conversely, do not feel supported, try another saddle.
All-Purpose saddles are perfect for leisure riders who like to take a few small jumps, work on the flat and enjoy trail rides. Some fox hunters also choose this type of saddle, which combines features required for both jumping and flatwork.
Flaps are longer than those on jumping saddles, yet not as long and are cut with a more forward rotation than average dressage saddles. Seat depths vary, but in general are not as shallow as those on jump saddles or as deep as those on dressage saddles.
How the "twist" of a saddle feels to you is a personal choice, though it is an aspect of saddle tree design intended to accommodate the horse's shape more than the rider's. The twist is located behind the pommel at the front of the saddle's seat. The front of any saddle tree has a steep angle to accommodate a horse's withers, while the back of the tree has a flatter angle to accommodate a horse's back. The twist occurs where the bars of the tree "twist" to form the transition between the front and back of the tree. The width of the strip of leather over the twist does not necessarily indicate the width of the twist.
If you feel like you're sitting on a wide board when you sit in a saddle, then the twist is too wide for your build. This could force you into a chair seat position, which puts you behind the horse's movement. A twist appropriately sized for you will allow your legs to hang down softly. If a twist is too narrow for you, your thighs won't feel supported. A professional saddle consultant can be sure that your ideal twist is appropriate for your horse's build.
To find an A/P saddle that will help you enjoy all your riding activities, follow these guidelines.
- Hip to knee length determines where your knee and leg fit in accordance to the angle and point of the flap. Look to fit this part of your leg first. The rotation and size of the saddle flap should complement the angle of your leg. Your knee should hit at the top point of the flap with at least two fingers to spare.
- Saddle seat size affects your comfort, ability to move and effectiveness in seat aids. Ignore the seat size measurement of the saddle and work with what actually fits your body. Every manufacturer's saddle seat sizing will feel different. Most saddles require that you fit between three to four fingers (a hand's width) behind your bottom and the tip of the cantle. If you feel confined in a deep-seated saddle, then try the next seat size up.
- Flap length is less important than the way the flap shape complements the angle of your leg. As a general guideline, the flap will fall only about a third of the way down your calf. The goal in determining flap length is to avoid having the edge of the saddle flap catch on the top of your tall boot or half chap.
- Riding style, your own personal preference, for any one factor of the saddle and your position as determined by your unique physical build is always important. If you feel confined or restricted in a saddle, or conversely, do not feel supported, try another saddle.