The heart of every Passier saddle
Our Saddle Trees
The saddle tree is the foundation for balance, stability and fit. Passier makes two types: the PS saddle tree of wood and leather – crafted by our master saddlers for more than 100 years – and the synthetic saddle tree made of a specially developed elastomer.
The PS saddle tree
The PS saddle tree is the heart of every Passier saddle. It is the ideal combination of stability, flexibility and fit. Since its development more than 100 years ago, it has been made by our master saddlers to this day – with the utmost care, craftsmanship and an uncompromising commitment to quality. More than 1,200 individual steps go into a saddle tree that forms the basis for the exceptional comfort and longevity of every Passier saddle.
Made from the natural materials wood and leather, the PS saddle tree combines stability, flexibility and sustainability. These materials not only offer excellent mechanical properties, they also promote the breathability of the saddle. Heat can escape more easily, moisture is not trapped in the material and heat build-up is reduced – for a more pleasant climate under the saddle and greater comfort for the horse. The well-thought-out construction also provides even pressure distribution, ensures very good flexibility along the longitudinal axis and thus supports the horse’s natural movement. At the same time, the PS saddle tree gives the rider room for a stable, balanced seat. The short gullet plate points create optimum shoulder freedom and help the horse move freely and without restriction.
Every PS saddle tree stands for the combination of traditional craftsmanship, natural materials and modern technology – developed and made in Germany to meet the highest demands of horse and rider. All PS saddle trees are available in sizes 15.5" to 19".
PS saddle tree
Components of a PS saddle tree
Expansion joint
The expansion joint, the most important connection in the PS saddle tree, allows the materials attached to the gullet plate to adapt easily to the new gullet width whenever the gullet plate is adjusted. The wood and the particularly firm, durably tanned sole leather simply “travel” with the gullet plate as its width changes.
Gullet plate
All Passier gullet plates are made of a forged chrome-vanadium alloy. Its advantage: the finished gullet plate is very stable, yet its width can be adjusted easily at any time. Depending on fitting requirements, different gullet plate versions are available for every PS saddle tree. A Passier saddle can be precisely fitted to a horse – even several times. Another important feature is the short gullet plate points, which provide excellent shoulder freedom and allow the saddle to sit very close to the horse for direct contact and a comfortable ride. For optimum rivet strength and durability, solid rivet pins are used instead of hollow rivets.
Stirrup bar
On the PS saddle tree, the stirrup bar is made of a high-quality wrought bronze alloy. It has a breaking and pull-out strength of well over 600 Nm. Under normal conditions, a Passier stirrup bar cannot break or tear out.
Steel bar
The Passier steel bar stabilise the PS saddle tree while providing the necessary flexibility. Sheet material is deliberately avoided for the rails so as not to damage the fibres of the steel and to retain maximum stability. Spring steel strip is used instead, which is finished to the optimum shape for the saddle.
PS saddle tree
Versions of the PS saddle tree
PS saddle tree
The PS saddle tree has a narrow twist and is available with a flat, semi-deep or deep seat. The narrow twist provides very close contact with the horse and a pleasant riding feel. Each saddle model states which PS saddle tree is used in the respective version. Details of each version can be found in the model description under “Leather/Features”.
PS saddle tree with widened seat
A popular variant of our PS saddle tree is the version with a widened seat area. The narrow twist combined with a wider seat allows particularly close contact with the horse. The seat bones rest comfortably on the widened tree and help the rider sit softly and comfortably in the optimum position. The larger bearing surface also ensures a very good fit and even pressure distribution on the horse’s back.
PS saddle tree with frt-System®
As the foreleg swings forward and lands, the horse’s shoulder blade performs a complex gliding and rotating movement. The shoulder blade is connected to the horse’s trunk only by muscles and ligaments. With every stride, the shoulder blade and its cartilage – which forms a flexible, elastic buffer zone at the top of the blade – rotate slightly. As the foreleg swings forward, the scapular cartilage glides slightly back and down, since the shoulder blade follows the movement of the ribcage. As the leg lands, the cartilage travels forward and up again with the shoulder blade, following the movement of the trunk, while the tensed muscles act as shock absorbers cushioning the impact on the ground.
This is where the frt-System comes in: the anatomically shaped gullet plate give the scapular cartilage the room it needs to rotate freely under the gullet plate as the horse moves. The clearance is created exactly where it is needed, and the horse can move its shoulder optimally in all gaits. The result: a horse that moves freely from the shoulder and enjoys its work – in training, on the course or in the dressage arena.
The Sirius 2.0 always comes with a PS saddle tree with frt-System; the frt-System® is also available at extra cost for all other saddles with a PS saddle tree.
PS saddle tree with widened gullet plate
The PS saddle tree with widened gullet plate is particularly suitable for horses with a very bony, pronounced wither. The upper centre is widened by a good 1 cm, giving these horses more lateral wither clearance during longitudinal bending in movement. The slightly different angle of the gullet plate points resulting from the wider centre makes fitting easier and optimises the position of the saddle.
The widened gullet plate is available at extra cost for all saddles with a PS saddle tree and comes as standard in the popular EVO-S jumping saddle.
Standard gullet plate
Widened gullet plate
PS saddle tree with Queen Special solution
The Queen Special solution is a special recess in the front of the PS saddle tree in the pubic area, beneath the soft seat padding. It provides lasting pressure relief and a heavenly soft seat feel. You cannot see the Queen Special solution from the outside – but you can feel it precisely when riding.
The popular EVO D and Compact Comfort dressage saddles come with the Queen Special solution as standard. For all other models with a PS saddle tree it is available at extra cost.
Recess seen from above
Side view
PS saddle tree with cantle opened by 15°
With the cantle opened a further 15°, the seat offers more room and therefore more freedom of movement in the saddle. Swinging with the horse’s movement becomes noticeably easier. Another advantage lies in the choice of seat size: for horses with a short back, one seat size smaller can be chosen for the rider.
The cantle opened by 15° is available at extra cost for all saddles with a PS saddle tree up to size 17.5".
Synthetic saddle tree
The synthetic saddle tree
The Passier synthetic saddle tree combines modern material technology with decades of experience in saddle making. Its innovative construction offers horse and rider the highest level of comfort and creates the ideal basis for a balanced seat and maximum freedom of movement.
Made from a specially developed elastomer, the saddle tree impresses with its exceptional load-bearing capacity and flexibility. The material has been tested under conditions that meet aerospace requirements and is characterised by exceptionally high resistance. Under the stresses of equestrian sport, the synthetic saddle tree is designed for a long service life and offers lasting, reliable stability.
The narrow twist of the saddle tree allows particularly close contact between rider and horse and supports a balanced seat. The flattened cantle points provide more room in the seat area and increase comfort and freedom of movement. In addition, the saddle tree is flexible along its longitudinal axis. This controlled flexibility supports the natural movement of the horse’s back and contributes to even pressure distribution without compromising the stability the rider needs.
For optimum fitting to the horse, every saddle with a synthetic saddle tree has a gullet plate that can be adjusted at any time. The gullet width can therefore be adapted to the horse’s needs whenever required – even several times – providing a durable, adaptable solution for the highest demands in equestrian sport. Every Passier saddle with a synthetic saddle tree is a unique piece of master craftsmanship, available in seat sizes 16" to 18". The Young Star II Dressage Saddle and the Flow Jumping Saddle are available only in size 15.5“ and 16”.
Side view
Front view
Top view
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