Can someone please explain to me how saddle twist relates to an individual’s conformation? What are the problems encountered when a person’s saddle has the wrong twist?
TIA!
Wrong twist = pain!
It’s related to the width of your pelvis. In general, the narrower your pelvis, the narrower a twist you’ll want.
However, there aren’t any rules for what is a narrow, medium, and wide twist, so you’ll really have to sit in the saddle to see how it feels. Also, the rise of the saddle can impact how it feels - so two twists that are the same width may feel totally different because one has a steeper rise than the other.
Kitt, who posts on here, has a great explanation on her blog - http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/2009/03/twist-and-shout.html
Wrong twist can also = poor position. E.g. my current saddle has a wide twist and it’s as comfy as can be, but I have short legs and tight hips, so I cannot keep my legs underneath me in this saddle (I ride dressage BTW.) It’s like sitting in a very comfy chair – total chair seat! A saddle with a narrower twist allows me comfort and better position.
I read somewhere that slim people prefer a wider twist than people with more “padding” on their thighs. The wide twist is too much for the people with the “padding” and the narrow twist is not comfortable for people with no padding.
I think it’s actually more about shape of how the hip joints are shaped relative to the pelvis.
Those of us who have the more rounded backside seem to need narrower twists, but I think it’s less to do with thighs and more to do with angle of legs out of the pelvis.
For a jumping saddle I can be super comfy in a wide twist, but in either a western or dressage saddle where my legs are supposed to hang down - they can’t unless it’s a narrower twist. I end up with very sore abs from trying to force correct position and my IT band and hip flexors feel overstretched and sore. For me, the narrow the better.
For folks whose hip sockets are in a more ideal position for riding, a narrow twist can feel a bit like getting jammed up the whatsits with the long part of a narrow pole - think bouncing while straddling a pipe fence.
[QUOTE=ToTheNines;7168057]
I read somewhere that slim people prefer a wider twist than people with more “padding” on their thighs. The wide twist is too much for the people with the “padding” and the narrow twist is not comfortable for people with no padding.[/QUOTE]
And I would disagree…at least in my case, I am slim and can’t STAND a wide twist - it puts me in a world of pain. Narrow is much nicer/comfier for me.
If I could learn to look at a person and pick the saddle that would probably suit based on their conformation, I could retire in just a short time … It really is individual pelvic structure and conformation as well as personal preference. It’s also based somewhat on the type of saddle as well - riding with a shorter leg can make a wider twist bearable for some people. Think of sitting astride a barrel: if you try to get your leg down into a long, “dressage” position, you may feel as though your legs are being torqued off, but if you bend your knee and bring it forward, you’d probably be more comfortable. I know little skinny people who like narrow twists and larger people who like wider twists, and vice-versa. Stirrup bar position comes into the twist equation, as does overall seat balance, flap set, block set/size …
^ True.
I’m short, not even 5’4’’. And not heavy per se, though heavier than I should be. My trainer is 5’09’’ I think. We both ride in the same size saddle, same flap, in fact she fits in my custom saddle like a glove and and I fit in all her saddles (and her mom’s saddles, she’s even taller and bigger framed) as well. This is me in a 18.5 dressage saddle that they both compete in. It’s all about individual body types, not sizes or height or skinniness .
I ride in a Devoucoux Oldara, which was billed to me by the rep as a love-it-or-hate-it saddle because of the twist. She said some either get on, hate it and get off, or vice versa. I love it. Trainer loves. Someone else told me it was like having a roll of toilet paper between their legs. Or something like that… Not comfortable, either way.
The way a twist feels has a lot to do with not just your hip width but how your legs hang from your hips and the angle of how your legs hang. While most women have legs that angle in from a wider perspective, some women do have legs that have hang straighter. That will influence how the twist feels. Moreover, the elasticity in your hip joint and surrounding area will also affect whether the twist is comfortable for you or not. If you feel the need to bend your legs forward or you get cramps in your hip joint, the twist is too wide. If you feel like you are sitting on the narrow end of a two by four, it is too narrow!
Thank you all for your replies – very helpful!
[QUOTE=ToTheNines;7168057]
I read somewhere that slim people prefer a wider twist than people with more “padding” on their thighs. The wide twist is too much for the people with the “padding” and the narrow twist is not comfortable for people with no padding.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I’ve found this to be true. I have skinny legs and flat inner thighs, more like man. Women usually have rounded inner thigh muscles, even if they are thin…something to do with the angle their femurs come out of their pelvis. While I do have a narrowish pelvis, I need a medium+ twist as I don’t have enough padding (muscle or fat) on my inner thighs to provide support, so I need it from the saddle. What happens in a narrow twist is that I feel tipped forward.
Oh, and I do ride in an Oldara…I had a Socoa, but the twist was way too narrow and I was always fighting falling forward. The “roll of toilet paper” twist in the Oldara works for me. A friend who is very close to my size, but has a more typical female build (narrow waist/wider hips/rounder thigh) rides in my Socoa and loves it. I don’t think twist preference has much to do with male/female or weight, but the angles of the pelvis and how the femurs drop out of it.
[QUOTE=Canaqua;7170594]
The “roll of toilet paper” twist in the Oldara works for me.[/QUOTE]
Do you remember what kind of twist it was? Or just a wider one? I can’t remember what the rep said, been too long.
And in a YMMV scenario, I definitely have more padding in my thighs than Canaqua. I got new microcord breeches that made a “zing! zing! zing!” sound when I walked :dead: :uhoh: :lol:.
[QUOTE=ToTheNines;7168057]
I read somewhere that slim people prefer a wider twist than people with more “padding” on their thighs. The wide twist is too much for the people with the “padding” and the narrow twist is not comfortable for people with no padding.[/QUOTE]
THis.
If someone has flat thighs, a narrow twist saddle will encourage them to pinch with their knees. If they have round thighs, a wide twist saddle will make them feel like they are trying to straddle a barrel.
Men tend to do ok with narrow twist saddles because the way their legs come out of their hip joints.
