Blair Richardson

"Bates Saddles are always working with top riders and incorporating new ideas into their saddles. I am a huge advocate of the systems in Bates Saddles – for people changing horses, the EASY-CHANGE Fit Solution is such a great feature so that you can alter the width of the saddle, which is a huge bonus. I think the fluid cushioning of the CAIR Cushion System is so important, particularly when jumping, as it distributes the weight evenly, unlike in traditional saddles, where you feel the weight of the rider on the stirrup bar, which goes straight through to my horses wither. I choose to ride in the Bates Elevation+ with Luxe Leather, which was just so comfortable from the very first ride. I find it easy to ride in the correct position and believe it keeps me in good balance with my horse. For Dressage, I choose to ride in the Bates Innova with Standard Contourbloc."