SRT Aims

The Saddle Research Trust, a charitable organisation, has been established to lead and support research into the influence of saddles on the welfare, performance and safety of horses and riders using scientific and objective methods.

SRT Objectives

The trust will investigate:

• Existing anecdotal evidence of welfare, performance and safety issues of saddles in relation to behavioural issues and back problems in all levels of the equine population.
• Causes of saddle related under performance and wastage in sports horses.
• Safety aspects of saddle design - cause and prevention of horse falls; risk of rider and horse injury in a fall.
• Poor performance in the racing industry.
• Poor fit of saddles related to weight fluctuation & obesity
• Effects of saddle performance and riding posture on the rider
• Benefits to disabled and special needs riders.

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SRT Trustees

The Saddle Research Trust is a charity governed by our board of trustees who are legally responsible for all of our activities.
The trustees ensure that the trust abides by its charitable aims, works within the law, and delivers its aims effectively. They oversee the policies and objectives of the trust and ensure that the work of the organisation is monitored and evaluated effectively.
The role of trustee is voluntary and unpaid.

Anne Bondi BHSI, Trust Director

A successful rider and trainer who has competed at advanced level both in Eventing and Dressage, Anne has also been placed in international three-day events including Windsor, Blair and Blenheim. As a trainer, she has prepared pupils for both competition careers and professional exams and was a Senior Examiner of the British Horse Society. Specialising both in the production of young competition horses and in the education of problem horses, she also produced a dynasty of homebred horses.

Over the years, the management of the horses became more natural – competing from the field, the horses were happier and stayed sounder. But one problem remained – saddles. Anne believes that the natural progression in 1999 to the treeless concept has been the biggest step forward in horse welfare in her lifetime.

In 2006, Anne founded Solution Saddles in order to research and develop a saddle design that would really make a difference to performance.

In 2009, the Saddle Research Trust was born through discussions with other like-minded people who strive to promote the welfare of the horse and to raise awareness of the widely underestimated issues surrounding saddles, equine backs and performance.

Anne is currently studying towards a PhD specialising in the scientific assessment of elite performance horses and riders.

Jo Talbot

A keen rider and horse enthusiast, I am a proud member of the Saddle Research Trust.  Passionate about horses and horse welfare, I began to take an active interest in ‘the science’ behind saddles after I experienced first hand the difference a correctly, inclusively designed saddle made to my horses and their performance

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My professional background is in marketing and public relations within the healthcare industry, and one of my roles is to coordinate the endorsement of products. I therefore also realise the importance and the role research plays in the ergonomics of design and product development.

Cath Holborn MSc

As an animal owner and lover I am pleased to be involved in the valuable work of the Saddle Research Trust.

As a full time academic I take an active interest in science and research in a variety of subject areas. I currently work as a Senior Lecturer in Radiotherapy and Oncology at Sheffield Hallam University and I am a qualified Therapeutic Radiographer. Within my role I am an Under and Post Graduate Supervisor and I regularly review for the Dissertation Management Group within my faculty. I am also a peer reviewer for The Journal of Radiotherapy Practice.

It is with these skills that I hope to support the work of The Trust and help educate and inform practice through valid and reliable evidence.

Annie Pollock

I work with a group of riders with both physical and learning difficulties; some of these are severe – Down’s syndrome, Rubenstein Tasi syndrome, microsephalis, cerebral palsy, autistic spectrum disorder, osteoporosis.

One of the benefits of riding as a therapy is the movement through the rider’s spine caused by the movement of the horse. Understanding that the horse must also move freely is therefore important in order to enhance the beneficial effects to the rider. 

Because all those in our therapy group are adult riders who are very much more unbalanced and one sided than is normal, I have had real concerns regarding the discomfort that can be caused to the therapy horse by this type of work if the saddle is not an optimum fit.

I am pleased to be involved with the work of the trust and look forward to applying our knowledge in the important field of riding therapy - for the welfare of the horses and the well-being of the riders.

David Bondi PhD

Dr. David Bondi acts as strategic advisor to the trustees. As a busy managing director working in the food manufacturing sector, he also enjoys competing homebred horses.

As a quantum physicist he has a keen interest in the objective scientific testing of performance equipment, particularly for the long-term benefit of performance horses.

Pictured is David winning at Chatsworth Horse Trials, with Benedict, a homebred by Fleetwater Opposition.

Charlotte Berridge BSc (Hons)

Charlotte has taken over as SRT Administrator. As well as taking care of the admin duties, Charlotte has been trained in the use of the Tekscan pressure mapping system and the Artec rapidscanner and runs these systems at the SRT study days.

Charlotte is also a graduate from the Royal Agricultural College where she studied International Equine and Agricultural Business Management.