SADDLE EXPLAINER #8 FLOCKING
Flocking is the material inside the saddle panels that allows the saddle to make correct contact with your horse’s back.
In most traditionally constructed saddles, this is wool flocking. Wool is used because it can be adjusted, redistributed and refined over time Flocking does more than provide cushioning works in partnership with the tree to distribute the rider’s weight across the long back muscles on either side of the spine.
The tree provides the structure. The flocking allows that structure to sit evenly against the horse. When flocking is correctly balanced, the panels make consistent contact from front to back. When it becomes compacted, uneven or hollowed in certain areas, pressure can concentrate rather than distribute. This can alter saddle balance and affect how the horse moves. Because horses change shape with work, development and season, flocking is designed to be adjustable. Small refinements can restore level contact without altering the structural integrity of the tree.