“Total Contact” saddles

“The ideal situation would be to genetically engineer a horse to have a ‘D’ – ring growing on his ribs which I could hang stirrups off. Stirrups are all a jumper really needs”

“For two thousand years a saddle has been a ‘chair’ we strap onto the back of a horse. Total Contact changes all of that”

The above are two of the challenging comments from ex-pro Italian show jumper, trainer and Italian Federal Instructor Mario Prisco. Mario has taken his experience in training, riding and coaching as well as his observations of other top show jumpers to develop his “Total Contact” riding method. “Total Contact” uses the balance of the rider to be more in harmony with the horse’s motion. To achieve this Mario has had to completely re-design the traditional view of a saddle and has developed his “Total Contact” saddle which allows more of the riders intention to be communicated directly to the horse instead of through several inches of thick leather, padding and wood. “The difference”, said one purchaser of the saddle recently, “was between driving a car without power steering and one that has power steering. The lack of effort needed is amazing”. The need to ride with the horse instead of against the horse is discussed by Mario in his method and the saddle is just a part of that method – it’s no good buying a World Rally Car and driving it like a trip to the supermarket in a three wheeler !

The saddle has been well received in Mario’s native Italy where professional rider Natale Chiaudanni has agreed to promote it with Mario. Natale regularly has to deal with big fences in the Samsung Super League Nations Cup and other top level competitions and appreciates the ease of communication the saddle affords him as well as the rapport with the horse and it matches the way top level riders perform – mostly on their stirrups and in a balanced fashion moving with the horse. The Head of the Italian Pony Club, Jacques Cave, has also encouraged his pony club members to use the “Total Contact” method and saddle as it develops natural balance and control especially in the Italian ‘pony games’ activities.


For more information on the Total Contact range as well as how Total Coaching can help you and/or your instructor, coach or club contact Stuart Attwood by e-mail on stuart@total-contact.co.uk, by phoning 07792722625 or clicking on the website at www.total-contact.co.uk