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Criterion

Criterion Versatile Horse Saddle for Children

Criterion Versatile Horse Saddle for Children

£320.00
Tax included.
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Criterion Versatile Horse Saddle for Children (Ages 2–9)

A Treeless Saddle Designed for Young Riders (Ages 2–9)
The Criterion Versatile Horse Saddle is a patented, lightweight, and treeless saddle tailored for children aged 2–9 riding full-size horses. Designed with comfort, safety, and posture in mind, it features a memory foam seat, curved stirrup bars, a supportive rear panel, and vegan leather for easy care. RDA-endorsed and exclusive to Criterion, it offers unbeatable value at £320 — with free delivery across the UK and Europe.


Key Features:

Supportive Design – Built to promote balance and confidence from the very first ride

Age-Compatible Sizing – Perfectly proportioned for children aged 2 to 9

Treeless & Lightweight – Ensures maximum comfort, posture support, and ease of handling

Universal Fit – Compatible with nearly all full-size horses, from Shetland ponies to cobs, thanks to its horse-friendly anatomical design

Dressage Girth Compatible – Designed to be used with a dressage-style girth for a secure and balanced fit

Safety First – RDA-endorsed with curved safety stirrup bars and detachable balance strap included

Posture-Friendly – Memory foam seat and strategically placed blocks support a natural seat and stable posture

Easy to Maintain – Vegan-friendly black leatherette; wipe-clean surface for hassle-free care

Innovative & Inclusive – Patented design available exclusively through Criterion


Shipping Information

Free UK & Europe delivery included


🎥 Watch the Versatile Saddle in Action

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View full details
  • Innovative Treeless Saddle System for Young Riders

    A Patented Design Optimized for Safety, Postural Support, and Adaptability on Full-Size Horses

  • Versatile Design for Confident Riding

    A Trusted Companion from Beginner to Experienced Riders

  • Customizable Safety Features

    Interchangeable Panels for Tailored Support and Protection

  • Enhanced Comfort and Fit

    Adjustable Blocks for Horse's Anatomy and Rider's Comfort

  • Lightweight and Treeless Construction

    Effortless Adaptability for Most Horse Breeds

  • Ergonomic Support Handle

    Soft Leather with Nylon Inserts for Stability and Comfort

  • Unmatched Safety Standards

    Curved Stirrup Bar for Secure Riding Experience

  • Premium Quality and Innovation

    Setting a New Benchmark for Children's Saddles

  • Size Adjustable

    Size Adjustable, front panel can be moved back and forth.

Back Panel

The back panel support measures 3 inches in width and 6 inches in height, providing the perfect foundation for beginners and those experiencing riding anxiety. Crafted from artificial or Real leather, this essential component is designed for optimal comfort and support.

Versatile Design for All HorsesThe adjustability of these base panels makes them suitable for all horses, regardless of size or breed. By customizing the fit to each horse's unique conformation, these panels provide a versatile solution for ensuring optimal comfort and support during rides.

  • Ultimate Comfort and Confidence

    Lined with plush foam, the back panel offers a plush and comfortable experience, ensuring riders can focus on their riding sessions without distractions. It in stills a sense of safety and security in new riders, boosting their confidence levels.

  • Correct Posture and Stability

    Engineered to promote proper alignment and stability, the back panel support helps children achieve the correct posture while riding. It plays a vital role in ensuring a safe and comfortable riding experience for young riders.

  • Transition Support

    As children gain more confidence and experience in riding, the support panel can be replaced with a 2-inch high and 3-inch-wide panel. This transition allows riders to feel more freedom while maintaining the necessary support for a smooth progression in their riding journey.

Coronation Seat of Versatile Saddle

The coronation seat of the versatile saddle is a key component designed for maximum support and comfort, especially for beginners and young children who are learning to ride. Whether made of artificial leather or real leather, this seat incorporates memory foam to ensure unparalleled comfort during riding sessions.

  • Maximum Support and Comfort

    The coronation seat is engineered to provide maximum support and comfort to riders, particularly those who are new to riding or are young learners. The combination of artificial or real leather with memory foam creates a supportive and cushioned seat for a pleasant riding experience.

  • Unique Design for Enhanced Grip

    With its uniquely designed curves all over, the coronation seat offers enhanced grip to the rider. These curves are strategically placed to provide stability and prevent any slips during the ride, ensuring a secure and confident riding experience.

  • Versatile and Functional

    The coronation seat of the versatile saddle is not only designed for comfort and support but also for versatility and functionality. It caters to the needs of riders at different skill levels and ensures a smooth and enjoyable riding experience for all.

Safety Strap of Versatile Saddle

The safety strap of the versatile saddle, made of artificial leather or real leather with trigger hooks, is a feature that can be attached to the saddle for new or nervous young riders. It provides a secure and stable grip for riders to hold onto while experiencing riding, offering them additional safety and confidence.

  • Extra Security and Safety

    Designed to provide extra security and safety, the safety strap gives riders a sense of stability and support as they navigate their riding journey. It enhances the overall riding experience by giving riders the assurance they need to ride on their own with confidence.

  • Removable Feature

    Once riders have gained enough confidence and are comfortable riding independently, the safety strap can be easily removed. This allows riders to progress and ride freely without the need for the additional support provided by the safety strap.

Posture

From the first time a child sits on a horse, a positive experience is vital.  To help them feel safe, secure and supported ensures that they can enjoy it and start to develop from day 1.

Versitile saddle is designed to do exactly this - the front and rear blocks assist in helping the child feel safe by assisting in postural control and offering vital kinaesthetic feedback which not only keeps the child from rocking forwards or backwards but helps develop all important postural control and stability in the saddle.

Safety

The front and rear blocks on Versatile Saddle are there initially for safety - to ensure the child feels secure.  The E bars for the stirrups are designed for quick release which is paramount in the event of an incident.  The saddle comes with a detachable balance strap, perfect for beginners or nervous riders and easily removed.

Development

The unique feature with Versatile Saddle is how it converts into a general purpose saddle.  The front and rear blocks are easily swapped for smaller sizes which gives the rider more freedom in the saddle and enables further development of the rider into other areas of equestrianism such as jumping.  

Comfort

Versatile Saddle is made from vegan friendly leather which is easy to maintain and clean and offers not only a practical alternative to animal hide but also exceptional comfort for the rider.  The seat is padded with memory foam, soft and supportive.  The convertible nature of this exciting saddle means that the rider can remain in balance and comfort as they develop their skill and not outgrow its usefulness.  The saddle develops with the rider.  The saddle is also comfortable for the horse as it is treeless and the foam mould to the shape of the horses back allowing the rider to really feel and follow the movement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How is the saddle designed with the horse’s anatomy in mind?

The Versatile Saddle is crafted with a treeless design and adjustable bottom panels that naturally conform to the horse’s back, ensuring optimal comfort. Suitable for most full-size horse breeds, it allows close rider-horse contact and evenly distributes weight, promoting freedom of movement and reducing pressure points.

What makes this a pioneering saddle for children?

This is a patented and revolutionary children’s saddle designed to support the rider’s full development. It begins as a secure toddler saddle and, as the rider gains confidence, it transitions into a more open design for experienced riding — offering a seamless journey from beginner to general-purpose use.

What are the adaptable design features of the saddle?

The saddle features interchangeable front and back support panels to suit the rider’s stage of development. The back blocks come in two sizes (3.5” and 6”), while the front blocks are available in 4” and 1.5” options — allowing you to tailor the setup for safety, posture, and freedom of movement.

What materials are used in the saddle's construction?

Constructed from rolled synthetic leather with reinforced nylon inserts, the Versatile Saddle offers both durability and comfort. The ergonomic support handle is soft yet strong, and the trigger-hook attachments connect securely to D-rings for added rider control and safety.

What type of girth does the Versatile Saddle use?

The Versatile Saddle is designed to be used with a dressage girth. This type of girth offers better balance and stability for young riders, making it especially suitable for use on full-size horses.

How does the saddle ensure safety for children?

Safety is a priority in every element of the design. The curved safety stirrup bar ensures a secure release angle in case of an emergency, while the detachable balance strap and posture-enhancing blocks offer stability and support — meeting high safety standards for young equestrians.

Is the saddle lightweight and travel-friendly?

Absolutely. The lightweight, treeless structure makes the saddle easy to handle, carry, and position on the horse. Despite its sturdy build and rich features, it remains highly portable — ideal for parents, instructors, and children alike.

Back Panel

The back panel support measures 3 inches in width and 6 inches in height, providing the perfect foundation for beginners and those experiencing riding anxiety. Crafted from artificial or Real leather, this essential component is designed for optimal comfort and support.

Ultimate Comfort and Confidence

Lined with plush foam, the back panel offers a plush and comfortable experience, ensuring riders can focus on their riding sessions without distractions. It in stills a sense of safety and security in new riders, boosting their confidence levels.

Correct Posture and Stability

Engineered to promote proper alignment and stability, the back panel support helps children achieve the correct posture while riding. It plays a vital role in ensuring a safe and comfortable riding experience for young riders.

Transition Support

As children gain more confidence and experience in riding, the support panel can be replaced with a 2-inch high and 3-inch-wide panel. This transition allows riders to feel more freedom while maintaining the necessary support for a smooth progression in their riding journey.

 Adjustable Base Panels.

The adjustable base panels are made of artificial leather and fibre foam, prioritizing the comfort of the horse. These panels are uniquely designed with the horse's anatomy in mind, allowing for easy adjustment according to the horse's back shape to ensure a comfortable fit.

Versatile Design for All Horses

The adjustability of these base panels makes them suitable for all horses, regardless of size or breed. By customizing the fit to each horse's unique conformation, these panels provide a versatile solution for ensuring optimal comfort and support during rides.

Coronation Seat of Versatile Saddle

The coronation seat of the versatile saddle is a key component designed for maximum support and comfort, especially for beginners and young children who are learning to ride. Whether made of artificial leather or real leather, this seat incorporates memory foam to ensure unparalleled comfort during riding sessions.

Maximum Support and Comfort

The coronation seat is engineered to provide maximum support and comfort to riders, particularly those who are new to riding or are young learners. The combination of artificial or real leather with memory foam creates a supportive and cushioned seat for a pleasant riding experience.

Unique Design for Enhanced Grip

With its uniquely designed curves all over, the coronation seat offers enhanced grip to the rider. These curves are strategically placed to provide stability and prevent any slips during the ride, ensuring a secure and confident riding experience.

Versatile and Functional

The coronation seat of the versatile saddle is not only designed for comfort and support but also for versatility and functionality. It caters to the needs of riders at different skill levels and ensures a smooth and enjoyable riding experience for all.

Front Support Panel

The front support panel, measuring 3 inches wide and 4 inches high, is a crucial component designed to offer safety and security to new young riders. Crafted from a combination of artificial leather or real leather and fibre foam, this panel ensures a comfortable and secure riding experience.

Safety and Confidence

The front support panel is adjustable and specifically designed to provide safety and security to new and nervous riders. It instils a sense of confidence by offering a stable and supportive foundation for young riders to build their skills and gain confidence in riding.

Transition Support for Riding Experience

As riders progress and gain more experience, the front support panel can be replaced with a 1.5-inch high and 2.5-inch-wide panel. This transition panel provides freedom while still offering the necessary support for a smooth transition in the riding experience, allowing riders to feel more independent and confident in their abilities.

Safety Strap of Versatile Saddle

The safety strap of the versatile saddle, made of artificial leather or real leather with trigger hooks, is a feature that can be attached to the saddle for new or nervous young riders. It provides a secure and stable grip for riders to hold onto while experiencing riding, offering them additional safety and confidence.

Extra Security and Safety

Designed to provide extra security and safety, the safety strap gives riders a sense of stability and support as they navigate their riding journey. It enhances the overall riding experience by giving riders the assurance they need to ride on their own with confidence.

Removable Feature

Once riders have gained enough confidence and are comfortable riding independently, the safety strap can be easily removed. This allows riders to progress and ride freely without the need for the additional support provided by the safety strap.

Interested in Bulk Orders or Becoming a Stockist?

If you’d like to place a bulk order or become one of our stockists, please contact us at info@criterion-uk.com. We’d love to partner with you!