Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Saddle Force Mapping, Molly Totten

Physics

In horseback riding, the size and shape of a saddle can drastically effect the comfort, attitude and performance of the horse as well as the effectiveness of the rider. In an effort to create an accurate means of fitting the saddle to the horse, I have created a pressure sensing device that maps the force differences along critical areas of the horse's back during motion. Using an Arduino microprocessor and appropriate circuits, data was collected about the pressure levels between the saddle and the horse's back and a graphic representation of the findings was created.