Made in Virginia 2014: Tad Coffin Saddles, Ruckersville

Tad Coffin Saddles

A Tad Coffin jumping saddle.

Like works of art, Tad Coffin saddles gleam with rich leather and graceful curves, but there’s no question that these are saddles designed foremost for performance. Leaning upon his expertise as a competitive rider—the 59-year-old Long Island native was a gold medal winner in the 1976 Olympic games and at the Pan American Games the previous year—Coffin has created a unique saddle tree (the structure beneath the outer leather) made of a lightweight plastic like that used in airplane interiors. It is reinforced with carbon fiber, creating saddles with an exceptional combination of strength and flexibility. “Most saddles are made for riders, because riders are the ones that buy them,” says Coffin. “If horses were the ones paying for saddles, most of them today wouldn’t be on the market.” Using extensive engineering analysis to inform an ergonomic shape, Coffin develops his saddles with the health of the mount in mind, promoting ease of movement, improved performance and reduced pain and injury. Since the company’s inception in 1997, a team of nine full-time employees has turned out about 300 saddles a year, which are used by Olympic champions and top competitive riders. But Coffin isn’t satisfied—the company continues to create and test new prototypes in search of a more perfect ride. Says Coffin, “We’re on a quest.” $5,000-$6,000. TadCoffinSaddles.com