When the Saddle Holds the Secret with Jochen Schleese

What if one of the most fundamental elements of our riding… has been quietly working against us? In this episode of The Equestrian’s Inner Life, I sit down with Jochen Schleese—a Certified Master Saddler, trained in Germany with Passier, and the youngest to achieve this distinction at the time—who has dedicated his life to understanding the true impact of saddle fit on both horse and rider. Through a deeply personal encounter, Jochen was led to question what many had long accepted as truth. What followed was a lifelong pursuit of answers—one that would take him far beyond conventional thinking and into a completely new way of seeing the relationship between horse, rider, and saddle. Raised between Germany and Buenos Aires, and now based in Canada, Jochen’s journey has been one of curiosity, courage, and innovation. Rather than approaching saddle fit purely as a technical necessity, he began to explore it as a living interface—something that directly influences movement, comfort, communication, and performance. One of his most profound realisations is that men and women are built differently. Our skeletal structure, our physiology, and the way we sit and move in the saddle are not the same—yet for many years, saddles were not designed to reflect these differences. The result? Countless riders unknowingly working against their own bodies… and their horses. In this conversation, we explore what led Jochen to these discoveries, how he began to challenge long-standing industry norms, and how his work now supports both horse and rider in moving, developing, and performing free from pain. A conversation that invites us to look again—more closely, more honestly—at something we may have taken for granted. Because when the saddle truly supports the body… it allows the horse to move freely, and the rider to meet them there. And in that space, both are cared for in a way that changes everything.Resources:Connect with Jochen: https://schleese.com/jochen-schleese-biography/Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossportFollow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcastMusic produced by Melissa Parris