EQUIscan offers a new measurement system, the Topographer PRO, that enables certified specialists and the saddle industry, in general, to capture, save, and reproduce the horse’s back very accurately. It’s a revolutionary saddle-fitting method that’s precise, easy, and already won many prestigious awards.

EQUIscan was founded in 2009 by Christoph Rieser, a well-known German saddle maker (www.rieser-saddle.de), who has more than 25 years experience,  has authored books about saddles, and is a proven expert in the field of tree design and prototyping.

The Topographer PRO

3D-model of the Topographer PRO measurement generated by the EQUIscan-Online-Platform

 

An exact measurement of the horse’s back is, without doubt, the basis for a well-fitting saddle. With more than 25 years of experience in the production of custom saddles, German saddle maker and tree specialist, Christoph Rieser, developed the Topographer PRO as a precise and absolutely reliable tool for saddle makers, manufactures, and saddle shops.

The Topographer PRO provides a worldwide standard measurement system via the EQUIscan-Online-Platform, which has expanded business opportunities and intensified relationships with customers.

The multi-faceted quality of the measurement is crucial for an optimum saddle sit and customer satisfaction. Any number of systems have been brought to market in recent years. Most of them, however, suffer from either major or minor disadvantages in usability, robustness, or preciseness. None of these ‘other’ systems is able to reproduce the horse’s back in the field. Only the Topographer PRO allows an instant saddle-check right after the measurement, with the rider virtually able to see through the back of his horse into the back of the saddle.

How does the Topographer work?

The Topographer PRO is a professional device for taking the measurements of a horse’s back and for the reproduction of existing measurement data which combines high precision with easy handling.


Let us walk through the basic steps of measuring a horse with the Topographer PRO:
First, the Topographer PRO is positioned on the horse’s back with reference to the position of shoulder blades the thoracic vertebra.
Fully 98 angles taken of the back are measured as precise numerical values, including the top line and the lateral elements. Thanks to the precise ratcheting, the value that the arrow points to can always be read unambiguously.

Checking the saddle-fit with a locked Topographer PRO: Your customer’s eyes can clearly see the fit!

Once the spine line and arms match the shape of the horse’s back, each element is locked with just a quarter turn. If a correction is necessary the elements can easily be rearranged simply by unlocking and relocking the relevant joints again.

All elements scale to provide exact numerical specifications: from 1 to 8 and with one-half step between as an inter-value.

Red indicators mark those elements that are already locked.

 

The final step of the measurement is to record the readout of the supplied spirit level. This ensures the ability to:

  • compare measurements (on the computer as well as on the horse back)
  • verify the position of the Topographer PRO when the same horse will be measured again
  • generate 3D-files of the individual measurement on the EQUIscan-Online-Platform as described below

All 98 values of the measurement plus the readout of the spirit level will now be entered onto the EQUIscan-Measurement-Sheet together with important data concerning the horse and rider. This questionnaire serves as a complete documentation of the actual measurement and can be signed by the customer. It then acts as a legal document concerning proof of the horse’s shape at the time it was measured.

What the Topographer does for you:

  • helps with the selection of a well-fitting saddle, both used or new
  • provides optimum control when making necessary changes to saddle fit
  • helps with the production of a saddle
  • allows the saddler to visualize changes by reproducing an archived measurement and by placing the locked Topographer PRO on a  horse that had previously been measured

 

The Topographer PRO in its locked condition – as a copy of the horse’s back – may now be used to check saddles for fit. This is the fastest, most professional, and objective way for customer to really see for himself whether a saddle fits well. The Topographer PRO is suitable for all types of saddles.

What is the EQUIscan-Online-Platform?

The EQUIscan-Online-Platform brings together saddle makers, customers, manufacturers, and shops. After entering your measurement results onto the platform (accompanied by a photo documentation and a video, if you like), the EQUIscan-Online-Platform serves as your personal archive of measurements, horses, riders, and saddles.
Saddle shops, fitters and saddle makers working with the Topographer PRO apply the same scheme of measurement worldwide. Doing business around the globe becomes as easy as selling a saddle to your next-door neighbor.
A saddle shop in in the Netherlands may measure a customer’s horse and send the documentation to a saddle maker in Texas. The American saddle maker will then reproduce the measurement by aligning and locking all elements according to the archived values. In less than ten minutes an exact copy of the Dutch horse’s back is ready for use either to find a fitting saddle already in stock or to act as a guide for the process of producing a custom saddle and perfect fitting.

EQUIscan charges for the measurement of the horse, including data recording, measuring the horse with the Topographer PRO and photo documentation: £99.00. Plus travel costs at £0.66 per mile from Ringwood, Hampshire.