SmartRide Rx Saddle Technology

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SmartRide Rx Saddle Technology

SmartRide™ is the most significant re-engineering of saddle tree and panel technology in history.

SmartRide Rx™ technology refers to the most significant re-engineering of saddle tree and panel technology in history. Conceived, designed and developed over a 20 year period by a consortium of experts, this exhaustive effort included a broad range of engineering and fabrication expertise, coordinated in a horse - centric environment under Tad’s direction.

08/19/2026

Being an Olympian is less about previous accomplishments and more about the lifelong pursuit of excellence. Fifty years after winning gold medals, you can still find Tad working at his goal to ride well and to be better by a measure every day.

Tad is a practitioner of the enduring fundamentals of horsemanship as taught to him by Raul deLeon and Jack LeGoff and through the influence of Bertalan deNemethy.

These are recent pictures of Tad riding at home. The ‘arena’ is a lovely, gently rolling grass meadow in front of the stables.

The horse, ‘Bravo,’ is an off the track Thoroughbred who came to Tad from the late Holly Carter immediately after finishing his racing career 3 years ago.

The postures of both horse and rider reflect balance, correctness, harmony and relaxation. The horse’s movement is free, expressive and dynamic. His expression is attentive, confident and positive.

The tack is simple: an eggbutt snaffle, regular noseband, plain reins. His jumping saddle is simply padded and secured with a leather girth. His attire is classic and simple.

What is not obvious is that every element in these pictures: horse, rider and equipment has a specific, unique, management protocol and/or design modification developed by Tad through his years of relentless study and experimentation. These all compound with a direct impact on what you see pictured.

At the center of this reformulation for success is the saddle. Historically throughout centuries of horsemanship, the general design of the saddle has barely evolved. Tad’s work since the Montreal Olympics in ’76 has been to re-envision and then design, engineer, and build a saddle that enable horses to fully use their back and look forward to wearing. His saddles are traditional on the outside and radically redesigned on the inside, optimized both for the biomechanical and bioenergetic needs of both partners in motion. When these needs are met, resistance is radically reduced, which enables balance, freedom, understanding and cooperation. The result is that the partnership’s overall performance is considerably enhanced.

It’s indeed a small group who continue to ride at his level in equipment they have per

07/21/2026

So many correlations between music and riding!

Thanks David John Goodrich for this:

“Meet George.

George is a Thoroughbred with a remarkable life—and he’s fortunate to have a remarkable partner. His owner, Tad Coffin, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist whose understanding of focus, performance, and the collaboration between horse and rider has influenced equestrians around the world.

For quite a while, I’ve explored what musicians can learn from other high-performance disciplines. This coming week’s episode of 15 Minutes with Dave Goodrich brings some golden wisdom to listeners all over the world.

In a special extended episode, Tad and I talk about focus, performance, preparation, and the surprising similarities between music and the equestrian world. We discuss rhythm, communication, trust, mindset, and what it really means to perform at a high level.

One of the things I enjoyed most was hearing Tad describe music from the perspective of someone whose career has centered on working in rythmic harmony with a horse. His insights are thoughtful, practical, and often unexpected.

We also talk about life after the gold and the ongoing quest for high performance that extends beyond the equestrian world without ever leaving it.

Whether you’re a musician, performer, athlete, equestrian, teacher, coach, or simply someone who wants to improve their focus and perform at their best, I think you’ll find something valuable and fascinating in this conversation.

The episode drops this Wednesday, July, 22nd at 5:00 AM, and I can’t wait to share it with you. We hope you will share it anyone seeking perspective in achieving excellence.”

Comes out July 22, 5:00 AM at https://15minutes.powersongtribe.media/

06/09/2026

Our congratulations to Cynthia Hankins on the release of your book, BAXTER BAY! We are honored that the illustrations by .kelly are featured in this heartwarming and hilarious tale of two retired show ponies who are friends reliving their glory days through storytelling.

Available now through Amazon Books!

06/02/2026

The new Lumbar Plus for riders is the same SmartRide Rx Saddle Technology as what Tad puts in the saddles and riders are raving about it!

Read more about it on the eWell.life website or give Tad a call.

Catch the Father’s Day Sale June 7-21!

03/26/2026

Tad Coffin here. I have some exciting news!

We’ve developed the eWell Puck, a wearable wellness device based on the same technology in our saddles and Thera-Tree.

We’ve used this development to create the eWell Therapy Pad which has the same benefits of the Thera-Tree and is now available for sale.

Not only is the eWell Therapy Pad great for the wellbeing of horses, it can be easily used with great effect for humans, dogs or other creatures!

(Note: If you loved the Thera-Tree for your horses but didn’t love the subscription model, the eWell Therapy Pad is worthy of your consideration as it is available for purchase.)

The rugged, handsome, flexible leather pad contains 6 eWell Pucks in a specific array. It’s an eWell force multiplier that is at least as powerful and effective as the Thera-Tree.

The benefits of the eWell Therapy Pad are many: It’s ideal for combatting back pain, reducing inflammation, and aiding in recovery from injuries.

It reduces stress and anxiety, lowers heart and respiration rates, increases circulation and hydration.

For athletes, daily use pre-exercise promotes looser, freer, more relaxed and focused workouts. Post exercise, it improves cellular recovery and speeds cardiovascular recovery time. Turn driving time into therapy time when you have the eWell Therapy Pad in the car seat.

Any time is the right time to support healthy hydration, optimize cellular functioning, reduce pain, inflammation and anxiety, particularly with athletes who are looking for a performance boost, are traveling, competing, or in recovery.

The eWell Therapy Pad is a real wellness/performance boosting technology and it’s super easy and safe to use. It’s non electronic, never needs recharging, and has no batteries. The only maintenance required is to keep it clean and to “ground” it daily which is as simple as putting on the ground for 30 seconds or using the grounding wire included.

Check out the info for the eWell Therapy Pad on our website eWell.life and feel free to give me a call if you have any questions.

Thank you and be well!

Tad Coffin
434-989-3229
[email protected]

02/20/2026

In the years since winning Olympic gold, Tad Coffin has continuously strived for excellence in horsemanship, but in a different way. He has used every bit of those years to do a deep dive into the role a saddle could and should play in the furtherance of the ultimate horse/rider relationship.

Tad continues, “it’s not at all obvious how the downward pressure of a rider and saddle would be able to solicit an upward lift in a horse’s back. Without this, a horse’s movement, balance, agility and cooperation will always be compromised to some degree. It’s a complicated problem and the solution requires something beyond what is currently being offered. Given the current prevalence of equine back pain, there is clearly room for an alternative saddle narrative.”

The pathway to good riding should lead to the ennoblement of the horse’s innate beauty and athleticism. With this in mind Tad has fully dedicated 30+ years to studying and reengineering one of the most vital, yet overlooked, tools for an equestrian.

The result of this work is SmartRide Rx technology which, with its biomechanical and bioenergetic properties, solicits the kind of response from horses that makes putting them ‘on the aids’ a joyful and therapeutic experience for both horse and rider.

If you’re curious to learn more about his saddles for both jumping and dressage, or his therapy device the Thera-Tree, go to www.tadcoffinsaddles.com. If you’re interested in the wearable wellness device called the eWell Puck that is lightweight, durable, and never needs charging, please visit www.eWell.life.
Give Tad a call with any questions at (434) 989-3229. He welcomes visitors to his base in Ruckersville, Va. by appointment.

02/06/2026

Winter in Virginia was reasonable until mid January. The footing was dry and not frozen. Horses were ridden and turned out.

It went steeply downhill with the big snow/ice event two weeks ago. Despite the lack of turn out and infrequent exercise, I am grateful to be able to ride the oval, gravel drive around the barn.

I’m also most grateful for all of the tools and daily protocols we’ve developed which make our lives and those of our horses safe, relaxed, and making progress, regardless of conditions.

These are the tools I use to make riding a pleasure, despite the ravages of recent weather:

1. Our saddle with the latest SmartRide Rx technology. Back discomfort or pain creates tension and a likely scenario for dangerous, disruptive behavior when combined with lack of turnout and exercise, snow sliding off roofs and slippery or treacherous footing.

2. The Thera-Tree or the new eWell Therapy Pad. When inside, our horses live in this technology with a service drop to the grounding girth on one end and to a grounding rod outside on the other. This keeps them in a constant state of electromagnetic homeostasis. (See the second photo.)

3. An eWell Puck is on each halter and a Collar Puck goes on the bridle when they’re ridden.

4. All blankets are kept on a grounded blanket rack when not in use.

5. All equipment is grounded before each use; saddle pads, saddle, girths, bridles, stirrups, half chaps, boots and all clothing.

6. All laundry is washed with an eWell in the washing machine and all tack is cleaned with an eWell in the bucket.

The beneficial effect of this remarkable technology is compounded in each of the measures listed above. Discomfort from back pain and the disruptive nature of chaotic energy is eliminated or blocked, replaced by comfort from all sources of contact.

The results speak for themselves and are worth every bit of effort.

-Tad Coffin

12/24/2025

Merry Christmas! Warm tidings from our family to yours.

12/13/2025

As our life is a gift, the Lord has given us the gift of the horse. And what an amazing gift this has been. For thousands of years, horses have helped us with every imaginable task and have participated in many of our most outstanding accomplishments. Their versatility is remarkable; from toiling in the fields, to their courage on the fields of battle, their capacity to endure the harshest climates and most difficult terrains, and to endure long journeys at sea to help us discover the ends of the earth. Indeed, it is hard to imagine what our world would be like without their help.

Here in the US, we think of horses as relics of the past, more recreational in nature. However, in many parts of the world, this is not so; they are still performing essential services of transportation and a variety of agricultural tasks. If, as humans, we've been given a greater gift over the span of history, I'd be hard pressed to name it.

We thank God for the gift of partnership with the horse. They are truly a reflection of His glory and His desire to provide us with a noble and willng partner. On this Day of the Horse, let us recognize and remember the sacrifice horses have made on our behalf throughout history.
-Tad Coffin

📷🎨Artwork by Kelly W. Coffin, her painting of Sir H.A. Munnings’ Statue of Lt. Horner

11/12/2025

Attention, Friends:
These two pups are looking for a good home. 3-4 yrs old small brown doggies.(SBDs). Sadly they belonged to a dear friend who recently passed away. They are sweet, very biddable, good with other dogs and are crate trained. One male & one female. Please dm if interested.
Thanks,
Tad & Kelly

Address

1151 Dairy Road
Ruckersville, VA
22968

Telephone

+14349893229

Website

http://www.tadcoffinsaddles.com/

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