Thera-Tree

05/04/2026

Tad Coffin’s Equation for Better Partnership = SmartRide Rx Technology in saddle and eWell Pucks on horse & rider + Grounding

More details at www. eWell.life

29/03/2026

Same SmartRide Rx Saddle Technology, in a versatile new product! PLUS now available for purchase, so if you didn’t love the subscription model, please check it out!

20/02/2026

The Olympics inspire us to be better in all we do.

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 remarks that Winston Churchill is credited with the quip "there's no greater secret than that which lies between a man and his horse." "The saddle is certainly implicated in this by virtue of its location, Tad says. "One question we might ask is, 'Is this still a secret and if so, what have we done to investigate the answer?' As riders, we need to think more about what a saddle does, or does not do, or potentially could do to help our horses be all they could be."

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.

He has conducted over 4500 experiments using feedback from a group of horses that are wholly dedicated to saddle testing.

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. This effort has brought Tad full circle back to his efforts as a riding instructor, this time with a profound sense of having made the learning process more fruitful and enjoyable for all.

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.

06/02/2026

11/01/2026

Does your horse love the SmartRide Rx Saddle Technology in the Thera-Tree therapy device, but you’d rather own the unit instead of rent it? Check out this eWell Therapy Pad for horses:

16/10/2025

Meet Tad Coffin!

Tad Coffin graduated high school on Long Island in 1973 and went directly to train with the USET 3-Day team. In 1976 he won team and individual gold medals at the Montreal Olympic Games. Turning professional, he spent the next 20 years training and instructing.

In 1996 he started Tad Coffin Performance Saddles to research, design and manufacture saddles that would encourage horses to use their most balanced, athletic posture. He holds multiple US patents for his innovations and his saddles are being used by some of America's best riders.

He is also known for pioneering a beneficial electromagnetic field in his saddles which impacts the nature of water in the body. This unique technology brings a host of physiological benefits to horse and rider alike and is now offered in wearable wellness products used by horses, dogs and humans. called the eWell Puck.

📷 Michael Marino

10/08/2025

“Ace, wearing the Thera-Tree with the copper girth!
When he gets relaxed like this, he gets what I call “east/west ears!” -Jamie Jennings

21/07/2025

06/06/2025

When horses go well, there's something about their ability to move and carry themselves that brings out the dynamic beauty in them.

This can only happen, consistently and over time, if they can comfortably lift all portions of their backs into the saddle at all gaits equally well and while jumping. How horses with differing conformations can do this despite the downward pressure of saddle, girth and rider is not at all obvious. In fact, the pursuit of this ideal has occupied the past 30 plus years of my life and has necessitated the ongoing need and contributions of our test horses.

There is much that I like about the way this horse is jumping. He has a lovely bascule, a lovely expression, even and correct use of his legs and shoulders. He's really using his thoracic sling and coming up through his withers. There is a total absence of resistance— and resistance is what detracts from a winning performance.

This is one of our "test horses," George, a nice horse but certainly not an exceptional one. The jump is neither high or interesting enough to invite much effort on his part. This begs the question; why is he jumping so beautifully?

The answer is simple; because he can. And with complete comfort, partnership and joy.
While exceptional horses round up through their backs naturally, I am looking to get perfectly ordinary horses to do this through our saddle technology.

George’s daily routine (and mine) consists of the kind of gymnastic flatwork which was the cornerstone of my early training with Raul deLeon, an ardent follower of the principles exemplified by US show jumping coach Bertalan deNemethy. This preceeded my work with US eventing coach Jack LeGoff who taught the same principles.

What makes this type of work, for this horse (and indeed any horse) so valuable as a preparation for jumping is his complete ability to come up into the saddle. The saddle invites him to use himself in the way he was created. To borrow a quote from Cathy McEnroe , "the saddle is his friend." The quality of the jumping effort reflects the quality of the flatwork; his ability to lift, round, and propel from behind over a jump is a very similar effort and a natural extension of what he's already doing on the flat.

When horses have uncompromised use of their back and thoracic sling, they're balanced, more dynamic and comfortable to ride. In this way, they make a rider's position, balance, and aids more effective and attractive.

My goal is to create saddles that bring out the true beauty and partnership that is possible in riding and to make this joyful experience more available for all involved in the effort.

With gratitude,
Tad Coffin

15/05/2025

Thera-Tree was behind the scenes at Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Nationals helping some of the horses stay hydrated, limber, relaxed and perform at their best!

Works during shipping, too, since it’s wireless and non electronic. The horse that worries a bit while traveling wore the Thera-Tree on the 10 hour trip and arrived relaxed, happy, and hydrated.

More about this unique equine wellness device at Thera-Tree.com.