saddle. It is seen most often in the USA and Canada, but also on occasion in South Africa and other parts of the world. It is used most often on the high-action and gaited horses of the Americas. Gaited breeds using this saddle include the American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse, and Missouri Foxtrotter. Non-gaited but action-oriented breeds such as the Morgan and the Arabian, are commonly shown in saddle seat style, though these breeds also have hunt seat divisions. The seat of this saddle is longer and flatter than that of a forward seat or dressage saddle. The seat places the rider's center of balance farther back on the horse than in other English riding disciplines, though correct saddle seat equitation still demands that the rider's legs and feet be balanced under the horse. The pommel is always cut back to allow greater freedom of the front legs and shoulder, as well as to accommodate the higher set neck and higher withers typical of the saddle seat breeds. The flap is wide front-to-back, with no blocks or rolls beneath, and ends closer to the cantle than any other English saddle so that the rider's leg (whose thigh is further back than in other styles because the seat is also farther back) is protected. Riders use very long stirrups, usually at least as long as those of dressage riders. The saddle seat was developed from two sources. The first was a flatter European saddle developed to sit the rider further back to show off the high front leg action of flashy horses, often seen quite literally during Sunday rides in city parks. (See English Show Saddle, below.) The second source was the plantation saddle developed in the southern United States that allowed riders to sit back comfortably on a gaited horse as they covered large areas of land on a daily basis. Endurance saddle The Endurance saddle, originally based on a military or police saddle, is used for the long-distance competition of endurance riding. Its major task is to provide the horse and rider with the comfort and balance needed to cover long distances over rough terrain, sometimes for multiple days. For the rider, the seat is often quilted or padded, and the stirrups are designed with a wide foot tread to reduce fatigue. For the horse, the panels of the saddle are extended to provide a larger area of contact