Student saddles up for award

A 22-YEAR-OLD Wexford student could be set to alter the future of horseriding with his design of a revolutionary reduced weight saddle.

Martin Ryan, a final year student at the National College of Art and Design, won the prestigious 2005 Dyson Student Design Award for coming up with a prototype which mimics the movement of a horse.

The saddle also incorporates a new seat to help reduce the impact between horse and rider, while the stirrups have been updated to increase safety.