Any Racing/P2P people on here?

ghostie-x

ghostie-x

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Hi,
I need to buy an exercise saddle for my new horse who I'm planning to P2P next season and just wondered what the best kind would be? Old Mill, Wintec etc. Any help much appreciated :) Thanks x
 
I love Old Mill race saddles and love the fact that you can get a variety of weights to suit. For pure exercise we also have a few Berney's saddles and they are really nice to ride in!
 
Most trainers go for a full tree race exercise saddle for NH (jump horses).
Gibsons are the industry standard leather saddles for flat horses.
It is a bit easier to get a good exercise saddle for jumpers, I know Zilco fulltree smooth are popular, but I do not like a closed stirrup bar as I consider them unsafe unless used with peacock stirrups, and if I am thinking about that while flying up the gallops on something unpredictable, I am not concentrating on the job.
Look at Equestrian Clearance who have R/E saddles by Wintec on offer, I have never used them.
I would always ask Gibson for their advice, they sell quite a few!
 
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I would say a Gibson saddle with a polypad and a prolite pad. Or you can get some nice ones on eBay. Zilco 1/2 trees are nice but I find the full trees slip back. Or I trained Buster in my event saddle, you don't necessary need an exercise saddle!!
 
Half tree saddle are very comfortable for the rider but not good for the horse's back. There is a pressure point underneath the rider where the tree ends which is why most NH trainers use full tree saddles. As Millbrook Song says, a jumping saddle is fine unless the horse pulls very hard.
 
I love my Zilco excercise saddle the only problem is it is 19" long. the rest of the yard ride in the Old Mill excercise saddles but I feel very perched on top in these but I suppose once you get used to them they are ok.
 
MillbrookSong said:
I would say a Gibson saddle with a polypad and a prolite pad. Or you can get some nice ones on eBay. Zilco 1/2 trees are nice but I find the full trees slip back. Or I trained Buster in my event saddle, you don't necessary need an exercise saddle!!
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I agree with this completely, also the fitter mine get the more I ride in my jumping saddle because there's more security for 'random expressions of wellbeing' ;)
I have 2 very old saddles both of which I tried before I bought, it's quite an individual thing and nobody likes/suits all saddles.
 
ghostie-x said:
Hi,
I need to buy an exercise saddle for my new horse who I'm planning to P2P next season and just wondered what the best kind would be? Old Mill, Wintec etc. Any help much appreciated :) Thanks x
Click to expand...

Just a thought! There are some rules about what type of saddle you can use, so if you are on a budget (as most of us are) then I would buy a racing saddle, and use that for everyday or just use a regular saddle for everyday work. If you go on the Point to Point website there is a guide that you can download with all the do's and don'ts, or if you like I can post you one of my old rules and regs books which has the definitive list? Just PM me your address.
 
I saw a Zilco 4lb saddle on eBay the other day - don't know if it'll be finished yet but might be worth a look? I'm sure the one I ride in at home is a T Frost synthetic and I love it, though it does have those enclosed stirrup bars mentioned above...
 
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