Anyone jump in dressage saddle ?

[Boysy]

Just curious, as the small Saddle Co saddle that I have for one of the ponies (not the roly poly one!) is actually a Dressage saddle as opposed to a Working Hunter which is what I ordered....*huh*

But before it goes straight back, just wondered if anyone actually jumps in theirs? Bearing in mind this is on a tiny po with small rider so jumps won't exceed 2ft really. She rode last week in it for a couple of hours and aside from a little lower leg swinging in canter, it actually improved her position and helped her sit up straight.

And another question posed, is the saddle going to be secure enough for her to hack about in? Only my instructor has advised that we don't keep it and get it re-made into the WH that I ordered? Whilst I can understand this, I am reluctant purely and simply becuse we have got the fitting on this one almost 99% right and I fear that we may have to start all over again with yeta nother new saddle *sighs*

 

[Agent XXX999]

I dont, but I knew a girl that did, she even hunted in it

 

[xEMPx]

keep it!!! tiny ponies are a night mare to fit saddles!! esp Jumping saddles as they are quite rounded usually and dont have much defiation in wither or shoulder. If it fits pony and rider and she will be doing only little stuff-she will be fine

 

[Boysy]

You see, thats kindof along the lines that I am thinking at the moment, it is obviously very straight cut but because it is soo teeny, I can't really see what effect this is going to have. I myself had a dressage hybrid saddle for many yrs and suffered no ill effects whatsoever in it but I was older than my small person at the time so balance may have been a tad better..

Obviously she isn't going to be able to shorten stirrups quite so much but surely with the knee blocks put back in, this should afford the same level of security in the saddle as a WH would?

 

[vic07]

I have been known to jump in a dressage saddle- perfectly possible. But could prob happily jump in most saddles!

 

[xEMPx]

Yeah Wh saddles have only got minimal bumps on the front anyway, they are just more forward cut for the knee to to go up into.

 

[Tierra]

I jump in my wow dressage saddle with very little problems. I dont tackle anything big though! But thats because Im a wimp

In terms of hacking, Id much prefer to hack in a dressage saddle than anything else!

 

[Super_Kat]

I do and I feel so damn insecure! getting used to it now but I still hate it.

 

[Mel85]

I jump anything in my dressage saddle if it's after a schooling session. I tend to find my lower leg is a bit less secure as I can't get my stirrups as short, but otherwise it's fine.

 

[peapod]

I've got a dressage saddle on my boy - I do everything in it! To be honest there is very little difference between some dressage saddles and the working hunter saddles - I'd even go so far to say you would possibly feel more secure in the dressage saddle as the cantle is usually higher, so you sit "deeper" into it.

I go hacking in mine (including galloping round stubble fields) and have popped a small jump in it (I am NOT a jumping person!)

 

[Trakehner]

I had a Trakehner who was a tough fit, but my Passier full dressage saddle was great on him...so I fox hunted in it (this was the brown coloured one, not the ever-present black everywhere nowadays). He did great, I was secure and it fit him like a champ.

I did get a few looks, so what...no rings on it to carry the kit though, that was a problem

 

[RachelB]

I can't... I ride in Wintec Pros and Isabells and even if you take the humungous knee blocks off, the seat is so deep and the cantle so high that I can't fold! Last time I tried that it really quite hurt my legs! So I have a lovely GP saddle that does all the fun stuff with me, and we get on together well.

 

[Boysy]

Mmm, differing opinions, right, with this particular saddle, trust me the seat is no way deep whatsoever, it is actually very flat, almost a close contact look about it, the childrens square cantle Saddle Co saddles are made this way to encourage an independent seat. Compared to my Working Hunter that I ordered that has been returned, this little one is sooo flat, minimal rise to the back or front. Hence my lightbulb moment realising that they were two different styles altogether and the wrong order.

So I am thinking that she'll have no problem getting the lift she needs to get up out the saddle to jump, it's just the lack of security of the forward knee that I am concerned about really now. I've tried the knee blocks and they just push her leg back even further. Pity I haven't taken a picture of it cos I could shove it up for opinions.

So if we go on the premise that it is not a deep seat, has a low square cantle, can we get away with it? I gotta admit, my instructor has freaked me a little saying that it isn't safe enough for her to hack about and pop logs with. My feeling is that surely with less keeping her in the saddle, i'e' low front and back, this is encouraging the independant sticky bum classic seat effect so ultimately is better for her?

What do you reckon guru's ?