BALANCE SADDLES

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I just wondered what peoples opinions on these saddles are compared to ''normal'' ones?
I have been using Balance saddles for 4 years and as soon as i put one on i noticed a huge difference in the way my horse moved and how much more free her movement was.

I am now looking to buy a Dressage saddle and money being the main issue i am not sure i can afford another balance saddle (they are very rare 2nd hand!) I wondered if anyone has gone from a balance saddle back to a traditional one and if they had noticed and differences (good or bad) in the horse's way of going.
Considering i swore i would never put anything else on my horse's back I am finding it difficult to make any decisions (i might just have to put one on 0% interest credit card!).

 

[Lynz25]

I've now got all my 3 in balance saddles.

Kibby has had his GPJ Hamilton for about 10 yrs now after we were introduced to balance by my riding instructor.

My mums NF origionally was in a Huntsman but then he muscled up and would not go forwards and kept trying to bite you when you put the saddle on. He is now in a GPD huntsman. He now flys really wide spread jumps where as before it was a struggle with him spreading over a 1ft wide one.

My ex racer who I've had for nearly 3 yrs I put in a wintec origionally but used the balance concept. With in a year it was too narrow even on extra wide gullets. Put him in the Hamilton GPD x5 origionally but now we have moved onto a GPJ Zenith. His withers are really good - not high at all and he was a flat racer.

Personally I have found that all mine have been happier with their movements in the Balance saddles. But I always listen to them and look to see how the saddles affect their movement - if they are comfy why change as surely it will affect their going??

You can pick 2nd hand ones up on Ebay and if you let the office know what you are looking for they will speak to the fittere and see what they have got / keep an eye out for one.

My GPD came from my mums work and she just saw the advert - got it for £300 but was valued by balance for £600-£700. Also saw one a couple of years ago advertised in the local tack shop - so just keep your eyes open.

If I can find a 2nd hand GPJ I will be selling my GPD.

 

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Its nice to hear someone else likes using them.

The lady i've been training with has no time for the balance concept so the fact that she is suggesting i need a narrow saddle when my GPJ is currently an 8X concerns me! But then i think many people would look at my horse and think she would be a narrow fit-guess the balance concept just makes you change the way you look at how a saddle does or doesn't fit and moves away from the traditional fitting methods.

I think your right though if my horse goes well in a balance saddle it'd be silly to change-think i've answered my own question! better get saving!

I just wondered how you find the Hamilton? I've herad they are more suited to riders with longer legs than the Frank Baines made ones are?

 

[Lynz25]

The Hamiltons are fab - really comfy - I'm 5ft 9 and need 17.5inch GPJ ideally. I bought the GPJ directly from Balance 10yrs ago. Another GP - Hunter was advertised about 4-5 yrs ago in our local tack shop and i nearly bought that but did not (wish I had now as it was what I need for the NF). My GPD was advertised at the open university where my mum works about 2 yrs ago. I've now got a Zenith which feels very similar to the Hamilton GPJ I've got but the seat is a bit harder. I believe if you have a x8 Baines then depending on which on it is (eg not matrix) you will be looking for a x6 in the Hamilton - but maybe wrong.

There have been a couple of Hamiltons on Ebay recently which have not sold and they were dressage ones.