Black tack and dressage.....

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I am guessing I am really old fashioned.... I am sort-of looking for a dressage saddle for my new TB project pony, and EVERYTHING seems to be in black now! Has the whole world moved over to black tack for dressage? Am I a complete old fogey wanting havana/brown tack? I feel old.... :p
 
I have two brown dressage saddles :) though I am a confirmed traditionalist - they are out there, however if you are worried about re sale then black is more sensible :)
 
Black always matches black :P

I have 2 doubles though - a black one for dressage and a brown hunter double for showing ;)
 
I really wanted a brown dressage saddle but the one I wanted only came in black. Some make them special somif younhave plently to spend I am sure you can get one.
TBH my mare is ver difficult to fit and I was just happy to find one that fitted!
 
Oh dear.... I fear I am going to end up visiting the dark side in the future then.... Kikke unfortunately the last thing I have is plenty to spend :D And Frodo will be a pain to fit a saddle to (typical TB with high wither & hollows...) so I think a black bridle will also be on the shopping list :eek: :D
 
My dressage saddle was second hand and it was such a miracle fit I had to buy it, before it I was brown tack all the way. Now I have a black saddle, brown stirrup leathers and a brown bridle. No one cares and bridles are expensive so we're just going with it!
 
I don't really like black tack on a chestnut so my chestnut has a dark brown bridle and black saddle. I figure once I am sitting in the saddle no-one will really notice the colour. In fact now I think about it I've got a right mishmash of tack as my double bridles are black, most of the snaffles are brown although some are black and some of my saddles are brown and some are black - in my defence I've got five horses but I've also got far too much spare tack lying around ....
 
On the whole I stick with black - matching up various shades of brown is far to anxiety inducing ;)

Plus if you are dressaging, there are zero points for turn out, so does actually make no difference whatsoever! Find a saddle that fits and then go from there :P
 
Lévrier;12920012 said:
Thats the kind of look I shall probably be going with too Walrus..... :)
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I've just added a borrowed black drop noseband to my brown bridle as well. I like to think of it as matchy-non-matchy. My pony is a native and i wear tweed too so brown would be much better but never mind! After switching to dressage from showing i am loving the fact that this sort of thing barely matters anymore!
 
We have Brown Jump saddle and bridle but the dressage kit is black - it is easier to match stuff up in black as someone else said, black in black so we have been able to change nosebands and reins without it noticing. Our brown jumping kit however is a range of browns - bridle, reins and breastplate all being different makes - all Havana but all different!
 
I have a brown dressage saddle and it's lovely, cannot imagine ever buying black tack. I did however have to pay more to have it in brown!
 
Please do not cave to the masses!

Brown ages with grace whereas black fades and becomes a greenish colour.

Decades ago my master saddler said that it is easy to use cheaper leather when it's dyed black as the colour hides the blemishes.

I can honestly say NONE of my extensive tack is black. I am a brown person through and through, and my favourite is London Tan, the colour that looks almost orange when new. It becomes the most beautiful colour once used and cleaned a few times.
 
I had brown, then my young horse matured and outgrew it, couldnt find anything but black to fit him. :( Currently on the look out for a nice black bridle as i am doing the ultimate sin of mix and match! Horse looks so much nicer in brown being a skewbald too.
 
Hmmmm you may have influenced me here to stick to brown..... I don't know why but I really don't like black tack, however popular it is :)
 
Lévrier;12920876 said:
Hmmmm you may have influenced me here to stick to brown..... I don't know why but I really don't like black tack, however popular it is :)
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I don't like black either, so have brown plus I can then use it for showing aswell as it is more correct. Many makes of saddle will come in brown but normally they have to be ordered specially, but it is certainly worth enquiring.
 
Interesting thread! When I moved to the US with all my black English tack it didn't take long to realise that black tack is really unfashionable except for Dressage. They got very confused by my black jumping saddle (is that a dressage saddle???).
All tack is brown here unless it is specific dressage tack and then it *has* to be black. It is very clear, English tack is brown unless for Dressage. Brown dressage saddles won't sell, it's v different!
It's actually reignited my love for brown understated but high quality tack because it is gorgeous, especially when oiled and supple. I'm saving my black bling just for the centre line now!
 
When I first got my horse 10 years ago we were all black tack but about 6 years ago I started showing and then realized how much I actually prefer brown. Sold black saddle and managed to find a beautiful 2 tone brown Albion Selecta which I love as have the dressage knee rolls so we're always able to compete in brown :) Been toying with the idea of getting a proper dressage saddle as have just started to get a real liking for it again and have to say if I did it would of course have to be brown!
 
I have a brown dressage saddle but it was ordered new, I only buy brown tack cant stand black tack plus I show so it makes sense to just buy brown and I think it looks so much nicer.
 
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