Breaking a horse in a dressage saddle?

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TequilaMist

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Someone said in a thread here a wee while ago not to break a youngster in using a dressage saddle.My friend wants to use this type of saddle as this is what she wants to do eventually.
So what are the reasons against using a dressage saddle if any?
Thanks
 
Tend to 'lock you' close to the horse so difficult to get up and off the horses back if you need to. Also difficult to bail from if you need to. And they tend to be quite heavy too... I personally prefer a more forward cut saddle for backing a horse.

Blitz
 
i was thinking of breaking in dressage saddle then decided against it. I think you aren't as stable in it and more likely to be unseated of horses messes about.
 
I'd always been that you should be very light on a young and inexperienced horse's back, and dressage saddles encourage you to sit deeper. Sitting more lightly is encouraged, and I know many people with young/inexperienced horses who warm up completely in light-seat to get off the horse's back to encourage it forward, so the horse's back doesn't get quite as much 'wear and tear', and feels more free to move. And dressage saddles also encourage the rider to have their legs wrapped around and on the horse, which may agitate, discourage or confuse the youngster I'd have thought. That's all I've heard and interpreted anyway, I'm certainly no expert. And because dressage saddles are a bit deeper, if anything did go wrong you couldn't hop of straight away, you could get a little 'stuck' in the process. :) xx
 
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I've just backed my youngster this week. He's Laid back with a sense of humour :) and a dollop of comical cheekiness. The saddle I have for him is a dressage saddle. It is a light saddle. Much lighter than some of the general purpose/ working hunter saddles I tried on him . I would say use what fits your horse , what you're comfortable with , what experience you have and level of riding and what personality your horse has. I like to give him work little and often and strengthen young horses slowly. Sitting off their backs is great specially when learning trot and canter and I totally agree it helps muscles strengthen. If you also are a light rider in the saddle that helps too.

I have a good seat and have no plans of coming off ! But then my youngster isn't hot/skittish or sharp. If he was of that type I probably would have something like w/hunter or GP.

I've gone for a dressage saddle because thats what I eventually want to do with him next spring. He is use to having a long leg wrapped around his side and is very responsive for a young green horse. I have just spent the last two months doing a lot of groundwork with him though. Hope this helps .
 
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Everyone has their own ideas and ways of doing things. Who is to say what is right or wrong? What works for one may not work for another. If you spend time with your horse be it old or young, you know it and build a strong working relationship with it. You know each other and trust .

I agree Horses do react to what man does or asks them to do. React good or react bad. What can I say if they react badly then maybe the handler or rider should ask themselves why. Have they put enough time and education in. Was it lack of concentration ? was it just high spirits or naughtiness?
Ill fitting equipment? Over stretched and tired muscles......

Each to their own. Best advice ? Read all the responses and make your own mind up. Maybe take points from several responses. Good night to all and good luck.
 
VioletStripe said:
I'd always been that you should be very light on a young and inexperienced horse's back, and dressage saddles encourage you to sit deeper. Sitting more lightly is encouraged, and I know many people with young/inexperienced horses who warm up completely in light-seat to get off the horse's back to encourage it forward, so the horse's back doesn't get quite as much 'wear and tear', and feels more free to move. And dressage saddles also encourage the rider to have their legs wrapped around and on the horse, which may agitate, discourage or confuse the youngster I'd have thought. That's all I've heard and interpreted anyway, I'm certainly no expert. And because dressage saddles are a bit deeper, if anything did go wrong you couldn't hop of straight away, you could get a little 'stuck' in the process. :) xx
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Agree totally. I backed mine in a GP/jump. Big knee rolls short stirrups, light seat. Easy to 'bail' if you need to!:)
 
So you're suggesting everyone who uses a dressage saddle is incapable of riding light ? or that using a long leg on a young horse is confusing for the horse? hahahahaha. Never confused one yet even riding long in a WH saddle. What amazes me is how quite a few of you seem to suggest bail out ?

Each to their own.

Personally like I said earlier, if you put the time and education into your horse things should go positively. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and ways of doing things....... Keep an open mind. Absorb knowledge. Never assume you know everything.

I really am going to bed. Forums are not for me. I thought it was for sharing your experiences with other people and not for telling folk what's right and wrong !!
 
Romievic said:
So you're suggesting everyone who uses a dressage saddle is incapable of riding light ? or that using a long leg on a young horse is confusing for the horse? hahahahaha. Never confused one yet even riding long in a WH saddle. What amazes me is how quite a few of you seem to suggest bail out ?

Each to their own.

Personally like I said earlier, if you put the time and education into your horse things should go positively. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and ways of doing things....... Keep an open mind. Absorb knowledge. Never assume you know everything.

I really am going to bed. Forums are not for me. I thought it was for sharing your experiences with other people and not for telling folk what's right and wrong !!
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We're not saying that you shouldn't and that it's wrong, we're just saying we personally wouldn't do it. I'm certainly no expert, but I personally would choose not to, just because a dressage saddle encourages to alter your seat to an extent, which I wouldn't like to train a youngster in. :) Neither are we personally picking on people who do. I'm not suggesting at all that dressage riders and people who use a dressage saddle can't ride light, I and a few others just say it's harder to, Lord knows I would LOVE to be able to achieve the same seat at Mary King or Carl Hester. I'm not saying that riding long is confusing either, I just had just interpreted that on young horses you want to keep your leg off their side and keep a slightly lighter contact, again harder in a dressage saddle. I'm very interested to see how a youngster does react to being backed in a dressage saddle, again to see the pros and cons etc, and to see one being used for backing to see any differences. I acknowledge that people have different results with different horses and different techniques etc, it's just how I would do things. What I'd want to do first is make the horse rideable and used to being under saddle, and then begin to 'specialise' it in dressage, using the dressage saddle, seat and techniques etc, again, saying that I am no expert and certainly not a professional in dressage. Sorry for a ramble which is probably unintelligible! :p xx
 
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