Can you jump in a VSD saddle?

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Jazmyn101

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Had the saddle fitter out for my 6 year old today, I have been having problems with her saddle recently and I am going to get a new leather saddle (currently has a synthetic one which she has had since 3 1/2, the saddle has been regularly flocked and adjusted for her.) My saddle fitter says that due to my horse having a big shoulder when I get my new saddle she would advise getting a VSD saddle or a straighter cut GP than my current one, I was thinking a bates saddle? (obviously only if it fits) was just wondering if you are able to jump in a VSD saddle and is it comfortable?
 
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Of course you can, however I wouldn't!

You can get jumping saddles to fit large shouldered horses, as I have one :)

Obviously the most important thing is that it fits your horse and is comfortable for you - also depends on what level you want to jump at.
 
LJR said:
Of course you can, however I wouldn't!

You can get jumping saddles to fit large shouldered horses, as I have one :)

Obviously the most important thing is that it fits your horse and is comfortable for you - also depends on what level you want to jump at.
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Do you mind me asking what jump saddle you use?
 
Well I'm currently doing all my jumping in a dressage, so it's certainly possible. I wouldn't choose to though (I had a VSD for years and I wouldn't go back). You absolutely can fit jump saddles to large shouldered horses - you just need a decent saddler and some patience.
 
Haha I am in exactly that position! Aaaages ago I had a new saddle for my boy and started having lessons. No aspirations to jump, just wanted to have fun with him and a vsd fitted him best for exactly the same reason - big shoulders. Fast forward to now and we both love jumping. The vsd was fine until he really started throwing a shape - I'm finding there is just not enough in front of my knee to feel secure. It's ok when we jump 2ft6 but my instructor has been putting them up considerably higher (pie not helping matters by giving them space too) and it just doesn't feel quite safe. So I have the saddler coming out in a few weeks to fit a jumping saddle.
I think you need to explain to your saddler what you are hoping to do with your horse to be sure you get something suitable!
 
JFTD said:
Well I'm currently doing all my jumping in a dressage, so it's certainly possible. I wouldn't choose to though (I had a VSD for years and I wouldn't go back). You absolutely can fit jump saddles to large shouldered horses - you just need a decent saddler and some patience.
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This. My sister used to jump up to a meter in a vsd and done xc in a dressage saddle (very small xc)
 
I have my horse in a working hunter saddle with forward cut flaps which are stitched on so don't interfere with the shoulder. Look at Kent & masters anatomic ones and you will get the idea.
 
Yes, I did in VSD Wintec! One jumped down a bank out hacking and completely forgot which saddle I was in, almost went over the front haha!
 
I have an ideal VSD with velcro moveable blocks- I use small jump triangles when jumping.
Hunt in it and quite happy to jump 3'3 ish in it.
I've no doubt my position would improve in a proper jumping saddle but selected this on the basis that it was better for the pony than a standard GP and needed it to do lots of things. It is the best saddle I have ever had to spend all day in!

Oh I am also 5'5 on a 14.2 pony with a 17" saddle.
 
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Essentially what else do you want to do in it or do you want to use it just for jumping?


If you want a GP it is never going to be as good as a jump saddle anyway for jumping but most people that I know have them can't come for a hack with me for 3 or 4 hours in theirs without some part of their body complaining :p

I would however really recommend getting one with removable/changeable velcro knee blocks. I have used small jumping/GP and dressage blocks on mine.
 
Yes but I wouldn't recommend it! I have been jumping in my dressage for 5 weeks whilst waiting for the jump saddle I ordered to arrive. Now I have my jump saddle it is so much easier to jump! I feel so much more secure!
My boy has big shoulders and my Albion k2 jump is perfect on him :)
 
ester said:
I have an ideal VSD with velcro moveable blocks- I use small jump triangles when jumping.
Hunt in it and quite happy to jump 3'3 ish in it.
I've no doubt my position would improve in a proper jumping saddle but selected this on the basis that it was better for the pony than a standard GP and needed it to do lots of things. It is the best saddle I have ever had to spend all day in!

Oh I am also 5'5 on a 14.2 pony with a 17" saddle.
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I had an Ideal VSD years ago. It did nothing for my position over fences but it was the most comfortable saddle I've ever owned for hacking / hours in the saddle. I wouldn't mind one now, just for hacking!
 
Lol, I had to consider what we spent most of our time doing when only having the spends for one saddle at the time.
As it is now have a second saddle but that is a dressage not a jump still, 3 seems a bit OTT though several people on the yard do!!
 
I have been jumping around 70cms in a dressage saddle and wouldn't want to jump any higher!

It can be done but I am so much more comfortable in my jump saddle so wouldn't want to jump in dressage for any length of time.
 
ester said:
Lol, I had to consider what we spent most of our time doing when only having the spends for one saddle at the time.
As it is now have a second saddle but that is a dressage not a jump still, 3 seems a bit OTT though several people on the yard do!!
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I currently use 1 between 2 horses for everything but if I could afford it, I'd have 6. One each for dressage, jumping and something comfortable for long hacks. Nothing extravagant there. All totally essential ;)
 
Tiaan said:
I have been jumping around 70cms in a dressage saddle and wouldn't want to jump any higher!

It can be done but I am so much more comfortable in my jump saddle so wouldn't want to jump in dressage for any length of time.
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I now have a dressage saddle too, riding in my dressage saddle is nothing like my VSD (which is why I have it!) A VSD is essentially a slightly straighter GP. Any GP is not going to be as good for jumping as jumping saddle but that is why I at least like the moveable blocks.
 
For jumping, I'd rather use an old-fashioned WH saddle than a VSD (proper WH saddles are actually rather straighter cut than VSDs, but they're often a bit of a better shape in terms of seat), but there's certainly nothing stopping you jumping in a VSD.

I mean, probably not something for jumping 5' hedges in, and you may find that the stirrup bar isn't in the ideal place for hiking your stirrups up to jumping length (not that you can't jump in longer stirrups if the knee rolls are in the right place), but they are designed to work like GPs; so are fine for modest-to-middling fences.
 
A good friend of mine show jumped in a dressage saddle as it was the only saddle which would fit her high withered Anglo Arab. She did Hickstead many times with it and always did reasonably well.
 
LJR said:
A Frank Baines saddle - I have several.

The horse with big shoulders is an ID x Anglo Arab, with a large barrel - he has lots of different tree shapes available and will make to a template.
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Do you mind me asking whether you measure up for your Frank Baines saddles yourselves or have a fitter to do it? And if you do it yourself is your regular saddler happy to come and make any flocking adjustments as and when necessary? I can imagine some saddlers being difficult about checking a saddle that you didn't buy through them.
 
VSD does not stand for very slightly dressage. It is German and stands for Viel(last bit I can't remember, something like utilitaren) Springen und Dressage

In other words it's German for GP and Springen means jumping.
 
Old pony has a VSD, he's jumped a five bar gate wearing it when out hunting. It really depends on the individual horse, the rider, and how they fit together - my current horse has a jump saddle, though I did ride him in a very flat WH saddle when I first got him.
 
Great, thank you everyone! I would like to do a bit of everything on her but currently the highest she has jumped is around 85cm due to her not jumping for long, however when she is ready I would like to go higher. We have been focusing on dressage atm so I'm guessing a VSD will be fine for this but just wondering will it be suitable for jumping around 1metre or higher. Will have a speak to my saddle fitter again when I start looking for one :)
 
I had a lovely Albion K2 VSD for my maxi cob. I wanted a nice saddle that I could do everything in and this was perfect. I used it for showing, hacked for hours, hunted, jumped, XC and showjumping, I often jumped over 1m+ and never felt particulary unsecure in it. For my young horse I now have a dressage and a jumping saddle but if funds hadn't allowed I would have gone for another VSD.
 
I had a VSD for my youngster and actually preferred jumping in it than jumping in my specific jump saddle. However it is a WOW saddle i customised it with a flat seat (hate jumping in anything other than flat seat) and angled the flaps in the forward of the 2 settings, so actually felt more secure as could tuck behind the knee roll and move weight back. WOW's are good for large shouldered horses as the tree has lateral flexion.
 
I have a VSD and do everything in it, my horse suits the shape better than a jumping saddle.

I find it helps to stop me getting in front of the horse when jumping.
 
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