Convince me (or not) to buy a dressage saddle

[sbloom]

Maybe try a few different types and see how you get on. I figure I need all the help and I can get and there's a reason that people at the higher levels use them - if they were all rubbish then people wouldn't. Getting one that suits you and your horse is important though.

Fwiw I've had a couple over the years and currently have quite an old fashioned one with removable knee blocks. It's possible to show in it because it's not monoflap, has short girth straps and not a massively deep seat but also able to compete and school in it at AM.

In the past I've had a saddle that held me in place a lot more and I appreciated the support.

There are serious issues with modern dressage saddle design, top rider use the worst of them for all sorts of reasons - sponsorship, coping with dysfunctional horses, down to training/breeding...the evidence is really starting to come through that they do harm to both horse and rider.

Being locked in can feel great until you either end up with serious damage or you sit in something that truly supports your pelvis without locking your hips up.

Your current saddle sounds great.

 

[Exasperated]

I was lucky enough to swap my horrible 'made to measure' Barnsby GP saddle that I won in a competition for a lovely Isabelle saddle which I'd only ridden in a handful of times before not being able to school my horse anymore due to injury.

I keep saying I'm going to sell it but might as well keep it for the next horse now.

Keep it! If it works for you and your horse, most definitely hang onto it! I’ve one of the earlier Bates Isabelle’s, have used for 25 mile rides, even hunting, although wouldn’t suit serious jumps - has fitted so easily onto several horses, never so much as disturbed a hair.

 

[Cowpony]

I have an Albion K2 Jump and a Fairfax dressage saddle. Guess which one my horse goes best in on the flat?

Yep, the jump saddle. I haven't competed her yet, but when I do take her out BD I won't be swapping to the dressage saddle. Judges don't care!

 

[VictoriaSponge]

So few of us can afford to carry a ton of stock (even if it belongs to customers we still need the space, and a big enough van to bring everything) to offer a comprehensive second hand service for everyone that might book them, and it IS harder to make a living. It's no less effort on the whole to fit a second hand saddle than a new one, and very few in this industry are making a seriously decent living. Wanting a great fit for horse AND rider, which we should all want, does mean it's much more difficult to do on a second hand budget and especially when the "industry standard" type of design actually isn't good for horses or riders.

VSDs can be good, but it all depends on the VSD, the ones I fit have a GP bar which won't suit all riders for a flatwork position, though some sit great in them. See if you can think about which seats seemed to stabilise you instrinsically, and whether you think they had wider seats, shorter seats etc, it may help guide you as to what would be better for your pelvic shape. I used to think I just didn't like deep seats/high pommels as it gave me pain in the delicate bits (so I tipped back onto my pockets, I don't do pain) but sitting in a rider-friendly 16.5 gave me a complete "aha" moment as I could actually sit in neutral. Turns out I was never going to be comfortable in neutral in the much narrower 17.5s I'd always been fitted into. On average the bigger the seat size the narrower the area of support and the more potential to be sat behind the stirrups.

For anyone interested in all this, follow Maria Hallring on FB.

I’d not thought about it that way in honestly re. secondhand saddles, but very much appreciate that.
I’d certainly be open to a vsd but if I do go that way I may be better off sticking with my show saddle which fits us both pretty well.

Found one you can see the blocks are not big at all I just asked for gp blocks I have used the saddle without them as well.
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I love an Arab! But yes see what you mean about the blocks, they look a lot less imposing than I’d think of on a dressage saddle.

 

[Lois Lame]

My DH makes a lot of VSD saddles - they are straight enough cut to allow you to ride longer, but they also provide enough support without being restrictive.

I totally agree with you regarding dressage saddles! Most of them have seats as deep as a bucket, and knee blocks that are sprouting out like wings. Dreadful things.

I had to look up VSD saddles. There was a time when dressage saddles looked like these, then the market realised it could make a killing by putting in huge blocks and 'deep seats' and flogging them off. No wonder there are so many dressage saddles for sale these days. They don't fit easily. I wouldn't touch one.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I’d not thought about it that way in honestly re. secondhand saddles, but very much appreciate that.
I’d certainly be open to a vsd but if I do go that way I may be better off sticking with my show saddle which fits us both pretty well.

I love an Arab! But yes see what you mean about the blocks, they look a lot less imposing than I’d think of on a dressage saddle.

The saddle came with big blocks when it was brand new but I didn't like them so I asked them to send me some smaller ones.