Discipline specific saddles

[trendybraincell]

Having a discussion with a fellow livery this evening...I have been musing.

I don't believe you need a discipline specific saddle to do well in that given discipline (up to a certain point). Obviously, with jumping once you reach certain heights then a jumping saddle does help alot, but this was a discussion about dressage

Her horse does not like the dressage saddle she has (she recently won her first unaffiliated dressage in her jumping saddle) so she has been looking at different saddle options and was telling me about super expensive memory foam saddles etc. essentially she wants a lightweight saddle thats not too bulky, I asked her is she'd considered a showing saddle?! The Welsh Cob has a showing saddle, its off the shoulder, lightweight etc. I have never felt the need to get a dressage saddle

Anyway, I was pondering if a dressage saddle is necessary or if it could even hamper the initial schooling process? I was thinking how judges don't expect (or like) to see sitting trot at prelim, as often the horse isn't strong enough so could a large heavy dressage saddle make things harder at the beginning of a horses dressage training? Ideally, we want them to relax over their back, could a heavy dressage saddle makes things harder for them to do this?

 

[Orangehorse]

I think you are right.

 

[MrsMozart]

A good point re. weight.

I have an older type dressage saddle, which does not have the big blocks. It's quite lightweight, gave the Dizz's shoulders plenty of room to move

 

[Holly Hocks]

I think a lot of it has to do with what is right for the horses' shape. I have a very high withered TB and have had to have a made to measure saddle done for her. Saddler could have made a VSD or a dressage for her, but said that with the huge shoulders she has, and extravagant movement, he would struggle to get a GP that was good on her. So as I'm wanting to do dressage with her when she is working properly, that's what I opted for. I also have a made to measure dressage for my other boy and it fits him perfectly and he is happy in it. It would also have been difficult to have got a GP to fit him well enough to allow his shoulders to move freely enough. I like dressage saddles as I like the deep seat they provide and they put my leg in a good position, but I think that really, it's what suits horse and rider best......I know of someone who went and did a one day event in a dressage saddle because that's all she had, and she managed fine....

 

[trendybraincell]

Oh yes HH its all very dependant upon the horse, I'd rather see any saddle on a horse if its happy and going nicely I don't care if they do a dressage test in an mono flap event saddle!

I was just wondering if the weight of a rider plus a heavy dressage saddle could in fact make it harder for them to soften over the back etc