hackedoff
Well-Known Member
I am considering competing next year with my old boy (he is 19 years young!). We have done long distance including race rides with mass starts, showing and the occassional bash at dressage.
I was going to go back to long distance as he is a nightmare in ridden shows. He either switches of and refuses to do anything or assumes that the canter round = a endurance race ride and races everything! He bucked me of when we all had to canter at his first VHS class this year - bless him obviously life in the old boy yet.
I was going to go back to endurance but I think that realistically anything more than 20 miles would be asking for trouble as he has had some signs of concussion issues with his legs.
We both enjoy schooling and on an arena surface he concentrates and we do reasonably well if I keep my nerves in check.
But - I bought quite a nice new sillohutte working hunter saddle at the start of the show season (before I realised that showing wasnt for us). It is very straight cut even for a WH saddle and has a nice medium deep seat with reactor foam. The stirrups are reasonably placed (not right at the front like some jumping saddles). I am short (5 foot 1) so long saddle flaps dont work for me and horse isnt happy with dressage girths.
Is my WH okay for dressage or would a proper dressage saddle be better?
I would like a dressage saddle but husband is currently out of work , we have a 5 year old son and a nice big mortgage on our shiny new house! Fortunatly my job is fine for at least the next year (fingers crossed) so we can get by okay.
I have been pouring over old photos of dressage masters (Nuno etc), and on youtube and most used saddles with bugger all knee rolls . But then they rode like them and I ride like me so need all the help I can get!
Sorry this is a long post I am so tempted to get out credit card and hammer it but think that maybe I would be being selfish.
I was going to go back to long distance as he is a nightmare in ridden shows. He either switches of and refuses to do anything or assumes that the canter round = a endurance race ride and races everything! He bucked me of when we all had to canter at his first VHS class this year - bless him obviously life in the old boy yet.
I was going to go back to endurance but I think that realistically anything more than 20 miles would be asking for trouble as he has had some signs of concussion issues with his legs.
We both enjoy schooling and on an arena surface he concentrates and we do reasonably well if I keep my nerves in check.
But - I bought quite a nice new sillohutte working hunter saddle at the start of the show season (before I realised that showing wasnt for us). It is very straight cut even for a WH saddle and has a nice medium deep seat with reactor foam. The stirrups are reasonably placed (not right at the front like some jumping saddles). I am short (5 foot 1) so long saddle flaps dont work for me and horse isnt happy with dressage girths.
Is my WH okay for dressage or would a proper dressage saddle be better?
I would like a dressage saddle but husband is currently out of work , we have a 5 year old son and a nice big mortgage on our shiny new house! Fortunatly my job is fine for at least the next year (fingers crossed) so we can get by okay.
I have been pouring over old photos of dressage masters (Nuno etc), and on youtube and most used saddles with bugger all knee rolls . But then they rode like them and I ride like me so need all the help I can get!
Sorry this is a long post I am so tempted to get out credit card and hammer it but think that maybe I would be being selfish.
