Dressage horses & breastplates?

only_me

only_me

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Just a musing, really!
Had a fantastic dressage lesson yesterday (trainer can't believe it's the same horse!) where Billy is really lifting up through his shoulder and powering through from behind, and is moving through his body and together. With his new found power and level of schooling I now can't use the dressage saddle without a breastplate as it slips back. This isn't a problem, but did leave me wondering, all those purpose dressage horses with the massive movement in front, do their saddles not slip?
I've never seen a top level dressage horse (actually, I've never seen a pure dressage horse wear a breastplate in competition) wear a breastplate and was just curious, how do they prevent the saddle slipping? Or is it that the front movement matches the back so it's kept in place?
Are some horses more prone to slipping saddles?

And before anyone asks, billy had his dressage saddle reflocked and re-fitted/checked 2 weeks ago, and it has always slipped a little previous!
What do you think? :)
 
I think, not entirely sure so don't quote me on it, that you are not allowed one from novice and above. That could just be neckstraps though. I use one at the moment but only competing at prelim currently.
 
Breast plates are allowed above prelim, neck straps are not.
You will see a lot of young dressage horses wearing breast plates , Farrouche is a good example. However once they at 3 more mature and the muscling over the back and in the loins is more developed the saddle will be less inclined to slip. Also once more mature it is easier to get a saddle fitted so it fits more precisely .
 
Are breastplates allowed in FEI classes now.

(I know, it's bad to ask rule questions on internet forums but I'm on my phone and don't have the will to tackle the FEI site. :))

I've seen dressage horses end up with some quite tricky saddleing arrangements - no slip pads, foregirths, different riggings, H girths - so it can obviously be a bit of a trial for some. That said, I know a rider who had one horse at GP in a Wintec as that's what suited him best.
 
I think event type horses often have more problems with slipping saddles in the dressage phase than pure dressage horses as they're a totally different shape, much leaner. Look around at top level BE events and you'll see a lot with breast plates in the dressage, and they're all TB types rather than chunkier warmbloods.
 
Event horses are the classic for needing a breastplate - narrower rear ribcage, lack of girth groove etc means the saddle can drift backwards, but especially when jumping, and more especially when going up banks.

Hence dressage horses are not only a different shape, with a deeper, wider more developed rear ribcages from collection work, but also they mainly stay on the level :). I would say there is a slight issue with your saddle fit - your fitter may be doing his or her best but if it has always had a tendency to slip backwards you may not have the right tree or panel or both. Also dressage saddles don't usually come with girthing options - using the fourth balance strap on a jump saddle, if attached near the cantle, can help stop a saddle moving backwards. The dressage saddles I fit all have four straps and you unstitch the two you don't need, which as you can imagine can help with these issues.

I would recommend a second opinion on the saddle.
 
sbloom said:
I would recommend a second opinion on the saddle.
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Saddle definitely fits - horse is very good at telling me when it doesn't! And the saddle has been altered, the girth straps were moved previously to help with the fit.
He has quite a high wither which also doesn't help the saddle slipping, the jump saddle also slips due to his shape.


Fair point about the different shapes, although I would thought the bigger movement would through the saddle back but then they are slightly wider so more stable through their ribs?
 
Gamebird said:
I bet 50% are there as a neckstrap ;). Mine always was!
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This ;) ;) I competed pure dressage on a beautifully built pure warmblood for a year.....he wore a breastplate nearly everytime I rode him, and certainly at every competition.......because it was a legal neckstrap for a horse competing at Elementary :o:o
 
Dressage horses carry more condition than event horses so tend to have rounder withers which means the saddle is more likely to go forward than backwards. There is no rule to say you can't use a breastplate so better to use one than to over girth him. Some horses just aren't designed to keep their saddle where it is put!!
 
What about using an Acavallo shaped gel pad between saddle pad and your horse. They are very thin and flexible/stretchy so don't cause pressure across the wither, and do really help with saddles slipping back. Horse Health website has a good selection.
 
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