Dressage saddle for showing

[Libbyn1982]

Will I get away with a dressage saddle for an equitation and a riding horse class? I find it so much nicer to ride in that the GP, will the longer girth straps be incorrect for the show ring? It's a RC Championship show so not county standard!!!

 

[Billabongchick]

I would have thought a dressage saddle would be preferable to a GP as it shows off the shoulder better (as long as it isn't one with huge bulky knee blocks) but I stand to be corrected. And brown is preferred in the show ring. Good luck!

 

[catkin]

There are dressage saddles and dressage saddles - if yours is a fairly minimalist design then the chances are that it will be fine (you probably won't be the only one). Deep seated, big blocked saddles can be tricky though. Take a good look at the accessories too - lose the bling, big white saddle cloth etc. If possible use a neat girth that comes up the barrel as far as possible without messing with the fit of the saddle.

In the showring it is the horse that is being judged so tack is usually as discreet as possible so it enhances the horse rather than overwhelms them, that's why there are certain conventions to what is 'correct'.

Most judges accept that people don't have multiple saddles for every discipline so just make an effort to do the best you can. Are the horses ridden by a ride-judge in any of your classes? if so then they are not always comfortable in the deep deep seat of some dressage saddles so have some consideration to that if need be.