Dressage saddle help

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Bessieboo

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Hi guys

Being a new horse owner and a complete numpty I could do with some advice please.

When I bought Bess 4 months ago she came with a general purpose synthetic saddle which is absolutely fine to be honest. However last night we had a lesson to help me with my seat etc and schooling her. The upshot of it being I was riding with my stirrups way too short (3 holes to be exact!) and once I got my leg into the correct position the improvement in my seat was amazing to say the least.

What I was wondering was if it is worth investing in a dressage saddle for my little Bessie so we can continue trying to improve or should I just stick to my GP saddle?

Any advice really, really welcome.

Thanks

Boo x
 
George is my first horse and I rode him for the first year I had him in a GP, then last year a friend let me try their dressage saddle on him and OMG the difference, he went better and I felt so much more secure and it really helped my riding and confidence. So yes would be my opinion, but if you could try one first that would be ideal.
 
I agree see if you can try one first. i love my dressage saddle but a few of my friends have ridden my horse and some of them hate it.
 
I would say it depends what you want to be doing. If you can afford two saddles then i would say definitely try a dressage saddle but if it will be your only saddle i would stick to a GP.

If you want to go for a gallop across a field i find it hard to do in a dressage saddle.

I love riding in my dressage saddle (when my new one arrives) but i also like my GP for jumping (small ones) and general riding.
 
I reckon that if you are going to keep your GP as well then go for it. However, if you only have one then jumping and galloping is near impossible in a dressage saddle. I recently inherited one for Zoom and it has definately helped with our flatwork though.
 
I bought my first dr saddle 6 months ago, second hand, leather.

I love it, wish I had done it ages ago, I ride about 3 holes longer than on my GP and I still need some tweaking but sit up much better in it and have something on my knee to help me if he starts to get a bit strong in canter which was always a problem before. I can even do sitting trot in it (he is vvvvvv bouncy its not me its him!)

The best bit is...... my seat in my GP is also much improved as a result so I jump/fast hack etc in the GP and school and hack sometimes in my uber comfy dr saddle.
 
It depends on what your main activity is going to be with Bess, and wether you'll also be keeping your GP. I love my dressage saddle for flat work and it's help me improve loads, but i can't bear to hack out in it.
 
WHat might be a good option for you is a Fhoenix Vogue GPS, or GPT saddle - the stirrup bars are set further back, so allow you to sit 'correctly' much easier, but they also then give you a decent flap, so you can jump etc in them as well - I reckon that would make a huge difference to you, and it would mean that you would only need one saddle! The website is www.fhoenix-saddles.com so take a look!
 
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