Dressage Saddle Recommendations?

ElliePinza

ElliePinza

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 October 2009
Messages
279
Location
Chigwell
www.chigride.co.uk
Hi guys,

I have a 14.2hh connie who is pretty stocky and i am on the hunt for a dressage saddle for him. He has decent withers but saddles can often tip back on him. He is roughly a 16"1/2-17".

I am hoping to find a good quality second hand one, my budget is £1000. I know i could get a new saddle for this but I feel that I could do better with a very good used saddle.

So do any of you have any recommendations or suggestions? Do you know of any saddlerys in the essex / london / south - south-east region that have good stocks of second hand goods as I would like to fit it before I buy which eliminates ebay etc :)

Many thanks!
 
if i were you, i'd ask on here for recommendations for fitters local to you... so you can have one fitted. £1k is a good budget and many fitters carry second hand stock.

p.s. it's you that determines whether it's 16.5 or 17 inch. it's to do with your thigh length and bum size. the horse determines the width and shape of the tree/panels etc

xx
 
I have a Prestige dressage saddle which is amazingly comfortable, I did have a GP one as well, but the saddler I got it from did not do a good job fitting it, so i sold it, however, these saddles are adjustable, by a qualified saddler and come in various width's and can be fine tuned if your horse is somewhere between width's as mine is!:D
 
clipcloppop said:
if i were you, i'd ask on here for recommendations for fitters local to you... so you can have one fitted. £1k is a good budget and many fitters carry second hand stock.
Click to expand...

I agree. Get a good fitter and try some out.

p.s. it's you that determines whether it's 16.5 or 17 inch. it's to do with your thigh length and bum size. the horse determines the width and shape of the tree/panels etc

xx
Click to expand...

I disagree that the length is just down to the rider. The horses back length is actually the first priority over the rider and a horse can only take a saddle that fits between the back of its shoulder and the last rib. if that length is too small for the rider then i dont believe the horse should take a bigger saddle just for the rider because you will get back problems. The loins cant carry weight. of course the rider is a consideration but not at the expense of the horse
 
I highly recommend a Bates Isabell Werth Saddle - I think the leather version goes for around £650 secondhand. Very nice saddle, comfy ride + plus gets you in the right position. I dont know if there is any difference but my one at home is the double grain version and hoping after Xmas to replace it here :)
 
teddyt said:
I disagree that the length is just down to the rider. The horses back length is actually the first priority over the rider and a horse can only take a saddle that fits between the back of its shoulder and the last rib. if that length is too small for the rider then i dont believe the horse should take a bigger saddle just for the rider because you will get back problems. The loins cant carry weight. of course the rider is a consideration but not at the expense of the horse
Click to expand...

okay, i should have been more specific... but, in general (as long as the weight bearing panel does not extend past the 18th thoracic vertebra - T18) the length of the saddle is determined by the rider. also, it depends on what make of saddle... some saddles 18" is more like 17"... whilst some panel shapes sit further on the back etc...

there are exceptions though... i made my point because the OP suggested she thought the length was determined by the horse... :)
 
Thanks for the help guys! I have tried a few saddles out now so have got more of and idea of what I'm looking for. I did visit the Martin Wilkinson saddlery and have left them with a template of Charlie and they are going to get back in touch if anything comes up. A friend of mine has just offered me a 17' Amerigo for £600 so I am going to try that out :D Thank you!
 
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