Dressage saddles....

SpottedCat

SpottedCat

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Okay, so I may have to replace my current saddle which I love but which I think is a bit narrow over the wither for my horse. I know this has been asked recently, but I cannot find the blooming post!

What saddles do you rate for dressage? I won't have a huge budget, and I am not mad keen on Albion or Stubben. I want something with nice wide panels really. I can ride in anything from 16.5" to 17.5" so hopefully I should be able to find something second hand. Horse is either a narrow-medium or a medium. I LOVE huge knee blocks. I cannot remortgage the house to buy a WOW so don't suggest that please!!
 
Ideal Jessica? I tried it and liked it - very good value for money. The saddler also said that Ideal have just brought out a new dressage saddle that is proving very popular but can't remember the name of it... sorry!
 
Jessicas aren't too bad, i've just had one made for me that has removable blocks so I can change the size. They aren't badly priced either even for a new one considering the price of dressage saddles!
 
Stubben aren't great for dressage saddles as the stirrup bar is set badly for dressage.
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I really liked my Wintec Isabell which I thought had quite resonable knee rolls but in hindsight it wasn't the best saddle I could have bought on my budget! Saddler said it didn't fit and I got back what i paid for it and bought a Jeffries Falcon Hawk dressage saddle. It's not got the biggest knee rolls ever but it is a lovely saddle to ride in.
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I have heard a lot of good things about the ideal jessicas and I'd love to have tried one of them out.
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KNs are highly rated by lots of people but I hated the one I tried. I was like a pea in a frying pan
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I tried an Amerigo and that was the nicest of all of them but about 3 times my price limit! LOVED it though! (lots of people don't like them tho)
I tried a Harry Dabbs and thought it was OK too but it didn't fit so it was back to the drawing board again!
If you can get your saddler to come out with a selection and try them all that might be the best plan.
Good luck and happy shopping!
 
LOL, I know I can't afford an amerigo, and I know the isabell werth does not sit well on him as it's what I had when I first got him (which I should have said really). I don't want Saddle company as although I think they are brilliant for the horse they are hopeless for the rider. I want/need massive knee rolls because he is 16.3", big moving and prone to the odd buck when pleased with himself....they make me feel safe!!

I suspect my biggest problem will be that most saddlers seem to have a 'brand' they like to push and I don't have weeks and weeks, not to mention endless cash, getting people out to me - at £30 a time it soon adds up!
 
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I want/need massive knee rolls because he is 16.3", big moving and prone to the odd buck when pleased with himself....they make me feel safe!!

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Eek! Someone I know has two horses that are big and one with a huge movement and they ride in a Spalding which has a huge knee roll and is lovely to ride in. Think they paid £250 for it from the same saddler as me. I should have said that all of the saddles I tried were second hand from the same saddler. He doesn't push anything which on the down side means that it can sadly take weeks to find the right fit but he is insistant that he has the right fit for you both.


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I suspect my biggest problem will be that most saddlers seem to have a 'brand' they like to push and I don't have weeks and weeks, not to mention endless cash, getting people out to me - at £30 a time it soon adds up!

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Good point
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At the moment our first event will be very amusing as if I lengthen the stirrups on my jump saddle, I feel rather like a duck paddling - I have minimal steering and am not at all secure. It is very funny!
 
Bates innova have large panels and huge knee blocks. I used to ride in one with a standard knee bock which I liked a lot. They have the wintec gullet system so are a good choice. They come in size 0 and 1, I think that may be 17 and 18..

I personally love albion slk ultimas, as they put you in a great position and have a good block, but are expensive...

I am borrowing a passier at the moment which I quite like, but I used to ride in one which I hated!
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I LOVE amerigo, and I have a barnsby which is nice, doesnt fit anything I ride at the moment though..
 
Ah yes, the albion SLK....see above comment about not being allowed to remortgage the house for a saddle (hmmm....OH not back until tomorrow, is there time?!).

Lots on the yard have the SLK, but i fear that even though my dressage saddle is a decent make in good condition (Kieffer), I will not be able to afford the SLK....
 
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*giggles at the vision of the duck paddling rider!*
Sorry
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It is funny! I am expecting comments along the lines of 'horse will do a better test when rider can keep lower leg still'.....
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have fallen in love with the Steffan Peters advantage. It retails here in the USA for $2000. I am not sure If you can get it in the UK.

Reviews on this saddle are it is by far the best saddle in this price bracket.

I have one on order and an riding in a HARD, OLD Stubben until it arrives
 
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Ideal Jessica? I tried it and liked it - very good value for money. The saddler also said that Ideal have just brought out a new dressage saddle that is proving very popular but can't remember the name of it... sorry!

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Suzannah? Nat123 has one (I think) and it looks pretty good - same sort of price as an Albion K2 I believe.
 
The ideal suzannah looks lovely and I have to say I'm secretly hoping my 4yo outgrows my current saddle so I have an excuse for a new one .... the suzannah would come high on the list of ones to try.
 
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The ideal suzannah looks lovely and I have to say I'm secretly hoping my 4yo outgrows my current saddle so I have an excuse for a new one .... the suzannah would come high on the list of ones to try.

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Ditto! Liz showed me one when she fitted my jumping saddle and it is lovely! Fits J nicely too so just have to start saving the pennies
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Not the Innova, I have seen fellow short people ride B-sized horses in them and the saddle doesn't help
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Ideal Jessica and Suzannah are v. good value for money and do the job of a more expensive saddle
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I have an ideal suzannah. Its the comfiest saddle I have ever sat on. Its unlikely that you will find one second hand though. The Jessicas are nice saddles and theres loads of them about second hand.
 
I have a spalding and a klimke both have huge knee rolls and fit all my horses! Picked up the spalding recently for £200.
 
I have a second hand Anky (Barnsby) saddle. I tried a new (way too expensive) one fell in love with it but the saddler knew it fitted my horse, told me the fitting and then I waited until another one came up second hand. Saddler then came out to "fine tune" the fitting when I had bought it. Its worn realy well and my old boy could pack a massive buck, in fact I used to hack him out in it most of the time too as it was that comfortable
 
I rode in Sarah's Albion K2 saddle in the week as I forgot my keys....

It nearly killed me, I got on and my legs just aren't meant to stretch that far (honest) I could only manage to walk for the first 30 mins it hurt so much.

I managed to get a Prestige Appaloosa Saddle of Ebay for £150 inc postage.
 
it sounds as if you need to do a quick tour round HHOs and sit on their saddles, decide which you like best, then grab a second hand one! Miller and Miller's OH both have big blocked dr saddles, his is a Kieffer, i think hers is a Barnsby... maybe pm her to find out?
my Swaine saddle has medium knee rolls, but they'll do bigger if you want (velcro ones). i've got 2 of his dressage ones off ebay recently very reasonably...
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I've got a lovely Kieffer - dont know which model it is tho..... haven't used it for well over a year now!u
Then there was the Albion SLK which just wouldn't fit the horse (well it did, but kept slipping to the right?) I nearly cried when I sold it as I loved it.....
Also got an Ideal Jessica and absolutely hate it!!! I often describe it like sitting in the bucket seat of a sports car!
And then there is the Sue Carson Harmony with the BIG knee blocks and I absolutely love that one!
I'd do what someone has suggested - go round all the HHO'ers and try their saddles out!
 
LOL I'd like to but....but....just coz I like it on one horse doesn't mean I'll like it on mine!

I love my kieffer that I have now, totally love it. I will be gutted if it cannot be altered to fit my horse. However I think it is too tight over the wither, but i also think if you remove flocking it will no longer be balanced and will not sit level. Boo!
 
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