Albion Legend dressage saddle (about 7 years old so was a little less of a stretch) but oh so good and been told buy a friend whos a judge that it'll be great for shows. Would also rate stubben
I've got a Amerigo Pinnerlo (sp) I love it to pieces. I have had quite a few dressage saddles and its my favorite by far. Having said that my YO has two Hennigs - which are completely divine - but at £3000 each....its never gonna happen!
I have an Albion SLK Ultima, it's the best one I have ever sat on, problem is I chopped my older one in for a brand new one as my boy had outgrown it and then the horse has been in and out of horspital!! so it still has the tags on and some dust - worse thing is it's a little wide for my youngster at the mo and the old one would have been perfect for him!!! Oh well life's a b1tch!!
I've sat in Albions (dressage, GP and jumping) and I really dislike them. I have a Wintec Pro and have sat in the Wintec 500 and the Bates dressage - they are ok as cheap saddles go (well, not so much the Bates) but not ideal for me really. I've sat in a fair few Ideal GPs and VSDs and I LOVE them all, I'd love to try sitting in a Roella (the narrower Suzannah). The three dressage saddles I HAVE actually sat in that I like are the Wintec Isabell (I like being wedged in), a Zaldi (a little solid in the seat but again, it wedges you in) and a Kieffer Innsbruck (gorgeously padded!).
Best saddle I've ever sat in is still the Wow though!
I have a Thorowgood, and I've loved it - really comfy, easy to look after and very, very cheap. But I think I might have to sell it, providing I can get enough for it - there's no way Ellie and I will be continuing to do any dressage, and its pointless having a good saddle sat there doing nothing!
I have sat in a fair few saddles. I really like Ideals and Barnsbys in general and the dressages in particular. Was not keen on Jaguar although appreciated the closeness. I have saddle company saddles for both of mine and I love these.
Have also ridden in the Thorowgood - again I liked it. I tried the Wintec 500 and thought it was awful. The Isabel Werth one was better - really deep seat and stirrup bars are very set back though.
The two I would avoid in general are albions and stubbens but it really depends on what you need and what suits the horse.
Saddler asked me to try it and give my opinion and I bought it! It wasn't for sale but having gone through agonies trying to find something both neddy and I could get on with, I wasn't letting it out of the yard!
Tried the Roella and it was dreadful for me..........fine until doing sitting trot then the block was in the wrong place for my short legs and it kept pushing me out of the saddle!
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Damn you HBII, you do realise you've just cost me ~£1k because now I know the Roella is that nice I won't want to be using my Wintec again...
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You can come and school boggers if you wish to try the saddle
I have an Albion K2 and I love it and so does everyone who sits in it. I have also had a Bates (never again) and use to borrow a lovely lovely Ideal which was wonderful.