HELP HELP HELP! BEST PLACE TO BUY SECOND HAND CLOSE CONTACT DRESSAGE SADDLE?

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LittleTero

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Have decided to upgrade my dressage saddle from a vv old one that is more a show saddle than a dressage saddle. Want to purchase a second hand one, would like a close contact but not essential. Have a max of 400 to spend and my horse is a medium with relatively high withers. Any tips of good places to look and the sort of thing i should be able to get for my money and good makes etc to look for would be really appreciated. Really i just want a saddle that is light as my mare can be a bit sensitive but i want big fat knee rolls to hold my wobbly lower leg in place!!! any tips much appreciated!!! :)
 
Saddles direct normally have a good selection, plus there are a few private ads on her site.
She will post up to 3 saddles for you to try... If you're in Lancashire you could go to her.
Ultimately I recommend you try many...'what's right for you may not be right for the horse and vice versatile, plus your own personal preference etc.
Good luck
 
yeah ive been looking all over ebay being a favorite but its hard when u have to buy quite blind yet if u go through your local saddlers it costs you a small fortune!!! thanks for the help
 
Saddle retailers and fitters charge more for a reason - they have a load of stock there which at a minimum you can go and actually eyeball and, if you know what you're doing, you can use measurements from your horse to work out if it might fit. They might let you have it on a week's trial as well. And if you're like most people and really don't know what you're doing with saddle fit, then you can have a fitter out. Keeping stock, allowing you to try saddles, costs money. No-one makes a fortune doing this, they are just making a living and you are paying for a service. I'd put money on the fact that most people will save money by getting a fitter out, instead of trying this and that, and will have a better chance of not wrecking their horse's back.

What do you actually mean by close contact? The definition is actually a foam panel, allowing the panel to be thinner - though not all foam panelled saddles will be close contact. The higher the wither the harder it is to be truly cc as you need a deeper panel to give clearance - with too thin a panel you are likely to end up with a too narrow saddle to get clearance. In addition foam panels cannot be adjusted as much as a flocked panel and some horses just prefer flock.

I don't know whether this is news to you but this is the sort of thing that using a good fitter can help you with, as you can see.

Also, and aimed at anyone who does it, not just you, is it not acknowledged on here that using capitals on the internet is considered shouting, and therefore rude?
 
No not rude desperate. Thanks i actually know exactly what size i want for my mare and by close contact i mean a single flap saddle (may not be correct termination but thats how we've always refurred to them)
 
Oops sent the message too soon. Really im just after knowing the sort of places people brought theirs and how much for? But thanks for the advice
 
Single flap is single flap :), close contact is about the panel and the fit for the horse. If it's of interest I heard of a physio complaining about the number of horses she is treating with problems resulting from single flap saddles - I have NO idea why, as the single flap should not affect the fit for the horse, but I did think it was interesting. If I ever met her I would love to find out more...
 
That is interesting!!! Because we've always found the lighter single flap saddle to be better cos its lighter if u hear anymore about it please post. And i stand corrected :) ill rephase im looking for a single flap saddle not close contact lol
 
Getting right off topic now, but you're bringing up really interesting questions.

Is lighter better? Endurance riders use pretty heavy saddles on the whole, and they are the most demanding saddle fit situations of any - what you look at with endurance is pounds per square inch ie pressure overall, and of course movement/stability. A heavier saddle can actually be more stable - wooden trees tend, especially with wide horses, to be more stable than synthetic, and will nearly always be heavier. That weight can sometimes help.

I think where light is needed is racing, we know how every pound counts with jockeys, so I'm sure the saddle is just as important. And perhaps jumping, especially longer XC courses?

My ReactorPanel flexi panel dressage saddle is pretty heavy but spreads the weight of me (which is much more than the weight of the saddle) over a much larger area so is better for the horse's back than my old close contact jumping saddle which had a small panel, though it was really light :cool:
 
Well im only 5ft3 and weight just under 8st and im riding a full up 16.2 so my weight is ano after thought really, i personally prefur the single flap saddles but that is just me. However on my budget im thinking a ideal jessica may be my best bet. Anyone have or had one of these and know the pros and cons?
 
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