How much difference does a saddle make?

[BBP]

The photo below taken last summer is fairly typical of my riding issues. I tip forwards, i drop my hands and block with my wrists and elbows instead of having a soft but consistent contact, I look down, I push my lower leg forwards, the list goes on and on.

I always knew i did all these things but never realise how ineffective it made me as a rider and how little I understood about really riding a horse.
This spring I have started lessons with a really good instructor, and for the first time I am starting to understand half halts and weight aids and all the things you get told in lessons but never really have the guts to admit you don't understand. I feel we are coming on leaps and bounds (no photos unfortunately), but I still keep reverting back to my bad riding position. How much do you think is just habit that needs re-learning and how much do you think a different saddle could help me? This one is a thorogood, and feels like i'm sitting 6 inches above the horse, with flaps where I can't really 'feel' my horse, I've also been told the stirrup bars aren't helping my leg position. I tried a couple of leather Ideal saddle last year and they felt so different in terms of the feel I have with him but I don't want to spend out blaming the saddle when actually I'm just crap and need more lessons.

I am trying so so hard to be a better rider for him as he is so special (I think!). Money is tight so I can't just buy a saddle frivolously if the only problem is me!

Sorry for waffling!

 

[JessandCharlie]

Makes a massive difference I think! Might be worth trying a load of saddles and getting somebody to be photographer so you can see yourself in each

Some people argue that you should be able to hold a 'correct' position despite the saddle, but fighting the balance of the saddle to be correct surely just makes you tense?

My saddle is perfect for me for jumping in, but for flatwork I really struggle to get a 'correct' position. It's because to lengthen my leg and get the ear/should/hip/heel I would have to lie my leg on top of the thigh blocks. Not much fun, so I try to stay in the best balance I can, without fighting with a piece of leather to get there

One day I will be rich enough to buy Len a dressage saddle to school in, but until then I do my best

Sorry for the ramble

J&C

 

[YasandCrystal]

May I say 'wow yes very special beautiful horse'. You are very lucky and you have the perfect build to be an elegant dressage rider.

You are blocking with your hands - lots of people do this. You need to drill yourself to hold your hands up and my advice would be to keep things simple and slow until you ingrain correct hands as a natural habit. Walk work is invaluable - lots of people underrate it, but get it right at walk then everything else will follow.

I agree a saddle that sits you in a good position would help with you not tipping forward and will keep your leg in the correct position. I can also sympathise with you about cost -saddle fitters do sell secondhand saddles which you can try.
Good luck - again beautiful horse!

 

[Saffron Phoenix]

I have a wintec on one of my mares,a thorowgood on the other, i find the feel of each is massively different.
I feel much more upright and deep seated in the wintec, the thorowgood makes me feel quite "open" across my pelvis and not as secure/deep.
Defo worth giving a few other saddles a try IMO.

 

[posie_honey]

would def say your saddle is not helping you
how about looking for a 2nd hand thorowgood dr saddle or something similar?
i have a jumping saddle - its useless for flat work - ended up buying a dr saddle and the difference was remarkable - def worth every penny (even though it was M2M as my mare needs a specific type tree - doh - but worth it)

 

[BBP]

Thank you - the great thing about all this dry weather and rubbish hard ground is that i am spending plenty of time working at walk and on my hands. It is such a hard habit to break but I hope I am getting there. I must try to photograph/video myself again to see if I am genuinely improving, it's easy to con yourself otherwise.

 

[BBP]

Anyone else found that changing saddles has made a big difference to their riding?

 

[Piccy]

I brought a new saddle on Good Friday and wow what a difference never thought in a million years how much difference it would make !!! It has changed my position.

Also wanted to say lovely horse

 

[Ranyhyn]

I totally believe a saddle affects how you ride. The balance of them, wether their flocked, cair, flair everything can affect your seat I'd say!

And my god, what a beautiful horse!

 

[Mithras]

You do look in the photo as if you are sitting quite high above the horse, not really sitting down into it. The horse is going beautifully though!

Saddles make a huge difference. If you liked Ideal (was it a close contact one?) why not buy one of them? Theres no point in paying all the expenses for all a horse not to do it to its full potential for the sake of a saddle. I tried a new saddle recently and had to return it because I got that sitting on top of the saddle feeling. In the photographs from an event, my whole position looked much worse than in my old saddle, and my horse didn't feel as confident in it - probably because he felt I was insecure.

 

[BBP]

Thanks, I think that's all the reassurance i needed, that it won't be a frivolous expense!

 

[AshTay]

It certainly won't be. I would advise spending the extra £25 or so to have one fitted though (the lady I use deducts the fitting cost from the final saddle cost and although I could probably have bought the same saddle for £100 less off ebay, she also includes one free follow-up check to make sure we're still BOTH happy with it and I have the reassurance that my horse is happy too, so really it wasn;t much more expensive than ebay).

It does make a difference. I bought a Thorowgood cob saddle for my little horse just before last winter. I'd tried various borrowed saddles on her in the interim and she was def most happy in this one and I found it really comfy and was happy with it. Then she dropped weight over winter to the extent that the saddle then ended up tipping forward. I knew she'd gain it all back in the spring so I borrowed a leather saddle and whilst it was fine on her, it made me feel like I was sat wonky and with my legs in front of me and sort of perched.

I'm now back in my original saddle as she's regained the weight and we're both loads happier - it makes a lot of difference to my position and I feel so much more secure on her and can ride more effectively. Next winter I'll invest in a front riser to fill the gap when she inevitably loses her summer weight over the winter so I can carry on with the same saddle.

 

[hamish1]

I ride about 4 different horses a week each with different saddles-one of the saddles is so comfortable for me (dressage saddle) I feel so secure and it just improves your seat so much compared to riding some of the others. your horse is stunning by the way.