If money was no object, what dressage saddle would you have?

[Squeak]

So unfortunately money is an object but I still have a, hopefully, pretty healthy budget for a 2nd hand saddle. The make I usually go for don't work for my horse so I've got to look at others. What do you all recommend/ what would be your dream dressage saddle?

 

[DirectorFury]

Equipe Viktoria in brown. £4k is a bit out of my price range though!

 

[Squeak]

Equipe Viktoria in brown. £4k is a bit out of my price range though!

I have been eyeing up the equipe's so will be very interested to know if other people recommend them as well. Definitely couldn't stretch to the 4K (4.5!!! when I googled) but a secondhand one may hopefully fall in to my price range so I'm still dreaming!

 

[Auslander]

Schleese Obrigado. I want one so badly!! https://schleese.com/product/obrigado-dressage-saddle/

 

[splashgirl45]

ive ridden in some expensive saddles but always preferred my albion legend which cost me £600 second hand...my friend rode my horse and hated the saddle so you need to try lots and may find that a cheaper one suits you and your horse best....

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Schleese Obrigado. I want one so badly!! https://schleese.com/product/obrigado-dressage-saddle/

Cripes, that's bloody lovely!

 

[sychnant]

Barrie Swain Semiflex in brown with giant blocks - lucky, as that's what I have! It's soo comfortable!

It was advertised on Preloved for around £800, didn't sell, so was put on Ebay with a 99p start. I got it for £270!

 

[Wheels]

Wow

I have one anyway and wouldn't want anything else

 

[Goldenstar]

I love the saddle I have it fits me and it fits my horse.
It's a Fairfax .

 

[{97702}]

I'd have a made to measure Harry Dabbs Classic Extra dressage saddle - not hugely expensive (about £2.5k?) but I have their GP in the same model and it is dreamy to ride in, and fits me and Jensen perfectly

 

[splashgirl45]

have you looked on bd classified. there are a couple of fairfax dressage saddles for less than 2k and an equipe viktoria for 3k

 

[ycbm]

Wow

I have one anyway and wouldn't want anything else

This. I won't put any other saddle on a horse. It's the only treed saddle that allows the shoulders total freedom because of ours carbon fibre jointed twist.

I've been lending my spare to a friend whose horse has been fitted by one top class saddle fitter after another, none of whom managed to stop his shoulder atrophy. He's gone up a gullet plate in size in a month.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I'd love to try a bua saddle, love the ideas behind the design.

 

[Leo Walker]

Barrie Swain Semiflex in brown with giant blocks - lucky, as that's what I have! It's soo comfortable!

It was advertised on Preloved for around £800, didn't sell, so was put on Ebay with a 99p start. I got it for £270!

I am insanely jealous! Thats what I want/need! I cant afford a new one so am keeping an eye out for second hand but they dont come up in 16.5" very often!

 

[milliepops]

Very fond of my equipe emporio tbh, I'd love a wow for kira tho

 

[Puddleduck]

Another vote for WOW

 

[Squeak]

have you looked on bd classified. there are a couple of fairfax dressage saddles for less than 2k and an equipe viktoria for 3k

Ooh thanks, I will go and have a look. Fairfax is one that I'm really interested in so I'd love to know anyone's opinion on them if they have one or have used one.

 

[Squeak]

Another vote for WOW

Wow isn't a make I know very well, I'll go and give them a google

 

[chestnut cob]

Leo Walker - Try a 17in. I had a BS made a couple of years ago & they told me their saddles tend to come up a bit small. I wanted 16.5in as that's what my jumping saddle is but they told me to go for 17in as their seats are apparently on the small side (and it's not that I think I'm much thinner than I actually am so they tactfully tried to move me to a bigger saddle!).

I have a BS with holistic tree but would love a Semiflex DR!

 

[Leo Walker]

Leo Walker - Try a 17in. I had a BS made a couple of years ago & they told me their saddles tend to come up a bit small. I wanted 16.5in as that's what my jumping saddle is but they told me to go for 17in as their seats are apparently on the small side (and it's not that I think I'm much thinner than I actually am so they tactfully tried to move me to a bigger saddle!).

I have a BS with holistic tree but would love a Semiflex DR!

They are compact and they have upswept panels which helps, but 17" is still to long. Hes built to drive not ride sadly. I've managed to get hold of an older 16.5" with a 17" seat on it for him, VSD and I'm going to have the flaps changed and big blocks put on. But I still start practically drooling at the thought of one of those semi-flex dressage with the huge blocks! :lol:

 

[Nici]

The Hermes saddle: http://uk.hermes.com/equestrian/for...ege-arcon-std-taquet-long-noir-175-98493.html
I once went to their store in London to talk about their handmade saddles and they let me sit on one of them - so comfortable!

 

[only_me]

A saddle that comes with valegro attached to it

I love my dr saddle, it's an ideal toshibna. Very comfy!

 

[Nici]

A saddle that comes with valegro attached to it

Teehee

 

[spacefaer]

I'd love to try a bua saddle, love the ideas behind the design.

I've ridden in a jumping Bua - it was on a horse that was cold backed in any other make, but wasn't in this. Really interesting concept - I don't know how a dressage saddle would feel but it was great to jump in and they're surprisingly inexpensive (in comparison to others mentioned here! )

 

[BarbieHorse]

This. I won't put any other saddle on a horse. It's the only treed saddle that allows the shoulders total freedom because of ours carbon fibre jointed twist.

I've been lending my spare to a friend whose horse has been fitted by one top class saddle fitter after another, none of whom managed to stop his shoulder atrophy. He's gone up a gullet plate in size in a month.

Sorry to butt in on someone else's thread, but I'd love to know a bit more about the Wow saddles. When you say he's gone up a gullet plate does that mean you can change these and adjust the width? And are these the saddles that you change the flaps on so you have one saddle with different flaps for dressage, jumping etc? Or can you get, for example, a deeper seat for dressage and a flatter one for jumping? In the depths of saddle hunting atm!

 

[ycbm]

Sorry to butt in on someone else's thread, but I'd love to know a bit more about the Wow saddles. When you say he's gone up a gullet plate does that mean you can change these and adjust the width? And are these the saddles that you change the flaps on so you have one saddle with different flaps for dressage, jumping etc? Or can you get, for example, a deeper seat for dressage and a flatter one for jumping? In the depths of saddle hunting atm!

Yes, they sell about fifteen different gullet plate sizes, some in a v or a u shape.

You can also change the air in the air bags to perfect the fit.

You can change the flaps on the seat but I would never recommend doing it on a regular basis, it's a fiddle.

There are half a dozen different seat designs.

 

[LadySam]

The Hermes saddle: http://uk.hermes.com/equestrian/for...ege-arcon-std-taquet-long-noir-175-98493.html
I once went to their store in London to talk about their handmade saddles and they let me sit on one of them - so comfortable!

Oooh, that does look nice. I've wondered about Hermes saddles. I know saddlery is where they started before they became a luxury brand for handbags and perfume, but I wondered if their saddles were still any good or just a 'label'. You don't hear of people using them much. Well, I don't.

 

[BarbieHorse]

Yes, they sell about fifteen different gullet plate sizes, some in a v or a u shape.

You can also change the air in the air bags to perfect the fit.

You can change the flaps on the seat but I would never recommend doing it on a regular basis, it's a fiddle.

There are half a dozen different seat designs.

Thanks - they sound interesting but I think the airbags could be problematic as I doubt there are too many saddlers around here qualified to adjust them.

 

[HappyDayz]

I have just had the Albion Fabrento fitted to my horse, by far the comfiest and well fitting saddle that we tried. The Fairfax Gareth was a close second but the blocks were in a better place on the Albion, it is dreamy!

 

[Nici]

Oooh, that does look nice. I've wondered about Hermes saddles. I know saddlery is where they started before they became a luxury brand for handbags and perfume, but I wondered if their saddles were still any good or just a 'label'. You don't hear of people using them much. Well, I don't.

It's funny really that they still make saddles, isn't it!
If I get £6000 to spare for a saddle, I think that's the one I would opt for.