Is it worth getting a dressage saddle...

Firewell

Firewell

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When I'm only doing BD novice?

I have a really nice event saddle that fits my horse well, I brought it brand new last year. It's nothing especially grand but it's just a really good, comfy honest saddle, it fits my horse very well and we are both very happy with it, it suits us as we do a range of activities. Iv'e even had a purely dressage rider who normally hates sitting in anything thats not a dressage saddle ride in it and she even liked it!

However do you think not having a dressage saddle would be affecting our marks? I like to think not but everyone knows how much first impressions count?

We also do ODE's so we do dressage a fair bit really.

Is it that important to have a dressage saddle? I'm not sure I want one but then again if it would help?

What do you think?
 
I'd say get one if only for the fact it really does help you get in a good, effective position. I doubt anyone really cares, even at BD, if you dressage in a jump saddle tbh, they care about your riding and how your horse goes, a dressage saddle is designed to help that... not make you look the part.

I bought a battered old Passier on Ebay a month ago for £200, its old and faded but its lovely and sits me beautifully. Riding in it is a pleasure and tbh I'd pick it over my jump saddle most days just because both horse and I go better in it.... :)
 
Thanks Scarlett, i'm sure it would help my position a bit. I used to have a dressage saddle,an ideal susannah but I sold it as it gave my late mare a bad back, shame as it probably would fit my current one a treat!
Tbh what would probably help my position more is riding without stirrups for 6 months.
:D Maybe i'll do that insead ;).
 
I do think the right one can make a huge difference - I love my suzannah, and even feel safe in it when he has a 'naughty' day!
 
Thanks MD. Maybe i'll borrow one and see how we go. I'm turning into an old scrouge with my money lol. I could buy a top of the range jobbie right now but hate parting with cash for something I feel I don't need.
I think i'll have a few dressage lessons in a borrowed one first and see how we go :).
 
Yes, I do see the benefit although I very rarely use mine as like to have a pop over a fence at the end of a schooling session and could never jump Buds in a DR saddle!
 
Leg_end said:
Yes, I do see the benefit although I very rarely use mine as like to have a pop over a fence at the end of a schooling session and could never jump Buds in a DR saddle!
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Oh gosh yes that what I do!! I often pop a fence at the end of the schooling session! Oh I probably would only use it for proper dressage lessons and actual tests, which would be once a week at most. Myabe I wont get one.. or maybe I can get a synthetic one.

Thanks everyone, still undecided lol.
 
just binned mine :D not literally! But I was relying on it too much to prop my position- I am now in a flat close contact jump saddle until further notice ;)

I will get another DR saddle in time but until then I am going through the seat/muscle developement stage to help my balance etc and actually riding effectively rather than sitting there looking nice and in balance and actually not achieving a lot.
 
Firewell said:
Oh gosh yes that what I do!! I often pop a fence at the end of the schooling session! Oh I probably would only use it for proper dressage lessons and actual tests, which would be once a week at most. Myabe I wont get one.. or maybe I can get a synthetic one.

Thanks everyone, still undecided lol.
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Yep, they are the only times I use mine!
 
Sameru said:
just binned mine :D not literally! But I was relying on it too much to prop my position- I am now in a flat close contact jump saddle until further notice ;)

I will get another DR saddle in time but until then I am going through the seat/muscle developement stage to help my balance etc and actually riding effectively rather than sitting there looking nice and in balance and actually not achieving a lot.
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Ahh interesting, see that is very useful for my argument not to get one lol :).
 
The stirrup bar placement on dressage saddles is different from that on GP and Jumping saddles; it is father back, allowing your leg to hang down and your hip to open. This is the basic reason why a dressage saddle makes a huge difference. It is very hard to have a correct dressage seat in a non-dressage saddle as you are constantly fighting the placement of the stirrup bar. So, OP, yes I think you probably should get one. Doesn't have to be an expensive one. The Wintec dressage saddles are well designed and nice to ride in. :)
 
I compete at BD Novice and BE 100 and I LOVE mine! I always rode in a jump saddle on the flat then my instructor let me borrow one for a few lesson and WOW the difference in my position and the fact I could actually open my hip (I have sticky hips anyway) and allow my leg to hang, it was amazing!

So I then sold 2 of my old jump saddles (got £1,200 for the 2 of them) and then bought a 2nd hand Spalding Britannia dressage saddle for £450 and I love it, I ride in it all the time on the flat and if I am hacking and not doing fast work. I also feel very secure in it and my boy likes spooking and spinning.
 
My older boy has the wintec isabell and that is lovely too - not AS comfy as the suzannah but that may be because its a 16/5 inch seat on a 14.2 arab as opposed to a 17.5 seat on a 16.3hh sports horse - the horses are as far removed as a hot hatch golf GTI and a range rover sports so its not exactly surprising that the suzannah is more comfortable - or rather the horse underneath it is! WHat I'm trying to say is the isabell is worth a try!
 
I made a point of making sure I got a dressage saddle that didn't have a huge block so I can shorten my stirrups for polework etc in it. Tbh if just popping a fence at the end of a schooling session then no reason why you couldn't do that in the 'right' dressage saddle. But I don't like saddles that lock you in place so I guess its courses for horses and all that :)
 
I just have my jumping saddle for everything now- selling the stressage saddle because it doesn't quite fit and I like my jumping saddle more anyway. My jumping saddle is very forward cut and flat, and it doesn't stop us getting decent marks- I even get decent riding marks despite being at 'jockey length' half the time :D
 
Riding in a dressage saddle did make a huge difference to my position when swapping, and I love mine, but it's quite blocky and puts you in a good position (great) but I do rely on it a bit too much, so make sure I ride in my other saddle and work without stirrups (when I force myself to..) to help.
 
Perhaps it's worth a call out fee or two to try a selection? Only then will you know if it makes enough of a difference to make it worth it. I love my dressage saddle and only ride to Elementary/Medium but it works for me - relatively shallow seat and small blocks mean I have been known to jump in it, but not out of preference!

IF you show at all, then there are also great WH saddles that do a good job as a dressage saddle - moderately deep seats and decent sized blocks. I fit a few models that people use for both, though most show saddles are flat as a pancake and definitely not really helpful for dressage!
 
sbloom said:
Perhaps it's worth a call out fee or two to try a selection? Only then will you know if it makes enough of a difference to make it worth it. I love my dressage saddle and only ride to Elementary/Medium but it works for me - relatively shallow seat and small blocks mean I have been known to jump in it, but not out of preference!

IF you show at all, then there are also great WH saddles that do a good job as a dressage saddle - moderately deep seats and decent sized blocks. I fit a few models that people use for both, though most show saddles are flat as a pancake and definitely not really helpful for dressage!
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If anyone happens to be looking for a WH saddle that is suitable for showing and dressage plus popping jumps PM me as I have a lovely one that is looking for a home cos it doesn't fit either of my horses :(
 
Suziq77 said:
If anyone happens to be looking for a WH saddle that is suitable for showing and dressage plus popping jumps PM me as I have a lovely one that is looking for a home cos it doesn't fit either of my horses :(
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I was just about to ask (before seeing this post), is the stirrup bar positioned differently on show saddles?
 
cliodhna said:
I was just about to ask (before seeing this post), is the stirrup bar positioned differently on show saddles?
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I'm not a saddle expert :confused: I know that the saddle I was talking about is an Ideal Josephine, which is built on the Jessica tree (the Jessica is one of Ideal's dressage saddles) so I would have thought the construction is pretty similar...
 
I do absolutely everything in a Farrington working hunter saddle, I just can't afford a half dozen different saddles for the three horses, and the Farrington fits two of them beautifully. I have hunted in it, jump working hunters, used it for breaking awkward youngsters, and of course use it for BD too.
Have been told by "local dressage expert" that I NEEEEED a dressage saddle otherwise I'll never do atall well, but it sits me securely, it fits the horse, what more do I need?
 
cliodhna said:
I was just about to ask (before seeing this post), is the stirrup bar positioned differently on show saddles?
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It can be more forwards, but the ones I fit have shown me that most people who ride well are immediately aligned shoulder-hip-heel correctly. Worth a try for people that don't QUITE want a dressage saddle but perhaps don't jump much, or have a jump saddle. Although of course tons of people jump in WH saddles, it's just that a very straight cut one with bigger blocks isn't going to be quite so user friendly for leaving the ground :D
 
I am currently rehoming a Thorowgood dressage saddle - but only because my TB has really chunked up and will be replacing with a MW of some description. I loved it for hacking in as well as schooling and have 'popped' well over 1m to liven him up during a flatwork session ;) with no issues - no big blocks and not too deep in the seat.

I found it did make a difference to my seat and although I mainly just do ODEs I always felt more 'professional' with it.

Get one! (You know you want to!!!) :D
 
I'm just about to swap from a show saddle to a dressage saddle. I've had the show saddle for 6 years and its been more than fine, we've been to the Nationals in it and most people don't even realise its not a dressage saddle. The only thing I would say is I have noticed you leg can creep forward a little in it.

The welsh cob is schooling advanced medium so I don't think you need a dressage saddle :)
 
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