Saddle advice! - WH over GP

[Ro8249]

I have a ideal GP saddle which I love and have used to train/break my cob cross over the last 1-2 years. As I jump in the field I was wondering if there were any benefits of a proper working hunter saddle over the GP as I would like to potentially take him out in the future. Has it benefited anyone in cross country or hunting etc?

 

[AmyMay]

They're straight cut, so you're better off in a gp I'd say.

 

[FfionWinnie]

You wouldn't want a WH saddle as that's just really for showing it won't be better than your current. Personally I would always want a jump saddle over a GP.

 

[pennandh]

Personally, I like WH saddles better than GPs for doing a bit of flat and a bit of jumping - the cut and stirrup position is generally better for working on the flat, and the seat is usually flatter, which I find nicer for jumping than the deep seats on a lot of GP saddles.

However, jumping anything much over 3'3" on a WH saddle can be a bit hairy; so if you plan on hunting over biggish country, you don't want one. They're really just a slightly different sort of everyday riding saddle (at least, the old-fashioned ones are) that works better for some people's riding style: I find GPs a bit restrictive in how long I can comfortably arrange my stirrups, for example.

To be honest, if you get on well with your GP, you may as well carry on with that for now (note the wise adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"), and if you decide you need a proper jump saddle later along the line, you can always get one then.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I like WH saddles, but they are, in essence a showing saddle adapted to jump in. Think a show saddle with a little bit of padding / knee roll. If your aim is to hunt & jump, I would go for the GP.

 

[Merlod]

Keep the GP, my sister has an ideal WH as it was all the saddler had that fitted her pony, lovely to hack in and smart for showing but as she's come to do more SJ she has struggled with security (especially when the pony is having a "call of the wild" moment) so we are off to have a GP fitted Saturday

 

[sbloom]

The seats CAN be flatter equally both GP and WH can be built on a variety of trees. WH always straighter cut than GPs so definitely not the way to go if you're jumping more, they're a showing saddle made with a fraction more support for jumping, but not as much as a GP.