saddle company saddles

H

H-J

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www.piczo.com
Have already made the decision to get a saddle company dressage saddle but just wondered if any one has had/has one?

And if you have any good bad view on them, thanks
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I very much like the idea of Saddle Company saddles - they are supposedly so nice for the horse. I asked about them when I was looking for a dressage saddle but a lot of people said that they were not a true dressage saddle and not really suited to people that wanted to compete seriously....... I'm never going to be the next Anky but did need something that put me in the right position - I need all the help I can get
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and the SC designs didn't really do it for me.
 
I love mine but sadly the 17 1/2 inch I've got is too long for my horsey so I'm going to have to re-home the saddle
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I think you either love SC saddles or hate them. The most important thing is to make sure you get the right knee blocks put on the saddle as they don't always come with them as standard depending where you buy them from. I generally contact the saddle company and buy the blocks seperately, that way I can make sure I get the suppprt exactly where I need it to get my legs in the right place.
 
As ISZ has said, lovely for the horse, but you may find you struggle with where they put you. I rode in a feiends saddle, and although it is comfy and the horse goes VERY well in it, I found it really didnt help my position at all!!
 
I bought one via a HHOer this week... it is gorgeous quality for the money they cost! Mine is the verona, so half synthetic.
Have only ridden in it once as it needs fine tuning for my girl, but I was really pleased with it and the position it put me in. Currently it doesn't have blocks (but I will be getting some I think so that I at least have the option of using them) but I have never spent much time in 'proper' dressage saddles with huge blocks anyway, so I think I don't miss the support like a lot of other people do.
 
Luckily my "dressage position" is not something I struggle with too much and have never had a big blocked bucket type saddle, my Barnsby has tiny blocks and the saddle area is quite open which im told the SC ones are like so I hopefully should be ok.

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Absolute MAGIC for the horse to go in, but so difficult to ride in!! ( but I am very short legged so do need a bit of support from a saddle! )
 
Aaahh, I have quite long legs so maybe that is the difference?

H_J - dressage position with my legs isn't something I struggle with either..... its the rest of my body that I have trouble with!
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Its not so much "dressage position", its the fact the stirrup bars are far forward. I dont like big blocks and bucket seats at all, but the barnsby's trees are designed in such a way to help with your alignment....the SC arent.
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think there is a dressage one for sale on IHDG
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i just got the WH one, not sure what i think yet
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I have the GP and don't like the position it puts me in at all, I feel as though I'm constantly fighting it or end up in a very chair like position.

I've just bought a WOW instead!
 
Brilliant for the horse, totally useless for the serious competitor I'm afraid. I had to get rid of mine when I wanted to do more than pootle about in a vaguely prelim outline as the stirrup bars are in totally the wrong place. Oujia Board has a far better dressage position than most people I've seen (as amateurs) and she struggled too with them.

I wish they'd make them for serious competitors - I had to get rid of both of mine which is a shame as they are so nice for the horses, but there is a reason you don't see any out on the circuit IMO.

Sounds like you've made up your mind though - they resell pretty well
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Well, I love them! and not just because I fit them. I actually bought my first SC dressage saddle before I qualified to fit them - I was looking for something that could be adjusted as my CB was rising 5 and predicted to grow another 2 inches (he has grown 3 and still going). No other saddle on the market is as adjustable.

When I bought my anglo, he came with horrendous muscle wastage and back pain - he was an ex-show jumper ridden in a Stubben. he went about with his head in the air and they couldnt control him and rode him in dutch gag, with flash and martingale. Shortly after I bought him he sustained an injury which required him to be turned away for 6 months. when I brought him back into work, the muscle atrophy was even worse but he had least had a covering over his ribs so I could start working him again. Because of his previous history, I never thought about using anything other than a SC saddle and he hasnt looked back since. People are really surprised when they see him, as he is so lovely and round and he is ridden in a snaffle. No martingale.

For kindness to your horse's back, I dont think you can beat the SC saddles. I dont find a problem with my position - but then I have always ridden in dressage saddles and use them for everyday for hacking including galloping and small jumps. For serious jumping I have a SC event which has 2 sets of blocks so offers me security (I am def not a showjumper!). I dont have a problem with position, whereas for example in the isabelle werth my leg was pulled so far back that I was tipping forward and was a mess.

I know a lot of people who are doing aff BE in SC saddles and they are fine. But agreed, the seat isnt particularly deep and the knee blocks arent huge, so if you need that kind of support I dont think you will get that from a SC saddle. With respect to the stirrup bars being further back, I will measure mine tonight and post how far back from the pommel they are. One thing I know for sure is that they are even - the beauty of injection moulding rather than relying on the eye!
 
I've got one on order.Should be here in couple of weeks.
I rode in before i decided to buy and i found it fine but then i'm a happy hacker who does the odd bit of showjumping from time to time.But dont think i would find i was jumping more.Poppy is 23 now and has changed shape quite a bit and will probley change still so liked the idea of being able to change fit of the saddle for her.
Got to look after these OAP's!
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I've ridden in the GP, WH, Close contact and event models. I have the event model and it's wonderful. I found the GP a bit hard but the event is lovely to ride in and easy to sit in the right position. I've always bought the square cantle and the suede seat/knees. Brilliant saddles, need very little care as the leather is so good. The close contact is very flat...definately need suede on it or you slide about!!
 
I adored my SC Dressage saddle - now re-homed to a member on here, as the horse it was for was sadly PTS and I couldn't ride my cob in it, as there is a 9 inch height difference between the two horses, the cob being the shorter and in dressage length stirrups, his elbows and my toes where arguing
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I found it extremely comfortable and put me in a very good, yet free position. I don't really have too much of a problem with the way my leg hangs - sometimes I toe out, but that's more to do with excess weight on my thighs! I liked the freedom it allowed me in my seat - it was a square cantle, which makes a huge difference!
 
I have the GP and the event... I bought them for my horses benefit, and they fit great and the horses work well. I've read lots of things on here about people not liking the position they put you in and that they are not good enough for serious competition but I personally really like them! My position is ok in both, face it I'll never get a 10/10 for my position but no saddle could do that for me! The saddles allow me to 'ride' both my horses and get good work from them and, very imporatantly for me, I am secure in them, big spooks and over jumping are no longer something I fear! I plan to sj and XC in mine and hope to get a dressage shortly too...

I have never sat in a Barnsby/Stubben/Albion/Jeffries/WOW or any other saddle like that to be able to make a comparison with and maybe my opinion would change if I did but for now I am uber happy with mine and wouldnt consider changing for any other saddle....
 
Like all saddles, some people love them, some hate them. I hated mine - fitted by saddler as 'most likely to fit' my short-backed Welsh Sec C - and three visits later, we gave up and ordered a hand-made one from Kay Humprhies/Barry Swaine which arrive Monday

but would agree with everyone else that they're a good idea badly implemented and they haven't the first clue about stirrup position for a classical seat. You don't need to be doing aff dressage to want to sit in a correct ear/hip/heel alignment - and on a SC saddle, you can't.

so there's a 16.5 dressage saddle going to anyone who'd like it...

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I believe Felicity helen Coulthard uses a saddle company saddle for her dressage she is a disabled rider,surely if these saddles put you in such a bad position they wouldnt be any good for the likes of this lady let alone able bodied riders.
 
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but would agree with everyone else that they're a good idea badly implemented and they haven't the first clue about stirrup position for a classical seat. You don't need to be doing aff dressage to want to sit in a correct ear/hip/heel alignment - and on a SC saddle, you can't.

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a-ha ! Is that what my problem is then!! i used to have quite a good alignment albeit lower leg slightly too forward (not very dressage though as i ride very short) and now i am really struggling to get my lower leg back without tipping forwards.
 
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