Saddle dilemma WWYD

Elno

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I never quite understood why people want a brown dressage saddle in the first place. Jumping saddle I fully understand, but dressage? ? (yes I might be an overly conservative dressage hag ???)
 

JulesRules

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I never quite understood why people want a brown dressage saddle in the first place. Jumping saddle I fully understand, but dressage? ? (yes I might be an overly conservative dressage hag ???)

I never understand why people think dressage tack has to be black. Surely it's personal preference?
 

sbloom

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I never quite understood why people want a brown dressage saddle in the first place. Jumping saddle I fully understand, but dressage? ? (yes I might be an overly conservative dressage hag ???)

Way back when, most saddles were brown, black for dressage is relatively modern so technically brown is more conservative in that sense.

Black leather was for harness only, and was cheaper leather as the darker the stain the more you could hide faults. Brown leather has a character that black leather never has, especially as it ages. I had a custom made brown dressage saddle before I was a fitter because I love brown on all colours of horse, and I will never try and persuade any of my customers they should have brown and often, for showing, will point out that a black saddle on their black or piebald horse, will make them look brown, a neutral dark brown will make their coat look blacker.
 

Northern

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I never quite understood why people want a brown dressage saddle in the first place. Jumping saddle I fully understand, but dressage? ? (yes I might be an overly conservative dressage hag ???)

Funny, someone said the exact same thing to me last week. In a very rude and condescending manner actually. All my tack is brown, I love brown saddles on all my horses. I even (gasp) compete official/affiliated dressage in my brown tack. I think I would be more worried about comfortable, proper fitting tack over what is considered "acceptable" by conservative dressage hags ;)
 

Roxylola

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I don't love black tack with a blue jacket, my original dressage jacket was black as I had black tack. These days I find blue is a bit more flattering to me and with a black and white horse I risk making him look faded if I wear black. I do have black tack though - 2nd hand so beggars can't be choosers
 

JulesRules

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@Northern I totally agree. I never understand why anyone would voice an opinion on other people's tack colour preferences.

Also agree with @sbloom and @Roxylola that brown leather has so much more character, and looks nicer with navy. I wear beige breeches and have a navy jacket and champagne pad and stock and brown is so much nicer. My pony is also a graying out cream dun so has cream tones in his coat and black is harsh against him.
 

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