Tell me I don't need a dressage saddle...

I loved my dressage saddle - it was a made to measure Jaguar. I hacked, schooled, showed and did dressage in it. I even popped a fence in it.

So, I say, go for it. As others have said, you don't have to pay megabucks to get a nice one - my friend has an Isabel Werth one, and it is really comfy.
 
I didn't need one but was offered a bargain. Bought it, hated it, sold it (at a slight profit!). It wasn't the saddle's fault really, it was just too small for my fat backside. Having said that though, I wasn't struggling in my GP I was perfectly comfortable in it. I'm not sure I could do dressage in a jumping saddle.
 
rara007 said:
You don't need one (I compete at ele without one on three of mine, one since retired another sold!). But if you want one (and it will ultimately help!) why not :D
Click to expand...

I rode up to Ele on a GP I preferred it as I found the dressage saddles that fitted my horse didn't fit me. Even preferred it to my made to measure dressage saddle. I think some people actually ride with their legs too straight and stirrups too long in dressage saddles that are straighter cut and they are therefore more unbalanced.
 
Love my dressage saddle! . .

Bought it for a lively youngster . . as felt more secure whilst HACKING! . . Totally love it! . . Would not go back to a GP ever . .

If you can afford it, I say go for it . . they are worth the money, so comfy . . and a more secure seat . .

The horse feels better also, maybe because the shoulder seems to be more free? . .

Good luck 🍀
 
Thank you everyone for all of your replies (and thank you Leo Walker for the photos!!)
Although I know I don't NEED one, I just wonder if one would help so much that it would be worth it. I might avoid riding in one just so that I can't know what it's like. There's also the element of dressing my poor horse up, can't find any other nice CC pads that fit my jumping saddle other than Le Mieux!
Good to know that some of you have competed up to Elementary in a GP - it can be done. However, what doesn't help is that a friend is lending me a lovely double bridle, but it's black and the rest of my tack is brown, so of course now I have to get a matching saddle :D
Unfortunately though, from a money point of view I probably can't afford one all on my own and like rachk89 said, uni is expensive, which makes me more inclined to perhaps not get one. My current saddle doesn't help me but it doesn't massively hinder me because it's so open that I'm not restricted. Now I just have to keep repeating to myself that I do not *want* to get one...
 
I once picked up my dressage saddle by mistake and had to ride a 100cm eventer challenge in it and as it had Bates webbers on it could not get the leathers as short as I would have liked. That was interesting but we went double clear as part of a team.
 
Velcrobum said:
I once picked up my dressage saddle by mistake and had to ride a 100cm eventer challenge in it and as it had Bates webbers on it could not get the leathers as short as I would have liked. That was interesting but we went double clear as part of a team.
Click to expand...

It seems you have a very accurate username, I don't think I would be able to do that!!
 
If the finances are there, then get one by all means.

I know that going into university I wouldn't have been able to afford one & was still able to improve my riding in a GP. So if it isn't affordable, you'll be able to keep getting by without :)
 
adsthelad said:
However, what doesn't help is that a friend is lending me a lovely double bridle, but it's black and the rest of my tack is brown, so of course now I have to get a matching saddle :D
.
Click to expand...

cheaper to get a brown double bridle. Then if you do decide to get a dressage saddle one day, you'll be able to get a second hand brown one, which are less popular and therefore cheaper.
 
It depends, if your horse and your body suit one then go for it. It's not for everyone and I think these days they make them with massive blocks to jam you into position you needn't do anything/can't do anything with your seat/legs.

For my young horse, I've gone back to a GP. (She was very restricted in a dr saddle strangely enough). Many of the old masters recommend it in young horses and rarely get a dressage saddle until the horse is doing more collected work and airs above the ground.

Theres no rule saying you absolutely need a dressage saddle to do dressage at the end of the day, choose something that gets the best out of both of you :).
 
After a recent saddle fitting sadly confirmed that my dressage saddle doesn't fit properly, I've been doing everything in my jump saddle.

I've always found my jump saddle much more comfortable anyway, so this didn't really bother me. But I've actually felt quite a dramatic improvement in my riding (and hardly a surprise, my horse's way of going) in the last few weeks, I think mainly down to the saddle switch.

I'm still riding as long (stirrups) on the flat as I was in the dressage (back blocks do interfere slightly - Monoflap so can't remove!) but otherwise everything is going great.

I will get a new dressage saddle eventually, but for now it's not a priority. If you are not comfortable, I would suggest a new saddle purely for that reason. A saddle has to fit both horse and rider :)
 
I am the same as you, working at prelim currently (just about) and wanting to move up to Novice this year. I have an Ideal Impala Pro jump saddle, very much a jumping saddle! I find that when I drop my stirrups down it gives me no real support and I find it really hard to be sat in the right position, particularly in the canter. It unbalances me which in turn unbalances him. I borrowed my instructors dressage saddle for one lesson and it made a really big difference.

So this week I am going to pick up a dressage saddle, nothing fancy just a Wintec Isabell Werth, but should make a big difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top