Those of you that do dressage at any level....

I

icestationzebra

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Can you please share your knowledge/experience of the following dressage saddles....
Ideal
Albion
Prestige
Passier
The Isabel Werth (who makes that?)

I'm like a kid in a sweet shop and I know I'll end up feeling sick (probably at the prices
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Your help as always appreciated
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Albion all the way. Such comfy saddles, gorgeous soft leather and great to ride in. I had a gorgeous Albion saddle but had to sell it. If had the money to buy another id definitely go for an albion. Ive got a Farrington one at the moment but will hopefully be changing it for another in the next few months.
 
I love my Albion SLK more than anything else in the world, save the horse of course, but I am also looking at a stubben for my American tb as his eventing one seems to fit him perfect.

evenag114
 
Bates make the Isabell Werth saddle - it comes in leather or synthetic.

Obviously they are all well known makes and I'm sure that you will get a lot of input from HHO, but your best best is to get your local saddler out to trial them. Everyone has their own favourites and reasoning, but you really need to feel them for yourself (and your horse) to get the best one.
 
I love my Albion K2, I had a Bates before but much prefer the Albion, also like Ideal but the one I used to use as very old so I don't know what the new ones are like to sit in.
 
Don't worry
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I've just had a chat with my saddler - these the the ones he has suggested bringing out for me to try. I know it is impossible to say which one I will like before I sit in it - just wondered what other people liked and why.
 
I love my Isabel with Cair on young horses because it really holds you in position which on an unbalanced youngster I find helpful. It also has an adjustable gullet for when they change shape every 5 minutes! However on an older more established horse I don't like it for the same reason, it holds you too much in position for me and I think that becomes a bit of a pain once you are on a more balanced/advanced horse.
 
Have owned Passier, Albion and Ideal. All very different saddles (with varying price tags!!) but all very nice. Not fussed with the Prestige as they never sat right on my horses back. I rode a horses in a synthetic Isabelle Worth and I have to say I was pleasantly suprised- it was very comfortable and said horse went very well in it. I don't think it was very expensive either
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I have ridden in an Albion dressage saddle (unsure of model though) and it was lovely and comfortable. I have also ridden in the Prestige (again, I'm unsure of the model), which I found was very comfortable as well. I tried the Isabel Werth which is by Wintec a few times, and it's an absolutely horrible saddle, very uncomfortable and I don't like synthetics either.
 
When i was looking for a new dressage saddle i tried all of the above, ended up opting for an Albion SLK, mainly because it fitted my horse like a glove, i personally liked the K2 but the gullet is a different shape on the SLK, which suited him better. I wasn't that keen on the prestige model that i tried, it was ok, but just didn't have the 'wow' factor for me. Ideal Jessica is awful in comparison to the above makes, it is very wide and feels like it is forcing your pelvis apart... i know some people would disagree and I suppose it depends on what you are used to. The Isabel really helped my friend develop a very good position, and she loves it. Also maybe you would consider a Wow... horrid to look at I know, but i have a friend that struggled keeping her horse soft and supple over the back and after she got the Wow there was a dramatic improvement in him, he was so comfortable in it.
 
I have two Albions, one is an SLK and the other an SLK Ultima... I absolutely love the fit of both of the saddles, both for me and for my horses. The only experience I have of one of the others is the Ideal which did not fit Grace at all, but I found it very comfortable to sit in and would have probably gone for one of those had it fited.
 
I love my Ideal Jessica, but have ridden in an Albion, if the Albion had fitted my pony I would have preferred one of those as it definately holds you in more. I definately don't feel that my pelvis is being forced apart, perhaps it is & I'm just used to it!!
 
I have a passier grand gilbert dressage saddle and love it!
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i have a VSD ideal and find that very comfy but rode my friend horse in her ideal jessica and really didnt like it all that much.

think dressage saddles are very personal
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I had an albion slk ultima. Fabulously comfortable for me. Unfortunately my horse hated it (started rearing- she has back issues) and it was sent back within 3 days!!!
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So bought a wow instead!
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It really depends on what fits your horse best and then what you like. TBH I'd go for horse comfort first and then learn to ride in the sadle. I've learnt to ride in the wow and now love it.
 
I hated my Albion! That much that I included it in the sale of my horse!

A friend lent me her "SUE CARSON" dressage saddle the other day and I can honestly say it was the best saddle I've ever sat on in my life!
It keeps your legs in the correct position and the other fantastic thing about them - the bottom half is made to fit the horse and the top is made to fit you! Well Well worth speaking to them, they use that flair system which pumps equal amounts of air into it.
You'd think that I worked for them with how I'm talking but honestly I would advise anyone who's looking for a new saddle of any description to give them a call!
Aparantly there is a rep in Leicestershire,
 
OK in my experience

Ideal - Great saddles , considered a cheeper option by many. A range of them and not as deeply curved seats/stuffed as some other makes. This has the advantage that they sit well on unusually shaped horses and also fit a wide range of types. Very good for shorter backed short coupled horses.

Albion - Nice saddle but big , lots of padding and curve , very comfy and helpful to the rider but just will not sit well on some smaller / narrower horses.

Prestige - ones I know least about similar to above I think

Passier - old ones were gorgeous newer ones can be over padded and rock a bit.

Be warned many saddle makers now actually ship the trees over to india to get the saddle made up on them as it save pennies. You don't get the quality job you think you've paid for. This is some big name companies to!

Best bet get a fitter with a variety of saddles to come out so you and horse can try them out. A lot easier said than done now a days as fitter align themselves to one brand or another.
 
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Isabel werth all the way (made by wintec) - you have NEVER sat in such a comfortable saddle, its a pleasure to ride in

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Ditto, but the Bates (leather version).
 
I used to be a big fan of albions but recently changed to an ideal 1650 suzannah. It was the best thing I did. I tried loads but none of them fit. The ideal design is based on the albion SLK ultima but its half the cost and IMO is a much comfier saddle.
I tried a passier which I really didnt like and would never of paid that amount of money for, and an isabelle which was a comfy saddle but not my cup of tea.
 
I think (?) I am correct in saying all the makes you listed are typical deep seated, hold the rider in a position types of saddle. If so is this what you want? Personally I prefer a more open type of saddle as I hate sitting on a saddle that completely holds me in position.

Go to your saddlers premises if possible and look at all of the saddles, select the ones you like the look of and want to try. You may see something you like that he has not mentioned.

Agree you need to try as many as physically possible and be open minded. Doesnt matter about the label as long as it fits both of you.
 
The Passier and some of the Prestige are more open seated, I think saddler has just mentioned his whole stock tbh!!
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The Passier is VERY expensive, and the Barnsby Lux is almost identicle.....
 
Ideal - no experience

Albion - loff them, but they're not for every horse. Or ever rider (I needed a special order SLK with the low head)

Prestiege - very open seat, like them better on wide horses

Passier - expensive, older ones were better imo

Isbaell Werth (wintec is synthetic, bates is leather) - very individual & gnerally love or hate, odd twist and huge blocks.

Look at Barnsby too..if you can
 
Well i have very little experience of dressage saddles but i have an ideal jessica and its extremely comfortable, doesnt have a deep seat or huge knee blocks but it does put me in a good position and both Hattie and Fiddler are very comfortable in it!
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Two of my friends have isabel werth saddles and absolutely love them, ive ridden in both of them and they are really very comfortable and put me personally in a very good position - not ridiculously expensive either
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All i know of albions is that i hated their jumping saddles!! and i was told their dressage saddles were really heavy!

hope that helps you a bit!
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I know it's not on your list but I have a Kieffer, one of the things I particularly like about it is that it is fully adjustable. I have had it altered twice as fatboy has changed shape. They aren't ridiculously expensive either (850ish quid)
 
Ideal 1650 Suzannah. Brilliant saddle. Beautifully made, well designed, lovely to ride in.
Albions - I like the SLK but prefer the Ideal as it puts me in a better balance. The older ones are still very good second hand.
Passier - avoid the newer ones, they are terribly uncomfortable imho.
Bates Isabell - perfectly nice saddle, I just prefer the Ideal.
Barnsby Anky - If you can find one, buy it! Not made any more I'm afraid. I think the Lorenzo is similar.
Devocoux Malika - my dream saddle, can't even afford one second hand, but they are fabulous.
 
Passier- not tried them, as they have a rep for being bad for the horse's back.

Prestige- found it uncomfortable to ride in, but they are ok for the back

Albion- ok, but only the luxury models are nice to ride in. some physio's dont like them on the horses.

Isabell Werth Wintec- extremely nice to ride in, but really not good for the horse.

Ideal- not ridden in one, but they have a very good rep for being very comfortable for the horse.
 
Ideal - I've not ridden in a dressage one, but have ridden in a couple Ideal Event saddles. I LOVE them, SO comfy.
Albion - hate them, they are rock solid (I haven't got any "natural padding"
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). My share horse has a new Legend and I've ridden in an old Legend, a SLK Ultima, and a K2 jump. Not worth the price tag for me, I just don't get on with them. Although, they are very good for wide horses.
Prestige - don't know.
Passier - don't know.
The Isabel Werth (who makes that?) - Wintec or Bates. I have ridden loads of horses in Wintec Isabells and I love them. They really hold you in position and are nicely padded and very comfortable. My dressage saddle of choice (other than the Ideals).
 
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