What kind of saddle?!

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Trakehner92

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So the saddler is coming this week with a few saddles for me to try. I already have a jumping saddle which I love but I've started doing a fair bit of dressage and as much as I love my little close contact jumping saddle it really isn't easy to counter canter in! Trot work is also a challenge as after a few 20m circles of sitting trot I feel like my legs are going to fall off. When my new saddles comes this one will be kept for hacking and jumping !

The question is do I go for a VSD or a dressage saddle? I don't feel like I need a dressage saddle just yet as we are only doing novice tests however if I get a VSD and then decide I actually want a dressage saddle?

The idea of a working hunter saddle has been chucked in there too?

Of course it will come down to the best fit for my horse but if anyone has an suggestions that would be great !
 
I have a VSD as I mostly do flatwork with a little jumping but if I had a jumping saddle for jumping and hacking I would have a dressage saddle for flatwork :)
 
FfionWinnie said:
You've got your jump for hacking and jumping so why would you get anything other than a dressage for dressaging in! ;)
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I know I thought that too but I don't want people to think I'm one of these people with all the gear and no idea haha! I'm swaying on the side of a dressage at the moment but I'll see what the saddler brings I suppose.

I've just think I need one of every saddle and then that will solve all of my problems haha!
 
I second FW - I have a GP to jump in and a Dressage saddle to flat work in, and I wouldn't use anything else for flat!

Aside from anything, the cut of the dressage saddle enables the horse to move more freely.

Plus, they are VERY comfy!
 
Ok thanks everyone. I think I've made my mind up. Lets go for a dressage! woo! My instructor will be so proud lol.

I just hope we can find one to fit him as he can be a bit of a pain to fit a saddle to. His jumping saddle was bought brand new but sadly the budget doesn't stretch quite as far this time so I hope we find a nice second hand that we are both comfy in. Does anyone have any recommendations on nice quality makes that wont break the bank?
 
Trakehner92 said:
Ok thanks everyone. I think I've made my mind up. Lets go for a dressage! woo! My instructor will be so proud lol.

I just hope we can find one to fit him as he can be a bit of a pain to fit a saddle to. His jumping saddle was bought brand new but sadly the budget doesn't stretch quite as far this time so I hope we find a nice second hand that we are both comfy in. Does anyone have any recommendations on nice quality makes that wont break the bank?
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Not sure on the build of your horse, or your budget! But I have just picked up a bates innova second hand for my no withered - large shouldered Welsh X and goes beautifully in it.

It wasn't a saddle I would have chosen from an aesthetic point of view, but it fits the horse beautifully so I couldn't say no!

I've previously had a K&M S Series dressage and ended up hating it - personal preference - I found it didn't give my legs a huge amount of stability
 
Sprat said:
Not sure on the build of your horse, or your budget! But I have just picked up a bates innova second hand for my no withered - large shouldered Welsh X and goes beautifully in it.

It wasn't a saddle I would have chosen from an aesthetic point of view, but it fits the horse beautifully so I couldn't say no!

I've previously had a K&M S Series dressage and ended up hating it - personal preference - I found it didn't give my legs a huge amount of stability
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Thank you very much :) I haven't actually set a specific budget, I just said the saddler to see what she could find. If it fits and I like it I will probably end up buying it anyway despite the price but spending a couple of thousand is out of the picture haha!

Your saddle sounds lovely! Hopefully we will find a nice one too! I just hope there are a few to try as the saddler said she doesn't always have much variety with dressage saddles. :(
 
Trakehner92 said:
Thank you very much :) I haven't actually set a specific budget, I just said the saddler to see what she could find. If it fits and I like it I will probably end up buying it anyway despite the price but spending a couple of thousand is out of the picture haha!

Your saddle sounds lovely! Hopefully we will find a nice one too! I just hope there are a few to try as the saddler said she doesn't always have much variety with dressage saddles. :(
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If you can try a few and see how you feel in them, then start looking on ebay / gumtree / pre loved to see if you can get a good deal.

If your saddler doesn't have a huge amount of variety, is there another saddler locally that you could contact?
 
Yes good plan. I can always get the saddler to come and check it and fit it if I do find one somewhere else.

There are a few but I've never really had much joy with saddle fitters over the last few years. The one I use at the moment has always been fab and she's very reasonable. I know if she doesn't bring anything I'm happy with she will come back ... i'm just impatient :\

Its a Silhouette and they do make a lovely dressage saddle but I haven't actually seen any second hand ones around and I don't really want to buy a brand new one. :)
 
I actually saw a lovely looking Silhouette dressage saddle on pre loved a few weeks ago, and very reasonably priced as well
 
Sprat said:
I actually saw a lovely looking Silhouette dressage saddle on pre loved a few weeks ago, and very reasonably priced as well
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I have actually just seen one on Ebay which is only 2 years old and in fab condition. Really well priced in the size I need. I'm tempted to just get it but I want to give my saddler the chance to fit him one. I'd rather she brought one that I know fits him. I'm worried I'll buy one online and end up with a saddle that I cant use.

Thank you for everyone's help. I'm very excited now !
 
Ask her if she thinks it would be a good choice then if so get it? If it's reasonably priced you can sell on it it doesn't fit.

She's already told you she doesn't have many dressage saddles. What she does have will be more expensive than a private sale as she has to make money on them. You can pay her to come out and fit it I assume?
 
I love saddle shopping, it is very exciting!

My problem is I impulse buy pretty saddles that don't fit :lol: and then end up having to sell the flipping things again before hubby see's them!
 
Sprat said:
I love saddle shopping, it is very exciting!

My problem is I impulse buy pretty saddles that don't fit :lol: and then end up having to sell the flipping things again before hubby see's them!
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Haha! I know.. this is what I don't want to end up with. I need to make sure it fits so I don't end up with about 5. He already hates the horse... haha!
 
Trakehner92 said:
Its a Silhouette and they do make a lovely dressage saddle but I haven't actually seen any second hand ones around and I don't really want to buy a brand new one. :)
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As per most of the other replies, go for a dressage saddle!

Silhouette dressage saddles are lovely, I've had 3 of them on various horses. If that's what you're after, there's plenty around on second hand sites, or look on their website and see if there are any local stockists near to you, they may well have a second hand model in stock.
 
KVH said:
As per most of the other replies, go for a dressage saddle!

Silhouette dressage saddles are lovely, I've had 3 of them on various horses. If that's what you're after, there's plenty around on second hand sites, or look on their website and see if there are any local stockists near to you, they may well have a second hand model in stock.
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Yeah I love my jumping saddle and the dressage saddle looks lovely too. It looks really comfy and I know the silhouettes are well made. I'm going to try for one of those I think. :)
 
I have just had a quick search for silhouette saddles as I am not familiar with them , nice by the way, and came up with Saddles direct, they have new and gently used on their page at what look like reasonable prices to me.
 
Enfys said:
I have just had a quick search for silhouette saddles as I am not familiar with them , nice by the way, and came up with Saddles direct, they have new and gently used on their page at what look like reasonable prices to me.
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They are lovely saddles. Does anyone know how saddles direct works? I noticed it says out on trial.
 
Trakehner92 said:
They are lovely saddles. Does anyone know how saddles direct works? I noticed it says out on trial.
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I used Saddles Direct years ago, I think it is a great service. From memory I had three saddles posted to me to try, they were as described and the company were really helpful to deal with :)
 
Hello everyone !!

Thanks you for everyone's advice about the saddle. The saddle fitter came today with lots of saddles for me to try and I didn't like any of them enough to commit to buy. My horse is a funny shape to fit a saddle to so that ruled a lot of them out too.

I've made the big decision to order a brand new silhouette one. Its the same make as my jumping saddle and the only thing I felt comfy riding in and the only thing that my horse seems to go really well in.

I can not wait for it to come in 2 weeks !!! It should be being made as we speak !

Some of the people at my yard have said I'm mad for buying a brand new dressage saddle for the level that I compete at. I hope they don't put me off of the idea of it before my saddles comes :(
 
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