Which dressage saddle and do I change fitter?

S

Spendtoomuch

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 May 2011
Messages
323
Visit site
Ok apologies if this is long.
I need to get a new dr saddle beginning of next year, currently have a kent and masters, which has been great as horse has changed so much, and I will keep ready for my youngster.
So horse is an 11 year old tb, just coming back to work after two month holiday, part if reason to wait, he is in a wide fit in the kent and masters and it fits him well. He is currently at novice, working ele at home and hope to compete ele next year.
WhilstHis saddle fits him I do not feel it fits me, I have multiple back issues all in lower back, under a specialist and currently being treated etc but I find his saddle too wide for me (esp noticed since wide gullet put in), I also would like/need? a deeper seat and bigger knee rolls.

Can anyone recommend a saddle that incorporates all aspects? Love the look of barnsby and some of the albions. Need ideas so can get a saddler to bring right ones or maybe fit if I buy on ebay?

Also, thoughts on this, have saddle refitted/checked regularly but saddler never sees me on when he refits, he saw me on it when I bought it from him two years ago but not since. I think given my numerous back problems they should see me on everytime, thoughts?

ThanksAnyone who got this far can't offer food reward as on diet, need to get into a dress by sat!
 
If you like the Kent and Masters, i have a brand new Kent and Masters S Series for sale. Ive sat in it twice, bought on a whim and doesnt fit horse unfortuantely (round with no wither). Has a wide plate in it and also have a medium plate for it.

I have a Barnsby on my mare which is really comfy and has a nice deep seat with good thigh blocks for support.
 
Last edited:
I have lower back issues and love my Wow. I have the deep seat and giant block dressage flap, which makes you feel very secure. The twist is very narrow (some say you feel like you're sitting on a sausage so you do need to try before you buy!) which I like.
 
Problem is I don't like kent and masters for me, its just too wide.
But do think they are great for changing horses and had saved me a fortune with the amount he had changed
 
Thanks polotash, I did sit on one at burghley, but my saddlefitter has put me off them mainly re service rather than the actual saddle, I also am a bit put off I can't get an actual cost from web!
But if anyone knows of a good saddle fitter for wow that comes to northants I wouldnt mind trying it on my horse.
 
Spendtoomuch said:
Thanks polotash, I did sit on one at burghley, but my saddlefitter has put me off them mainly re service rather than the actual saddle, I also am a bit put off I can't get an actual cost from web!
But if anyone knows of a good saddle fitter for wow that comes to northants I wouldnt mind trying it on my horse.
Click to expand...

Your saddle fitter will put you off them because you'd have to change fitters to get a Wow ;0)

Wow will tell you your closest fitter if you call them. New they're about £1800, second hand about £500-900 depending on how old/ spec. Mine came from ebay and then fitter came out, altered the air and put in a new headplate, and I was up and running for less than £600.
 
Thanks tempi keep seeing them second hand but think I should sit in one before I buy but they do look very nice....how wide do you find your barnsby? I have never sat on one but think they look lovely.
 
Polotash said:
Your saddle fitter will put you off them because you'd have to change fitters to get a Wow ;0)

Wow will tell you your closest fitter if you call them. New they're about £1800, second hand about £500-900 depending on how old/ spec. Mine came from ebay and then fitter came out, altered the air and put in a new headplate, and I was up and running for less than £600.
Click to expand...

You are right, I now that really just trusted them but bit put off by the lack of checks on me when changing the saddle, am I just being fussy or is it reasonable to be a bit put out? Wouldn't mind but not a cheap saddle fitter I use :rolleyes:

Thats a lot cheaper than I thought they would be, might get a fitter out so I can try one on horse then if we like it buy second hand, think I would like to try others on him to though, this could be expensive just for the different fitters to come out :eek:
 
Barnsby is the same width as the K&M so would be too wide for you. Not sure if they do a narrow twist or not?

I had a Wow saddle, sold it recently, although I liked it trying to find a decent fitter that wouldnt charge the earth was an aboslute nightmare as there were non within a decent travelling distance in my area that where any good. Got stung trying one nearer to me who was awful.
 
A fitter should definitely check the saddle ridden, not just on the yard. I occasionally will adjust a saddle, espeically tree width, before seeing it ridden when there is an obvious problem but most times will not touch it until I've seen it ridden in. I also see it ridden in after I make the flock or tree adjustment.

It is tricky to put a narrow twist on a wide horse - I would say don't be too fixedin your idea bout what you want. The last two customers I had who, like, you, asked for a deep seat, both feel in love with a very flat seated GP. Lucky all round as it was the ideal tree for the Connie and NF involved! A deep seat can really tip your pelvis, a shallower seat may give you more scope to flex your back exactly how you need it.

The narrower twist CAN make a saddle perched on a wide horse - the twist is a structural part of the saddle and affects how it fits the horse hence you finding the saddle wider once it had a wider gullet put in. Saddles that do this successfully are rare - often it can lead the the aforementioned perching (more padding underneath to raise the narrow twist away from the horse), pinching at the bars, or instability.
 
Got an Albion and LOVE it but I am not at all knowledgeable with dressage saddles so maybe an unhelpful post :rolleyes: but it does have big knee rolls and a deep seat and seems to fit all the horses like a glove :D
 
Sbloom - totally get what you are saying but I was also taught that when you start to do more ' movements' that a deep seat is best, we are going to be out at elementary next year, us this correct?
AlsoSince saddle has been widened I find it makes me tip forward more, which is a habit I had got out of nearly, why is this? Or am I revrting to old position because it is too wide for me?
oneLast thing his jump saddle is med or med wide can't remember but saddker assures me it fits, it is a tekna, can this be right?
Thanks
 
i've got a Barnsby Kanter - wonderful and so comfy - i have suffered from slipped discs and sciatica and never found any problem with this saddle. my horse likes it too. Not sure , are there any partisan saddle fitters or should you be careful of a saddle fitter pushing only one type of saddle? Black Country/Kent & Masters?Barnsby (And any other saddle i may not have mentioned!) etc
 
I'm in the process of probably buying a barnsby theoden, I've been struggling for a while (and over a couple of horses) of finding a saddle I really like and this barnsby is hopefully 'the one', I have lower back issues too.
This barnsby is for the wider type of horse, so the twist will never be that narrow, but it's certainly not mega wide. They do a similar saddle on a tree more suited to tbs too
 
Have had my saddler out today, as am looking to upgrade my Innova. Have tried a gazillion models, including the K&M - which I found too wide in the twist.

Entire body breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I sat in the Equipe Emporio.

I too suffer from lower back problems, particularly my pelvis, and find the Equipe super duper supportive. Deeper in the seat than the Innova, but with a narrower twist.

Good luck, I am *so* excited for my new saddle to arrive :)
 
ihatework said:
I'm in the process of probably buying a barnsby theoden, I've been struggling for a while (and over a couple of horses) of finding a saddle I really like and this barnsby is hopefully 'the one', I have lower back issues too.
This barnsby is for the wider type of horse, so the twist will never be that narrow, but it's certainly not mega wide. They do a similar saddle on a tree more suited to tbs too
Click to expand...

I have the Theoden on a wide-ish Irish mare, little withers, big shoulders. I love it, tried a lot and It was just perfect. Deep seat, big blocks, but they don't 'hold' you on place.
 
Thanks all.
NMT very interesting esp as you also find the kent and masters too wide, glad its not just me.
What fitting width wise is your horse in, just to try and compare to mine, as I have seen from your prev posts you have an ex racer (so is mine although he resembles a yak x hippo at the moment).
Also don't think you are that far from me? Who do you use to fit yours as not entirely happy with current fitter.
Thanks
 
Spendtoomuch said:
Thanks all.
NMT very interesting esp as you also find the kent and masters too wide, glad its not just me.
What fitting width wise is your horse in, just to try and compare to mine, as I have seen from your prev posts you have an ex racer (so is mine although he resembles a yak x hippo at the moment).
Also don't think you are that far from me? Who do you use to fit yours as not entirely happy with current fitter.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Fig was in a NM headplate for the Innova I think :o for the Equipe an N is 'normal' and he will be getting the -1 (I think that's the way the sizing works for those...) so probably a NM equivalent :) He's not broad, and is a pretty average shape if that's any help.

We use Andy Milner (Milner & Sons in the Melton area); always have done, he is really brilliant.
 
I'm in Northants and have both a WOW dressage saddle and a Jeffries dressage converted to Flair. We have an excellent fitter in the area, she also demos for WOW at events and really knows her stuff. PM me if you would like her details
 
Spendtoomuch said:
Sbloom - totally get what you are saying but I was also taught that when you start to do more ' movements' that a deep seat is best, we are going to be out at elementary next year, us this correct?
AlsoSince saddle has been widened I find it makes me tip forward more, which is a habit I had got out of nearly, why is this? Or am I revrting to old position because it is too wide for me?
Click to expand...

Could it have been widened too much so that it is low in front? Or not had the flock topped up as many saddle require?

And it is entirely personal about deep seats - deep seats didn't exist until recent decades! Many classical trainers hate modern deep seated big-blocked saddles because they hold you in, believing you should develop your seat independently in a shallower saddle. However, in reality, we don't have the time to develop the seat on the lunge as the old classical masters did. I still say that a deep seat can cause back issues for some people and is more likely to do so than a shallower seat.
 
I have a bad back too - I bought a Strada dressage saddle about 2 years ago - and now would never go back. Its really fabulous for the horse, and good for me too (he is quite wide as well)
 
Bad back here too, and also find the twist in the K&M too wide. Mare is wide but I prefer a narrow twist and I'm not about to compromise the fit for her because of that. We now have an albion platinum ultima - it is a v good tree shape for the broader horse, and is available with lots of diff tweaks too. I have deep seat, narrow twist, extra deep rear gussets and molded knee rolls. Cost £1999 and took about 2 months to get made up. Totally love it (mare and I are both v picky!), v comfy for us both, I simply sit 'right'. It doesn't push me any which way, just allows me to sit comfortably and correctly. Brilliant saddle!
 
My horse is an Anglo Arab (high withers, built more like a warmblood) and he has an albion K2 jump (fits him great but not insanely keen on the seat, little bit hard but beggars can't be choosers) and a keiffer lusitino dressage saddle. i love keiffers, insanely soft and really nice. if i had the money i would go for a barnsby or an equipe as they are lovely!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top