Which type of saddles do you own? More than one? or one for all?

[Tiaan]

I have sold my GP saddle as it no longer fits my wide, large shouldered Cob x Friesian very well anymore (it was lifting at the back) I plan to mainly compete in dressage and as of yet have no interest in jumping, however this may not always be the case!

I would like to know what everyone else does, do you have two or more saddles such as dressage and jumping or one such as a VSD?

Thanks x

 

[sarahann1]

Will be watching this with interest, I was about to post a similar question

For my lads I've made do with cheap and cheerful second hand synthetics. One had a thorogood T4 which I still have, it's a comfy saddle and so easy to adjust, I would def have one for another for a day to day saddle. The other had an unbranded saddle.

For out and about at shows or comps I would really like my new horse, when he/she appears, to have a nice leather saddle. I am leaning towards a VSD because I can't really afford to have more than one 'nice' saddle and i won't be competing or showing to any high level.

 

[Maryann]

I competed at open riding club level and did open working hunter classes and was quite happy in my inexpensive leather gp saddle. Having found one that fitted the horse and myself I had no desire to change anything!

 

[Nudibranch]

One saddle per horse. The mare has a treeless but was in dressage normal before that due to wide shoulders. Youngster is getting a vsd flexee, seems sensible given I prefer to ride long.

 

[Billabongchick]

Erm... 3... One black dressage which is her main saddle, one brown GP/Event style for jumping/showing and a Polo saddle which I was offered at a silly price when advertising for some other polo gear. In my defence they were all bought at very bargainous prices and cost less combined than one newer or brand new saddle...

 

[marmalade76]

Three, one dressage and two jump.

 

[blitznbobs]

My chap has 3 (this is unusual usually my horses have 2 at most...

His 3 are a dressage saddle - I am a dressage rider at heart and luckily one of my collected saddles from old horses (long since gone over the rainbow bridge) fit him perfectly (my fave saddle I call time). He has a gp saddle for if we go jumping or off road hacking. And a beautiful suede show saddle that only comes out on show days.

 

[Arniebear]

My current boy has an event saddle so just the one for all atm but as soon as he is back in work he shall be using my loan pony's dressage saddle as he only arrived with a jump saddle so i purchased a cheap dressage one to tie me over! My lad will get treated to a new dressage saddle made to measure and a made to measure jump saddle but i have to wait until he has muscled up again as he has had 9 months off work due to injury!!

 

[MrsNorris]

One horse, one well-fitting 8 year old GP which is checked regularly and adjusted as necessary. Can't afford to waste money on more saddles, he's comfy, I'm comfy, job done.

 

[OwnedbyJoe]

Oh, don't get me strated...
4 ridden horses, and - umm - 9 saddles!
Joe has a treeless and a dressage cos you can't do dressage comps in a treeless.
Prycie has a halfbreed
Angel and Savannah have a dressage and a jump each.
Then there are two more treeless for the days the girls decide to have a crack at endurance, and a second hand AP which is there for reasons which I can't now remember...

 

[Lolo]

3 horses, 3 saddles! But they share.

Reg and Tango share a jump saddle. Smokes has a jump saddle and a dressage saddle. They all compete at 90cm atm but Smokes will hopefully move up the levels this year

 

[Tobiano]

Like ownedbyjoe I seem to collect saddles. I have 3 saddles bought for previous horses that dont fit any of mine but I havent got round to getting rid! Harry has 1, a lovely Bates vsd. Xas has one, a 2nd hander as he is just being backed. Bilbo has 2, an albion dressage which fortunately fitted him after being bought for the previous horse, and a new Bates vsd so I can do jumping.

 

[chestnut cob]

Two. An Ideal AST jump saddle and a Barrie Swain dressage saddle.

 

[fattylumpkin]

Technically I have three to one horse, but only one fits. They've all been bought in the last year as she's changed shape so much. Come summer I'll be buying her a fourth, hopefully one that won't need replacing for a good many years as by then she should be in good working condition and replaced all the muscle she lost. Then when she's ready for showing I'll be on the lookout for a smart vsd.

I prefer to have at least two saddles just for sheer practical reasons.

 

[McCauley]

I have two... a Black Country Show Hunter saddle which i bought to compete in showing classes and also doubled up for dressage too as it's a straight enough cut (but has a slight knee roll if i wanted to pop the odd fence).

Then i went on, when he was older and 'bolder' over the jumps!,..to purchase a GFS GP/Jump saddle as we'd embarked on bigger fences and XC courses and my BC saddle wasn't up to that job!

It is nice to have the choice of which saddle i want to pop on, whatever we're going to be doing.

 

[smja]

My horse has two, a good leather jump saddle and a cheapy synthetic dressage one, as does my sister's horse. The old boy just has the one - a leather VSD that he wears for everything from dressage to hunting.

 

[mudmudmud]

5 saddles for 3 horses, not too bad I think!

 

[Undecided]

I own two, one dressage and one GP. I only got the dressage this year, after owning Rio for 4 years and it is yet to be sat in due to him being off work ((

 

[delaneys]

I have 4 horses
The cob has a kent and masters GP and a wintec wide
The 3 tbs have 2 x Albion k2 jumps
1 x slk dressage
1 x prestige event saddle
And an older style gp!

 

[Kokopelli]

I have a solution dressage saddle and a thorowgood jump saddle. I hate GPs and think they are dreadful for position.

 

[shmoo]

Hi, I bought a thorowgood 'selecta' for my daughters pony a few months ago. She loves it! You can change the knee rolls: Gp, dressage or jumping. We bought second hand as they no longer make them I think? but a cracking saddle at the low end of the spectrum. :O)

 

[blood_magik]

Jerry had a forward cut GP and a dressage saddle.
Beau has a CC jump (adjustable as he was still growing - haven't gotten round to selling it yet) and a standard jump with big blocks (big boy saddle). He also uses Jerry's dressage saddle.
Timberland has a jump and a dressage saddle.
Lenny will either use Beau's nice saddle (if it fits - getting checked tomorrow) or get a CC jump saddle.

I prefer each horse to have their own saddle for their mane discipline whereas the yard operates on a 'one size fits all' basis.

 

[SuperH]

My two do a little of everything and have one saddle each.

I then have a large collection of saddles I've had on previous horses, or saddles that my current two have had and then changed shape. I have thinned out this year and sold one and will probably sell another too that I can't imagine needing again. I keep ones that I like or that I think could be useful in the future.

 

[Annagain]

Mine do a bit of everything and both have Ideal Event GP saddles which I love. At the BRC champs the weekend before last I was having a good look around the warm up arena and noticed I was the only one in a GP saddle. Considering the majority would have been hobby riders like me I was really surpirsed by this.

I long for a dressage saddle (it will of course turn me into an amazing rider )but I just can't justify the expense for the amount I do - especially as I would be buying my share horse the dressage saddle and not my boy who is a happy hacker. One saddle won't fit both unfortunately.

 

[Megibo]

At the moment am in a borrowed GP for my mare, though I'm aiming to have a dressage for flat (obviously, lol) and a more forward cut GP for jumping when we get around to it.

 

[CBAnglo]

I have 3 horses. Technically, each horse has two; a dressage and an event saddle. In reality, two of them are retired from jumping so only need their dressage saddles. As of yesterday, one has been fully retired so he doesn't need a saddle at all.

I used to be a saddle (general) hoarder and had about 12 languishing about but I have sold a load of them and really only have 1 "spare" (if I don't count the redundant 3 above). So 7 saddles in total and I only use 2.

 

[Feebee-Friesian]

Annie is an all rounder but our main discipline is showing. I have just bought a brand spanking new native pony saddle. Working hunter model. I'm in love with it. So comfortable and incredible versatile! To prove that did a indoor arena event at the weekend and felt incredibly secure. This is my first ever brand new saddle! I can't stop telling people about it!

 

[arlosmum]

Arlo:-Made to measure GP (Burford Event)
Ideal Suzannah Dressage fits perfectly, incredible for off the peg
Poppy:-Wintec, she's still growing
Twinkle: 1 incredibly old & shabby saddle that came with her, patched with brown vinyl tape ugh
A brilliant eBay find 'best saddle' for shows £25 fits her perfectly & is a lovely light tan colour, is v old & beautiful leather Walsall saddle

 

[ROMANY 1959]

Kent and masters high withered brown 16.5 inch g p..and a stock saddle for sasha(Polocrosse pony)
17.5 inch Kent and masters GP in black for big lad, and issobelle worth dressage saddle for him.

 

[tinap]

One saddle for everything on the warmblood x (SJ, XC, dressage) - a John Whitaker Hunter & apparently it's comfiest saddle the daughters ever sat in!