XC saddles, secure for rider + very comfy for horse - is it possible?

kerilli

kerilli

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okay, i'm probably asking for the moon on a stick here, but is there a XC/jump saddle that gives the rider lots of security and is also blissfully comfy for the horse... ?
trying to work out what jump saddle to get for my new horse, for eventing. he was being ridden in an Albion K2 jump, and seemed perfectly happy in it, but i know that Albions didn't use to be the best thing ever for horse's backs. what's the general consensus now?
i've got very long legs, and a bad habit of getting a bit too forward over my fences. if i concentrate on my position, i can't see a stride at all, and it falls apart a bit! so, a bit of security would help, if pos.
i'm going to grill everyone at the WOW saddle stand at Burghley, i think.
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any ideas or advice gratefully received. thankyou.
 
I would think that if you were going to buy one with "lumps" (I mean blocks!) you would need one that fitted you just perfectly with your long legs, otherwise the lumps would put you out of place too easily.

I'm a fan of the "non-lumpy" single flap Butet - they feel a bit odd at first but are great once you get used to them. And they're so light they seem to fit the horse really well. I feel really secure in mine because it puts you so close to the horse.
 
Do you not find your Butet hard?! Do love the look of them though
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I love my Bates momentum saddle for security, it is flat seated and has adjustable blocks, and has Cair which with a prolite pad underneath my horse seems to love!!
 
God no! It is so comfy. I rode in an Exscelle (sp?!) the other day and whilst I liked the position of it it wasn't as soft in the seat as my luuuuurvely Butet! I think Butet should start making sofas and armchairs
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You are soooo right about butet l have a dressage one and a single flap xc with knee and thigh block they are the ferrari of the saddle world and l couldnt possibly ride in anything else!!
 
Just think how many of those poor French cows would have to die to make a Butet sofa.......
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eventersrus: do you get the overwhelming desire to stroke your saddle, or just stand back and look at it, in awe, sometimes?
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well i have a wow with jumping flaps and thats lovely! i am long in the thigh and i still wonder if i should have got the xc flaps which are more foward!
grill them at burghley:p you should be able to sit on them as well!
 
Aparantly the Butet have memory foam so it warms to the horses back and moulds to it. I love single flap I am tall and hate hate hate knee blocks as my knees always come off the saddle. Love my prestige single flap. I can ride really short for gallop work and my knee stays on the saddle!
 
I have long legs too and have always found "normal" saddles uncomfy and impossible to ride as short as instructor wants - then got loaned a Butet for this season eventing and have now bought it second hand because it is SO comfy - beyond all belief!! Agree with all lec's points re knee blocks etc.

Is single flap XC saddle and feels like riding super close contact with horse and feels so secure (opps - bound to fall off now!) - go to Sederholm Selected stand and try one!
 
Butet is made by the same company as Devoucoux so I would be wary about them really offering max horse comfort. They also have very narrow gullets.

I do know exactly what you mean in your post about trying to find a saddle that is brilliantly comfortable for the rider and also v.comfty for the horse It is something that has plagued me for years! I do think that the prestiges are not too bad at all as they have wide gullets and a very good cut over the shoulder.
But I think that Wow might be the most comfortable for the horse and I think that you long legged people can ride well in the WOW XC saddles.
 
If i had the money I would go for a Butet, my trainer has them on all his horses and it was him that got me into single flap saddles.
However, i couldnt afford one so bought the next best thing my single flap exselle. Love it, its comfy and the horses go really well in it. Equally its not as comfy as the butet, but then its £800 against £1500
 
I know most ppl dont like the albions v much anymore - how ever I have had two - one dressage - which I found hard - have since got rid of and got an Isobell Werth which horse and I both like, however I am 5.10 on a 16.1 and have stupidly long legs and the Kontrol (not single flap) is brill for my knees and young horse likes v much too - I did have it prof fitted though. Hope thats of help.
 
As far as i understand butet and devoucoux are not made by the same company, although both are obviously french. There are far more variations of tree with the butet then there are with the devoucoux. Neither my dresage or xc saddle have narrow gullets either and both my horses go fantastically in them.

Word of warning, ride in a butet and you will never want to ride in anything else!!
 
I've got a Crosby close contact jumping saddle (bought 2nd hand and owned for 10yrs) and while it puts me in a very secure position and therefore I'd never change it, it's pretty uncomfortable to hack in, the seat being hard as rock. Therefore I use a Heather Moffat seatsaver, so then have security and comfort!

It doesn't have very big knee rolls and I'm a long legged person on a small pony but my mare has plenty of shoulder so I assume that's why it's OK.
 
Absolutely love my pessoa - its dead comfy with a flat seat and small knee blocks but i always feel very secure in it - fits Hattie very well
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The chap that competes Hatts occasionally for me is atleast 6'3'' with mile long legs and he still fits in my 17" pessoa with room to spare and his knees dont come over the front
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I have a WOW with the new XC flaps - because you can angle the flaps in 3 different ways you are laughing when it comes to getting the position you desire. I am 5ft11 and VERY long from hip to knee - these pics are showing the flaps in normal position and me with (albeit) jumping length stirrups. I go up another 2 for fast work and, in all honesty, I could go up 4 and my knees still would not go over the front.

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My Jeffries Flyover is the only saddle Dubh likes, takes a bit of getting used to at first, but know I love it & am after a medium for DA *cough*
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