Which saddle do you use?

[Titza]

(If this is better placed in the ASH-Sport-Thread, please move)

Hej there!

Which kind of saddle do you use if you are not riding your saddlebred in saddleseat-equitation/show? Just tell me!

I just wondered, because Santana needs a new one (we are riding dressage) and I am looking around if there is some label or cut that would fit a saddlebred very well. I know that there aren't two similar backs in one place, but some labels have special saddles for icelandic horses, draft horses and so on. Maybe there is one specialized on saddelbreds?

Thanks

[SmartAlex]

I use the same cutback saddle for showing and for pleasure riding. In fact, even though I showed my horse hunt seat, I only rode in that saddle enough for us to be used to it.

The saddle I use it an older Whitman without the adjustable stirrup bars. (Titza, many cut back "Lane Fox" style saddles now had stirrup bars that can be set forward or back, as well as coming in a couple different seat styles.) My seat is flat, not the deep equitation seat.

[wstrngrl]

LOL SmartAlex - ME TOO!!! I ride in my saddle seat saddle (Blue Ribbon, adjustable bar, flat seat) for everything: riding saddle seat, riding / training hunt seat and western, trail riding, even jump in it! I usually only ride in my western saddle when it gets close to show season and I have to get use to the feel of it; and I only rode in the hunt seat saddle when my hunt seat rider needed to get use to it or warming the horse up at shows....

Sorry Titza, I know it doesn't help you much for trying to find a dressage saddle to fit your horse :o

[Wch1day@gmail.com]

I don't ride Equitation, but I love my Blue Ribbon. It's light to carry, well made, and very comfortable. I would buy another one in a heart beat. My perference is to buy used rather than new.

[SmartAlex]

I don't think "Bayou Roux" has made it over to this forum, but I know she uses a Wintec Isabell on her Saddlebred and loves it.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1%2D15023&ss=wintec

[Renae]

Passiers usually fit Saddlebreds very well as most Passiers have a bit of a cutback pommel. Should be easy for you to find! Also Stubbens usually work too if your horse doesn't have an extremely upright neck or prominent withers. personally I have an old Passier PS Baum that I love as a general riding saddle. I also do trail ride in my saddle seat saddle, which isa Barnsby. I have not had a chance to ride in a Barnsby dressage or jumping saddle, but that might be another option.

[TrotAdmin]

I am considering getting an Ansur, which is a treeless saddle.

We had someone come out to the barn awhile back to talk about them, and we all got to ride our horses in one. I had heard they wouldn't be good for a really sensitive horse like Diva, but she was like a different horse in it - in a good way :)

It may have just been because it was different, and maybe problems would still crop up after riding in it for awhile, but she immediately stretched down better, moved out more, etc. And it was much easier for me to ride in since it didn't cram me into a specific spot - it felt more like a cutback than a dressage saddle.

The original Ansurs were pretty ugly, but some of the newer models look more like a regular dressage saddle and are much more attractive.

I probably would already have one if they weren't so darn expensive :D

[islero]

If you aren't having a saddle custom made for your horse, the best way to find a saddle that fits your horse is to try out used saddles from a saddlery. That way you'll hopefully find a saddle that fits you too. There are saddle fitting articles online that will give you good general guidance. I found a used dressage saddle that fit my saddlebred quite well, then I had a saddle fitter flock the saddle to fit him specifically. That way I got a high quality saddle for about half of the original cost. As you know, with dressage your horse's back will change dramatically over time, so having a good saddle fitter is invaluable.

[Titza]

Sorry Titza, I know it doesn't help you much for trying to find a dressage saddle to fit your horse :o

:o Why not, maybe that's the choice for us for we're not taking part in competition so far...

[Titza]

Passiers usually fit Saddlebreds very well as most Passiers have a bit of a cutback pommel. Should be easy for you to find!

Funny, that's what my saddler commended me! I had a Wintec Iseball on my old Oldenburgian mare and I loved it, but unfortunately it didn't fit on Santana's back.

If you aren't having a saddle custom made for your horse, the best way to find a saddle that fits your horse is to try out used saddles from a saddlery. That way you'll hopefully find a saddle that fits you too. There are saddle fitting articles online that will give you good general guidance. I found a used dressage saddle that fit my saddlebred quite well, then I had a saddle fitter flock the saddle to fit him specifically. That way I got a high quality saddle for about half of the original cost. As you know, with dressage your horse's back will change dramatically over time, so having a good saddle fitter is invaluable.

That's what the saddler said: He will build up like a body-builder so we need a very variable saddle. Also we could use a correction pad, where you can add single pads to balance missing muscles for a while (oh, you've got them too in the states, see: http://www.mattes-usa.com/index.aspx?index=product&Base=576)

He came to me with an Euroriding Luxor Dressage, we call it the Mercedes Benz of saddles. It is so nice to sit in, but when I saw Santana building up muscles in front and the hind, I wondered why he didn't so at his back. So I called the saddler, she measured him all up and found out that a) the center of mass is too far behind on the lumbar spine and that makes the pommel press against the bladebone and blocking it. Also the chamber (?) is too narrow, he has a wider shoulder than he looks like. All that detains back-muscles to build up. So she commended me for the first time a versatility (?) dressage saddle, which has a flat seat and does not give pressure too much on one point, also allows shoulders better to move. She said a Passier Paxton would be good. My friend is going to bring one over here this weekeend, and I am courios how it will fit.

To all the "flat-seaters": you must have a very good seat training all disciplines in these saddles!

Cheers, Titza

[asb_own_me]

I have also heard that the Ansurs have greatly improved in looks. I'd be interested to see the newer ones.

For saddle seat, I also have a flat Blue Ribbon with adjustable bars. For hunt seat, I have two Pessoas - one A/O with flat flaps, and one EQ with padded flaps that I just recently bought.

[Titza]

Just wanted to say that my Passier Paxton arrived. He fits so perfectly that Santana walks on so much better than before (see my posting in the "Training"-thread).

Cheers, Titza

[WTC101]

It depends on the horse. When I am riding my horse I would use a cut back saddle, or sometimes If I'm real lazy that day I will use a western saddle. go figure. haha.
When I show I do use a cut-back.
If I'm riding a another horse It would depend, if it's a school horse then Huntseat, and if it's not then either westeren or cut-back.

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I like custom made saddles actually because they do fit you and your horse the best. Even though that it's not cheap, it's worth it!

[LindaC]

Trina,

There is a used Ansur saddle on ebay right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANSUR-DRESSAGE-SADDLE_W0QQitemZ170181020198QQihZ007QQcategoryZ472 82QQcmdZViewItem