Adjustable tree dressage saddles

[emilyluvsmandy]

Thinking about getting a new dressage saddle soon because I’m beginning to hate the flat seat of my Niedersuss Olympik… My mare is lame so I think now is a good time to do a lot of research into potential saddles, and go and sit in a lot at tack stores.

My mother and I both share horses, so we need something that agrees with both of us (or I just get my own and she uses the Niedersuss, which she also hates). We will be getting some project horses next and our mare might be retiring to trail soon, so we’re interested in looking at adjustable tree saddles. We prefer wool flocking over any of the synthetic stuff.

I like the moderate-wide twist of my Niedersuss and how the flaps don’t have huge knee blocks, but I want something with a deeper seat and a higher cantle.

I used to have a Custom Saddlery VLX that I loved, but I outgrew it. I would totally go and buy another Custom Saddle again, in part because their trees are adjustable by their saddle fitter, but the prices of some of the saddles make my head roll! But I also don’t know if any of the current models have similar trees and fits as the VLX.

I did sit in a Wintec Isabell at Dover recently and I liked it. Mother didn’t like the synthetic leather, and I agree with her, but I’ve found several used Bates Isabells for sale for a decent price. Of course it could fit completely different once we get on the horse.

So any suggestions for adjustable tree dressage saddles that have a moderate-wide twist with a deep seat/high cantle that are a decent price (like under $2000)? I was looking into Marcel Toulouse, but I’ve seen some complaints about quality.

[Jumper_Princess1988]

I’ve always been leery of adjustable saddles. That said, I own a buffalo leather Bate Isabelle Werth dressage saddle and I LOVE it. I’m a total tack snob, so I was looking at much more expensive saddles for my TB and I when we started to get serious about dressage (we’re h/j converts). Didn’t like how any of them fit and it was a super frustrating experience. We found the Bates through our awesome saddle fitter - he had one in his truck and it was perfect! He had bought it off another customer and was planning to convert the CAIR panels to wool and resell it. He custom fit the flocking to fit my gelding perfectly and the pony has never been happier (he’s had back problems in the past so I’m super fussy about tack fit). The beauty of this saddle is that it CAN be adjusted as his muscling changes over time…but it’s not something that I would do myself. It’s not easy to change out the metal bars, and having the saddle fitter adjust the flocking would make sure the back fits just as well as the front.

[MysticOakRanch]

I rode in an Isabelle for many years - I had both the Synthetic, and the leather version. And they are nice saddles - if you go leather, look for the smooth leather! Their version of “buffalo” is really hard, slick, patterned leather, and is not great quality. But their smooth leather is decent. The Isabelle saddles either work for you or they don’t, really nothing “in between”. The same with the horse - they either fit or they don’t. If you have a short coupled horse, they probably won’t fit - the panels are pretty long - and if you have a horse with a curvey back, they also won’t fit (those long panels are also pretty straight).

You might find a used Custom in your price range - but without knowing which ones would work, it is kind of a shot in the dark. I have seen a few VLX’s up for sale over the past years, all under $2k - you could contact the Custom Rep and see what other saddles they make in that same tree configuration?

The other thing to realize with Custom saddles - the knee rolls could be small or large, long or short. So if you are looking at used saddles, make sure you don’t get more or less knee roll then you like.

I’ve been riding in a Custom saddle for many years now - had the tree adjusted a few times over the years. I love that feature. Of course, you aren’t changing the shape of the panels - so adjustable is really only related to width of the “head” of the saddle. And that applies to the Bates saddles as well.

[emilyluvsmandy]

How difficult is it to adjust the flocking on your Isabelle? I don’t like anything but wool flocking because I need to be able to adjust it (my horse is slightly asymetrical and needs a little bit more padding on the right than the left). The sales lady at Dover said that the new Isabelles have sealed panels and you have to make an incision in order to adjust the flocking. Is that what you saddle fitter had to do?

[emilyluvsmandy]

Thank you! And I agree with you on the knees rolls, before I got my VLX I tried a few saddles and there was one with a similar tree to the VLX but the knee rolls were just far too large for me. And I do like that the wool flocking comes standard on those saddles. I don’t like anything but wool flocking because I want to adjust the panels.

[Windermere]

I have a Kent and Masters saddle with an adjustable tree, and I love it. Super comfy saddle, reasonably priced ~$1200 depending on the exchange rate, and has a lot of nifty features. Several different withers styles available, room to under shims, adjustable thigh blocks and billet straps, etc. I would highly recommend looking into them! They also have a lower end synthetic brand (Thoroughgood), and a higher end brand (Fairfax), but I think mine was a good buy for the money!

[Cataluna]

When we started my mare as a gangly 3 y/o and I was saddle shopping, one with an adjustable tree was a huge priority since I knew she’d be changing and growing quite a bit. I ended up going with this one:

http://euroequestrian.ca/index.php/saddlery/saddles/santa-cruz-platinum-koln-dressage-saddle-with-genesis-adjustable-tree.html

I really love this saddle. You can adjust the Genesis tree literally in minutes, and size it right down to the millimeter.

Good luck!

[CatchMeIfUCan]

I have an M Toulouse jump saddle that has been thrashed for a year and half that still looks new (including the most torrential downpour I have ever ridden in). I have maybe cleaned it three times. I really like it for flat work and sitting trot - it’s ok for jumping. I would be very interested in trying their dressage saddles but don’t need one yet since my horse is 5 and the jump one will work until he is more fully developed.

[Jumper_Princess1988]

I don’t think it was the difficult - it took him just over a week to get my saddle back to me for a final fitting. You do void any Bares warrantee by converting, however. The saddle fitter said he’s done it a bunch of times, so maybe ask around for someone with experience.

[RatWrangler]

I’m leaning towards one of these for my next saddle. Even with every option on it they come in about 2K–more affordable. (To me anyway!)

http://classicsaddlery.com/saddles/saddlesdressageclassic.htm

Customization info:

http://classicsaddlery.com/saddles/saddlesclassic.htm

[kcmel]

I have an older Laser dressage saddle that I really like. It doesn’t have huge knee blocks. It’s not quite wide enough for my draft x, but it has fit a lot of different horses otherwise.

[jaybird660]

There are many saddles with adjustable gullet plate systems. They only adjust the front of the saddle but can be quite useful. Thorowgood, Kent and Masters and Fairfax are wool flocked. Most Wintec saddles are not but can be converted. Once converted, they are fairly easy to adjust by a fitter.

Many saddles can also be adjusted with a tree press but keep in mind that metal plates are just that and for example, if you bend a spoon back and forth, over time it will lose its integrity. A little widening or narrowing is okay. I’d be leary of repetitive work.

[Magicboy]

[QUOTE=RatWrangler;8383699]
I’m leaning towards one of these for my next saddle. Even with every option on it they come in about 2K–more affordable. (To me anyway!)

http://classicsaddlery.com/saddles/saddlesdressageclassic.htm

Customization info:

http://classicsaddlery.com/saddles/saddlesclassic.htm[/QUOTE]

I rode in one of these saddles for many years and like it very much…excellent service, too conversations with the owner were really helpful and I could adjust the saddle very easily

[emilyluvsmandy]

Thanks for all of the input guys!! I went ahead and scrapped the whole getting a new dressage saddle and I’m getting a Wintec A/P. I’ve found a couple of models can be purchased with the flocking instead of CAIR (just ordered a test ride of the 500 A/P). My mother and I are hopefully going to be fostering and helping train some rescue horses once our new place is set up, so I decided to get an A/P in case we teach a foster how to jump. Our plan is to foster horses until we find one that we want to keep forever, and then we’ll probably buy a much more expensive saddle.

Also, jaybird660 for your advice. I didn’t know that there was such thing as tree press. I can see why I probably haven’t heard of it until now.

I’ll definitely keep those Classic Saddles in mind RatWrangler. And thanks for your review Magicboy. They look like great saddles for a great price!

[Draftmare]

[QUOTE=RatWrangler;8383699]
I’m leaning towards one of these for my next saddle. Even with every option on it they come in about 2K–more affordable. (To me anyway!)

http://classicsaddlery.com/saddles/saddlesdressageclassic.htm

Customization info:

http://classicsaddlery.com/saddles/saddlesclassic.htm[/QUOTE]

Last I knew she is no longer making these. She has ‘outsourced’ her work to HDR.

[Draftmare]

I have had a Kent and Master, Thorowgood, and several Wintecs. I really liked the Kent and Masters, but the seat sizes run small so if you are a true 18 inch you may be out of luck. I was not impressed with the synthetic material of the Thorowgood. Mine got terrible rub marks under the leathers and since it is synthetic you can’t just throw some conditioner on it to make it blend back in. I have liked all of the Wintec saddles I have owned. The trees on the new ones are insanely straight though. Bates uses the same trees. The older ones have a bit more curve to them.

[emilyluvsmandy]

[QUOTE=Draftmare;8410719]
I have had a Kent and Master, Thorowgood, and several Wintecs. I really liked the Kent and Masters, but the seat sizes run small so if you are a true 18 inch you may be out of luck. I was not impressed with the synthetic material of the Thorowgood. Mine got terrible rub marks under the leathers and since it is synthetic you can’t just throw some conditioner on it to make it blend back in. I have liked all of the Wintec saddles I have owned. The trees on the new ones are insanely straight though. Bates uses the same trees. The older ones have a bit more curve to them.[/QUOTE]

I swim in an 18 inch, so that doesn’t worry me. I did look a little bit into K&M but there aren’t really any sellers in my area (live in MD, closest is in PA).