I rode dressage (in a dressage saddle) for quite a long time before trying my hand at jumping/eventing the last two years. When I got out of dressage I was pretty burnt out and promptly sold all of my dressage possessions (except for my fabulous whip). I purchased a jumping saddle (Prestige X-Meredith) that I love to death.
Well… the dressage bug bit me again a few months back. I found a good trainer, and have fallen back in love with the sport. I don’t want to sell my jumping saddle, but I’m getting serious again about dressage. I’m planning on showing pretty extensively in my area in 2018 (will be showing my 11 y/o welsh cob). I know it’s not required to show in a dressage saddle, but do any of you have any thoughts on whether or not I’m doing myself a disservice in my pursuit of learning dressage by doing it in my jumping saddle? I know the jumping saddle puts me in a different position, but I still feel very effective. Thanks!
There’s nothing wrong with owning 2 saddles. I’ve got 4. What’s the issue?
LOL, heck yeah! It’s OK to have as many as you want!
IMO a big factor in the Dressage equation is your position. I think you should have a Dressage saddle, especially if you are going to be showing regularly.
Oh believe me, I wouldn’t mind owning two saddles 
- it’s just the money factor involved and whether or not I need to spend the money or not to further my goals.
You can find a fairly cheap dressage saddle and be just fine. There are lots of good used ones you can get for a reasonable price. I got a nice Klimke off of craigslist for $300. I love Wintecs and you can get those for very good prices.
My grand prix level trainer never throws me any shade for training in my jump saddle. It’s the only saddle I own right now, so we make due (and I adore it). If you plan on showing first level or above, a dressage saddle would be very helpful for your position but for training level, go for it. Save up for your own dressage saddle or borrow if you have a kind friend/trainer, but hang on to your jump saddle. They are much more versatile when it comes to fit of horse and rider and you can’t jump in a dressage saddle, well at least not comfortably. :lol:
You should get a dressage saddle , a wintec or used one as others suggested. It will help your position immensely
I’m a huge fan of my Wintec dressage saddle.
Tekna also makes an attractive synthetic dressage saddle that is on a Prestige tree. It retails for around $500 new. I haven’t ridden in one, but the reviews seem pretty positive.
I would get a dressage saddle if you’re planning to work on lateral movements and work towards 2nd+. The dressage saddle puts your leg and seat in an effective position for using weight aids and allows more refinement of use of the different parts of the legs for different aids.
Good quality used dressage saddles can be had for not much $$ (under $1,000) if you don’t need all of the latest bells and whistles on it. I just sold an older JRD for $500, and recently bought an older, but very lightly used Black Country for $1,000.
I didn’t get a dressage saddle until several years into my “temporary foray” into the discipline (joke’s on me). I did show in a jumping saddle and I did well enough at the lower levels (all I showed in my jumping saddle, to be fair). Your main consideration is going to be position. Good position’ll always be easier in a dressage saddle, but some riders struggle out of one more than others. I didn’t have too much trouble (though still marked notable differences by the time I made the switch).
Ideally if you can find a dressage saddle to fit your ride and fit you on the cheap (and there’s some less expensive models out there, it’s just a matter of are they a good fit for your horse) then I think that would be your best solution. If, however, it proves challenging/slow to find the saddle that meets those criteria, I will say that having showed training/first in a jumping saddle, it never seemed as if my scores/the impression judges were left with were negatively impacted. (Of course, if you are “the person” showing in a jump saddle, do due diligence - make sure everything is impeccable. I’m sure you would anyway, but understand you’re opening yourself up to scrutiny/easily being distinguished so have a nice braid job, tidied feet, wiped off boots on the rider, pristine tack, etc. Don’t leave anything that seems untidy or unpolished.)
For Training Level work, it doesn’t really matter, as long as you feel balanced in your saddle. But once you start sitting the trot, working on lateral work, it does make a difference. A jump saddle is built to keep your butt OUT of the saddle (off the horse’s back), while a dressage saddle is built to help you sit ON the horse - different disciplines, different ways of riding. I find sitting the trot much more difficult in a jump saddle, and riding with a longer leg doesn’t work as well in a jump saddle. So it kind of depends on your goals - are you planning on moving up the levels (at 2nd level, you HAVE to sit the trot)?
I agree with comments to look for a used saddle, but… Some of the brands recommended may not work on a small horse. I’m going to guess your Cob doesn’t have a long back, and I’m going to guess he’s at least a bit on the wide side. So some of those old $300 saddles will be too narrow through the gullet and channel, and many of the Wintec saddles are going to be too long in the panels. You’ll need to find something with a shorter (non gusseted) panel, and a wide enough channel for him. There are plenty of used saddles out there, but I think you are looking at most like $800 to $1200 for something that will work, not $300.
My trainer has a Tekna - it is not a bad little saddle for the price - and it does fit a lot of horses (the only reason she has it), but neither of us would want to try doing any 2nd/3rd level work in it - the balance is not right at least for US for sitting and collecting work.
You might see if you can borrow a few saddles to try out, see what you like, and if it changes the way you ride your cob, and then keep your eyes out for a deal on something used. I totally get the budget issue - saddles are NOT cheap. I’m not sure what a used Prestige dressage saddle goes for, but that might be the right saddle for you since you like your jumping saddle so much!
If you are going to show Training Level this year, start saving, and see if you still have that “dressage bug” part way through the year.
i would say it depends on the jump saddle, some it matters and some it doesn’t. I’d say keep this until you have more information. You don’t NEED a dressage saddle, that is silly. Jumpers ride collection all the time, many horses prefer a jump saddle. You can half halt just the same, I promise 
but again, it has to be correctly balanced. Jump saddles can really vary as far as flap, leg, etc.
Any dressage saddle is NOT better than no dressage saddle! I agree with MysticOakRanch that some of the brands mentioned above made me :eek:. A well-fitted jump saddle is hands down better than a poorly fitting dressage saddle for any riding at all. And as SendenHorse said, jumpers require collection, too.
I’d suggest starting a casual search. Take the time to learn what fits you and your horse best, then save $ and stalk it online until you find one in your budget. Ride happily in your jump saddle until then.
Yes, look at used. Try/borrow some dressage saddles, figure out what you want/need, then start searching for used. As my horse developed, my old dressage saddle no longer fit and it was not possible to “make” it fit. It was old, a Smith-Worthington, very well made and in good condition. But that’s not a well known brand, at least on the West Coast, and when I traded it and my old Steubben AP saddle in on a new (actually slightly used) Dresch, the dealer sold it on E-Bay for only $375. It was a bargain for someone whose horse it fit!!
Also depends on you as a rider and your teaching- if you have a super LONG stirrup it might be more problematic if you have a jump saddle.
Really though, I can (now) hardly tell a difference.
what ever you do, USE A FITTER PLEASE! and involve a trainer. That will save you years of heartache and $$$…
Technically, you don’t NEED a dressage saddle unless you ride FEI. On smaller horses like cobs jump saddles often look better, too. JMHO.
I’ve been told that a close contact saddle is fine until around First level; after that, yes, they do a disservice to your position and effectiveness.
I got an old Legend (eventually bought by Albion, I believe) on Ebay for a couple hundred dollars. You can find cheap used dressage saddles that still have lots of life left.
If the jump saddle fits you and your pony well, that will be better than a poorly fitting dressage saddle. If I were you I would start saving and looking for a used dressage saddle that will work for you and your pony. At some point you if you are moving up the levels you will appreciate the dressage saddle - especially as others mentioned as you are doing lateral work and sitting more. Personally, while I appreciated the low cost, and it fit my horse quite well, the Wintec Isabell did not do me any favors and our rides were much better after I got a saddle that fit me better. (and still fit my horse well)
I would stick with what you are comfortable in. No need to switch to a dressage saddle unless you determine you are no longer comfortable in your jumping saddle for flatwork
I have an old Wintec AP saddle that I love. I’ve start almost all my horses-in-training in it. I start babies in it. I restart older green horses in it. It’s like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants of saddles…I can’t tell you how many horses it has fit over the years.
But I don’t use it once I get good flatwork established (basically anything that’s solid First Level or above) because it puts my leg too far forward. You can’t sit the trot in this saddle, so you can imagine that fine turning upward transitions, lateral work, etc is much more difficult. Once I get a solid w/t/c with decent transitions on a horse, I don’t use this saddle anymore. I share this because I think the same can be said for most close contact saddles. A mentor used to call them the “Get 'Er Done” saddle: sure, you can get it done, but how pretty or easy it will be is another question entirely.
So long as your jump saddle allows you to keep your leg underneath you and puts you in a solid position, you shouldn’t have a problem tooling around with that until such time as you start asking more advanced work of your horse. I’d do that over buying a cheap dressage saddle or any all-purpose/close contact saddle.
