do you hack in show saddle?

[colorfan]

Once you find the perfect saddle that fits you and your horse do you save it since it cost enough to feed a small country?
Do you actually go for a hack along trails where overhanging branches might scuff?

Do you ride at the arena where bumps happen and just the extra wear from carrying back n forth from barn to trailer, to arena where it can (and does) get knocked off its rack by a horse being led by? Yup, there it lays in the sawdust, narrowly missed being stepped on by the second horse passing by.

I have only had well loved saddles in the past and didn’t think too much about it. Now that I have a first time loved saddle I havent even kept it in the tack room for fear the barn cat will mark it jumping up on it. (she loves to sleep on the saddles.) I do keep a cover on it but that just gives her claws purchase.

[MariaV]

I’ve always been very protective of my saddles, even the cheap ones. You can often find me painstakingly cleaning my inexpensive colliegiate saddle after a ride, but as long as my saddles are covered I don’t mind them being in the tack room or on the ground I will also trail ride in the expensive ones just because I’m the most comfortable in them and I always school in the same saddle I will be horse showing in. Though I like to preserve my saddle I’m just settling in to my professional career so I know there will eventually be another saddle in my life and the most comfortable saddles are the ones that have been rained on and rolled through the mud once or twice.

[joiedevie99]

My saddle was made custom for my horse’s comfort. I don’t expect him to wear something that fits him less well just because it’s trail ride day. The last thing I need is a sore back that takes him out of training for a month.

I take care to clean it and keep a cover on it in the tackroom- but its meant to be used.

[atr]

I don’t tend to trail ride in my dressage saddle as it really isn’t designed for my going up and down mountainsides comfort–can’t swing my legs forward on steep downhill gradients. So I have a properly fitted GP saddle for doing that stuff in.

However, otherwise, no. My horse gets ridden in his expensive saddle that was custom fitted to him and to me, so we are comfortable and can do what we need to do… Not much point in having it if you aren’t going to use it.

I take care of my stuff, It goes in a padded bag if we are going anywhere in the trailer, and has a dustcover on it in the tack room, but the odd ding and scratch is only to be expected over the years.

[Spyder]

Use it all the time! And to keep it safe from kitties, I toss a saddle pad on top of it.

[RougeEmpire]

Saddles are meant to be USED. I dont see them something to be treated like a piece of china. If the saddle can’t hold to abuse I don’t bother to buy it. So yes I hack out in ALL of mine, even very expensive ones. I could care less if even my precious DRESSAGE saddle gets scratched. Its a piece of EQUIPEMENT just like Hockey gear or Football gear I expect that I can USE it and it WILL get some dings. But for me, riding (even gask dressage) is not about looking pretty and having polished tack. I oil and care for my tack and rub out the scratches and digs but GOOD leather will put with a ton of abuse, its built for it.

[Sandy_M]

As a former eventer, I still have my AP saddle, restuffed to fit new (as of 3 years ago) horse. For schooling, or a short after-schooling trail ride, I just ride out in my dressage saddle. For a planned longer trail ride, I saddle up with the AP (an Steubben Imperator with padded seat and flaps): VERY comfortable, plus knee rolls for coping with rambunctions youngster’s occasional antics!

[paintlady]

My trail saddle is my custom Albion Ultima GP. I also used it as my show saddle too until I found the same exact Albion (seat, tree, etc) used in the dressage version. So… my trail saddle is my $3,600 custom Albion Ultima GP. My show saddle is my $1,400 used Albion SLK dressage.

I believe that saddles are meant to be used. I’d rather ride in a comfortable saddle that fits both me and my horse on long trail rides. The fact that it cost me $3,600 is irrelevant.

[ThreeFigs]

What Spyder said. Put a saddle pad or quarter sheet or some such over it. You’re right; the cloth cover only does so much.

I use my dressage saddles for everything. I even used them for cattle gathers. (I liked to switch between the Western saddle and the English ones to ease some of my rubs and pressure points over several days of riding…)

Yes, that was my show saddle!

[PiaffePlease]

I always use my nice saddle to ride in. If there is a time that I know its drizzling outside or Im going to be splashing through water on a trail, Ill ride in my wintec.

I take good care of my saddles. I wipe them off after every use and I keep it covered or bring it home. If you do have barn cats, a simple saddle cover wont protect it from scratches. I learned that the hard way.

[Arizona_DQ]

I can only afford one saddle, so I use it all the time! :winkgrin:

[JackSprats_Mom]

If I’m going for a casual trail ride I use my dressage saddle, if I’m doing more serious stuff with hills I use my wintec solely because it has my breastplate and stuff already set up on it.

[Touchstone_Farm]

Same saddle for each horse. It’s been fitted for them and me, so not going to change it just because I change locations I ride in.

[exvet]

I own 8 horses and own 5 dressage saddles and 2 western saddles. I don’t have “show” saddles. I have saddles which fit each horse and whether I’m training, showing or hacking/trail riding I use the saddle that fits “that” horse. I have saddles that are a couple of decades old that are still in good shape. Clean them, take care of them, use covers on them when you’re not using them and if they’re decent quality they will last.

[Petstorejunkie]

It sounds more like the kitty needs to stay out of the tackroom more than the saddle needs to stay on the rack.
I store all my tack in my house in a closet on one of those tall 4 stack stands. That way it’s in a temp controlled (and humidity controlled) environment.

[hartley]

I only have one saddle and I use it for schooling, hacking and even for going over little jumps in the field. If it gets a little scratch, I just use some Passier leather conditioner, and it looks good as new!

[jcotton]

My saddle(s) is/are used daily.
No special show saddle or special show bridle. Just use them everyday.

[myhorsefaith]

I have an awesome Prestige Galileo that is a near perfect fit for my 3 yr old otsb. problem is, he’s barely started under saddle. It makes my stomach hurt to think how it could be destroyed during his training. I’m currently looking at other, cheaper options like wintec and thorowgood- if they do not work, i’ll suck it up and use the prestige…not going to make him wear something that doesn’t work well for him just to save the prestige. it will have to be an excellent fit.

[Equibrit]

I spend more time in a saddle whilst training and hacking around/having fun than showing. I like my horse to be comfortable, otherwise, he does not enjoy himself. It is therefore a lot more sensible to use a saddle that fits on the horse for ALL the time spent in the saddle. I think also, that your seat aides change with a saddle change. (I do however have an old greenie starter saddle that I get them used to saddles with)

[Velvet]

We are not WP riders here. We use the same saddle whether hacking or showing! With that said, if I am going to do some galloping and not just a casual ride on the trails I will use a less expensive jumping saddle that I bought for my horse–since we like to mix it up sometimes and play over small fences for a break.