Does anybody else school in a totally different saddle?

[Draftmare]

Currently I show western dressage, but for the last couple of months I have been schooling almost exclusively in my english dressage saddle. I do this for a couple of different reasons, the big one being that my wide tree western saddle doesn’t fit very well into my tack locker at the barn. The other being that it weights a ton, and my horse is on the taller side. I never get the saddle fully where it is suppose to be on the firs try, and have to wiggle it around a bunch, which my horse doesn’t appreciate. Finally, I have been struggling with my weight lately, and feel bad having my horse carry around that extra bit (but I guess that’s a whole nother topic).

I do usually do my lessons in my western saddle, but a couple of weeks ago I was running late, didn’t want to deal with digging my saddle out of my spare bedroom, so showed up to my lesson in my dressage saddle. My instructor made a weird/not pleased/why are you riding in that type of saddle comment about my tack choice. I don’t see any harm in schooling in a different saddle than what I show in, both saddles make me sit deep and on my pockets…

Am I missing something? Is there a “harm” to the quality of our work by using a totally different type of saddle?

[Bluey]

The saddle should not matter, once you learn to ride, you should be able to practice in any saddle.

I have at times worked a hunter on the flat in the race exercise saddle, when we were also getting him legged up for the track, not knowing who would buy him, if someone wanting to race him more, or someone ready to fox hunt him, or show hunters with him.
We would gallop him some, then go to the hunting field to do flat work around the jumps and some days even jump him a bit, all in the exercise saddle.

Did you ask your trainer if it objects and if so why?

I would practice maybe the two or three lessons before a show with whatever will be legal to show with I would be using, so there are no surprises the day of the show.

[KBC]

Just seems odd to me, I show Western Dressage, I show and school in the same saddle my western. There is a completely different feel from English to Western so I second asking why the trainer doesn’t care for it…

[beau159]

Logically, I would think you would want to practice at least SOME of the time in the saddle you are going to show in, so that your horse is familiar with it. Yes, your cues are the same but those cues are going to feel different to the horse through a western saddle or an english saddle.

For your lesson, I don’t see why it would matter to the trainer. But again, I would think you would want to ride in your western saddle some of the time, for the sake of your horse so that you are prepared when you show.

[Bellathemustang]

I think it is a great idea to mix up saddles. Some saddles can hide weaknesses, it actually just happened to me.

I use the barns saddles when I take lessons. And I normally grab the same one, which is a dressage saddle. I grabbed another one a few weeks ago, and it was a close contact. I really noticed my poor leg position with it. The dressage saddle naturally holds my leg back, with the close contact I have to do it myself. We have been working on getting my leg back for the past few weeks, all thanks to switching up saddles! Now when I use a dressage saddle or my personal AP or close contact I have a much better leg.

[CHT]

Why not ask your coach?

I ride my mare in her dressage saddle most of the time, but I practice in our western before a show (if showing WD). I hate my western saddle. I would only lesson in the appropriate saddle though, as my seat and muscles used are just a bit different.

[bt1]

If you trainer is trying to teach you WESTERN dressage they DO have the right to react funny when you show up to lesson in an ENGLISH saddle. They are VERY different saddles and your muscles will build a memory for riding in the one you ride in most frequently. An honest question for those of you who compete Western Dressage, yet seem to strongly prefer your English Dressage saddles…why not just train/compete in English Dressage? I have never seen Western dressage so can not compare the 2 disciplines, but sounds like you prefer english tack so why not compete the way you are most comfortable and have the most practice in.

[CERT]

I’ve ridden in a lot of different saddles and my own horses go back and forth between Western and English when I teach.

I personally don’t see why it would be a big deal, especially if it was a one-off thing for the lesson with you being rushed, etc. Now if you were doing cutting, sorting, reined cow horse, or roping the dressage saddle wouldn’t cut it as it isn’t designed for the forces and maneuvers required when turning a cow or dallying a rope (no horn obviously), but Western Dressage? Not so much.

Yes if you are learning a specific discipline you should be working in the proper equipment (there are resons tack for each discipline vary, they [should] fit what is asked of the horse and rider), but so long as both saddles fit the two of you and the horse is comfortavle performing in both I don’t see why changing up saddles now and again would be a bad thing.

[froglander]

I used to take dressage lessons (not western dressage) in a western saddle because it was all I had. My dressage instructor didn’t care.

I would just ask your instructor why they didn’t like it, maybe they had a valid reason?