I had never heard that before. It might have made more sense back in the pancake saddle days.
I can understand using a dressage saddle to correct some bad habits, but just look at a picture of dressage horses. Their necks are high and their noses are on (or behind) the vertical. This is not the frame you want in a hunter.
Yes, both disciplines want the horse to be balanced and come through from behind. But a dressage horse is much more collected than a hunter. A H/J saddle, with a more upright upper body and more leg than is normally used is often enough to get a hunter to be balanced and level in his frame.
I think a lot of the benefits (maybe all?) of riding in a dressage saddle can be accomplished by riding without stirrups. Yes no stirrups is good for strengthening your leg, but it also puts you more “in your horse” according to GM. I know, I know we’re all mad at him but he does know a couple things. Anyway, I have dabbled in dressage many times in my life, with or without a dressage saddle. The only thing that really gets me that deep, super connected seat, in a CC or dressage saddle, is dropping my stirrups.
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I take more dressage lessons than jumping lessons despite being focused from a show perspective solely on h/j. I bought a lovely custom dressage saddle to do my lessons in and then rode in it a grand total of five or six times. I did not find it any easier to do anything in…it was not better, it was not worse, it was just a little different. Ultimately I decided that because I want to apply all that I work on to my coursework, doing my lessons in my jumping saddle made more sense (my dressage trainer agreed with that perspective as well).
I totally disagree that jumping saddles are not made for daily riding comment. Yes, maybe back in the old days, but certainly not now. That sounds like one of those things that someone “in the know” 30 years ago learned and then never bothered to learn anything from that point forward.
And I don’t disagree with the no stirrups comment…I spend a lot of time without stirrups every day and do a lot of my collection and connection work that way.
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I didn’t know this, this is interesting information!
My two favorite saddles were sold to me as “all purpose”, but definitely have a strong jump emphasis. They’re old Courbette Husars that are strikingly similar to the old Stübben Siegfrieds. Would they fall into the category of AP/GP that is okay to ride in most of the time, or more of the CC/jumping saddle category? I’ve used them for trail and pleasure riding for years, though never long rides, as my joints can’t really handle those in any saddle. My other English saddles are CCs (old school pancake ones, too; 2 Crosbys and an RD Collegiate).
I have both types of saddles. It took me a While to get comfortable in the dressage saddle. I don’t know if it helps my HORSE at all but mine is a mono flap compared to my traditional jump saddle.
I will say- if it’s a windy and cold day- dressage saddle. Lots of activity at the neighbors- dressage saddle. Missed a week of riding because of snow- dressage saddle. I feel much more secure in my dressage saddle but that’s totally a mental issue 
with me and my gigantic horse.
He learned all his fancy dressage moves in a jump saddle by my trainer. Now that I dabble in multiple disciplines- I have a dressage one.
All of my fancy AO horses did know basic dressage- even if they were hunters. Good dressage work with either type of saddle helps develop a big hind end and can help muscle up a neck. It never affected my hunters because they were not ridden “high and up” as much as “round and connected”.
Totally agree.
When things get sticky, dicey, or I just need more… The stirrups get dropped.
Eta my Dressage saddle is a very old, custom, Stubborn (Stubben, but that autocorrect ain’t wrong either) Parzival. It doesn’t hold you in with padded anything. Not even the seat. 🤦. Most people hate it.
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