I’m currently in the process of trying to find a dressage saddle for my horse. I’m working with a fitter to get a good fit for him. I have the following saddles on trial: Frank Baines Elegance (older),
Crosby and a Bates. Could I get some insight on the quality and durability of these saddles? The Bates intrigues me because I expect his top line to change a great deal and it’s wool flocked, so I feel that this may be the best chance I have at not having to purchase multiple saddles in a short period of time… but unsure on the quality/longevity of the dressage saddles. Thanks!
Is the Frank Baines not wool flocked? I’m pretty sure they are usually. I had one some years ago that was quite a nice saddle - no longer have the horse or the saddle that fit him but…
Yes sorry the Frank Baines is wool flocked. I’m not sure if it compares in potential adjustability to the bates due to the interchangeable gullet in that of course…. Not sure if the Frank Baines will be able to be adjusted enough later on, will need to talk to fitter about that
As long as it fits you and your horse, I think you will be perfectly pleased with the durability of any of the three saddles you mentioned.
Some of my favorite saddles in the school barn as a young rider were the Crosbys (jump). They were ancient but the most comfortable for me. I was younger and a lot less educated then so I can’t speak to horse fit. Durability… well, they were very old saddles in a lesson barn, so not exactly well cared for, and they seemed to be in fine condition.
I have owned a Baines dressage saddle and would have kept it but it no longer suited me on the one horse I had, and budget would not have allowed me to keep it and buy a second saddle. I have ridden in a handful of other Baines saddles of varying ages and styles, and they were all in good condition and working order. These are good quality saddles.
I currently own a Bates jump and while it does feel a little cheaper than some of the more expensive saddles I have owned or used, it has held up very well and seems to fit a variety of horses and riders. It has the adjustable tree which is nice should I ever need to do that.
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If you expect the horses topline to change a great deal, it’s likely that the saddle will have to change anyway. There’s more to the saddle than adjusting the gullet plate and/or wool. Sure, a saddle that’s adjustable in width and is wool flocked does give you some more options. This is why I had a Fairfax for a few years, but ultimately my horses topline changed too much for it and we swapped over to an Amerigo. So with a young horse or a horse just beginning their dressage journey, it’s possible that you’ll need a different saddle eventually (your preferences could change too). So I’d just go with what feels best for both you and the horse at the moment, that also gives you a little room for adjustment (because you might just be able to get away with a width adjustment initially, for example)
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Currently trying a different Baines- A Frank Baines Pirouette. At first I felt that it pushed me up and forward in transitions, but the more I ride in it, the better and more secure I feel. The fitter looked at it and said it fit very well currently (adding a little bit of wool to the front to perfect it). She thinks that there’s a very slim chance he will gain enough topline to need a new saddle in the foreseeable future, and for the topline that is gained, a few tweaks to the flocking should do the trick. Any other opinions on the Baines? (durability, correct positioning of rider, etc)
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Correct position of rider depends on the riders body shape including pelvic shape, thigh length and leg length, as well as butt size. And indeed thigh width.
These correlate to seat size, seat depth, stirrup bar placement, flap size and placement, and presence and position of knee or thigh blocks or rolls.
No saddle will give every rider the optimum position. Every quality saddle will give some riders an optimum position, but not all. Some seat size/depth/ knee roll combinations might be very specific to a tiny subset of riders. If you’re buying semi custom used you need to think about how that particular saddle was assembled for its original owner.
Thus we cannot say if any given saddle will give “correct rider positioning.” We may have useful feedback on video of a person riding in a certain saddle. But we can’t say one quality saddle is always better than another for rider fit. It depends on whether that particular iteration of the saddle is a good fit for you.
In geberal the more advanced a rider the better they can keep position in non optimum saddles. Some of us need all the tack help we can get 
Thank you for your thoughts! I rode dressage a long time ago, then rode hunters for most of my riding career. While I’ve always tried to incorporate dressage work into my flatwork, I’m now working on transitioning to more straight dressage. And I’m finding it to be a hard transition! My hips do not remember how to dressage! I feel like my legs are finally starting to relax and be a little more useful, but those hips! I need a saddle that is going to compliment me and help me. I know that some huntseat saddles I’ve ridden in have naturally tried to position me in non-complimentary positions, and I then find myself fighting the saddle. I guess I’m trying to figure out how much is me re-learning the dressage seat and position, and how much is me not meshing well with particular saddles in this saddle trying journey! I definitely feel that each saddle I’ve tried the past few months has given me a totally different feel.
I don’t think any of the Bates saddles come with wool flocking, they are all CAIR panels. You can get some of the Wintec with flock but don’t think that’s true with Bates. That said, their quality is nice and the Luxe leather an upgrade. Haven’t seen the new Crosby saddles in person but they look nice and also come with the changeable gullet. Had a Frank Baines years ago, great leather and quality just didn’t like it for me.
I have the Frank Baines Pirouette. I had it made about 6 years ago and I love it. If I were to be picky, the blue piping on the edge of the seat has worn off, but frankly I can’t imagine a scenario where that wouldn’t happen to truly a tiny complaint. I have the serge panels, which make the saddle a bit lighter and I think more forgiving on his back. I have zero regrets for spending more on a saddle than I ever spent before.
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I too can vouch for the quality and durability of the Frank Baines saddles. I have two of them; one is about 10 years old now. They clean up beautifully and don’t look their ages.
