Looking for some feedback on flap forwardness and thigh blocks. I’m 5’11" with a 19" hip to knee. My jump saddle is an 18" 3AA. I’ve never owned a dressage saddle, but would like to start exploring. What type of flap position and block length should I be considering?
I am wondering how you took your hip to knee measurement. 19" is a fairly common measurement for me, however there are different ways to measure it. For example, i am 5’4" and have a 19" hip to knee measurement.
For saddles for longer riders, you are going to look for dressage saddle that do not have a very straight flap. If you want external block, ones that are angles forward. Another consideration is the stirrup bar position. I find the tall riders with longer thigh and calf length like the stirrup bar set a little further back. One saddle that I find a lot of longer/taller riders really like is the Fairfax Gareth Monoflap for example.
My family is full of amazonian women. All of them have done really well in Kieffer dressage saddles.
I am the shortest at 5’7" - my measurement is ‘19.5’. I have a Kieffer Wein 17.5 that accommodates my leg beautifully. My sister, who is much taller, also rides in it well.
I agree you don’t want a super straight flap, and the stirrup bar being set further back would help as well.
From my hip bone to the back of my knee is actually 21". Back of my knee to the floor is 19". For my height, I’m not terribly long hip to knee. Do you find that external or non external blocks tend to me more angled or does that just depend on the model?
[QUOTE=sheltona01;8858238]
I am wondering how you took your hip to knee measurement. 19" is a fairly common measurement for me, however there are different ways to measure it. For example, i am 5’4" and have a 19" hip to knee measurement.
For saddles for longer riders, you are going to look for dressage saddle that do not have a very straight flap. If you want external block, ones that are angles forward. Another consideration is the stirrup bar position. I find the tall riders with longer thigh and calf length like the stirrup bar set a little further back. One saddle that I find a lot of longer/taller riders really like is the Fairfax Gareth Monoflap for example.[/QUOTE]
None external blocks are just a little more forgiving than external blocks. I find that most people who have external blocks are in the wrong place. They jam their knees into them to create a position rather than having the blocks support their position. I hope that makes sense to you. A lot of times also they force their leg back further than ideal and over extend their hips.
Each saddle model is slightly different as far as block placement and what type of blocks that are on the model.
I’m the same height as you. I think it’s much harder to find a jump saddle that accommodates my leg length than a dressage saddle. My seatbones and the twist seem to be bigger issues as I sit in different dressage saddles. I’m shopping right now and think you have to personally ride in a saddle to get ANY clue about whether it will work for you. Find an excellent local and accessible fitter and start there. So far my best shopping experience (going back over a decade to previous dressage and jumping saddle purchases as well as the current search) is with the local fitter who will work on any brand but does carry Custom. Several in the Custom line are good candidates for me and they have a variety of blocks. One block immediately stood out as fitting me like a glove, and I’ve narrowed it down to a couple different seats/models that I’m trying. I’ve ridden in a couple dozen saddles in the last two weeks and the length of my leg has not been the issue. And contrary to the suggestion above about flap shape, my leading candidate has a pretty straight flap and my favorite block is not one of the most angled one. It all depends…
Invading from dressage land…
I think for dressage saddle, it’s more what angle is comfortable for your hip that determines the blocks and flaps. So a more closed angle, you’ll want more forgiving blocks and flaps. For an open hip angle, you can go much straighter with the blocks and flaps.
When you do get a dressage saddle or start trying saddles, try to do a lot of hip flexor stretching. In order to get on all three points of your seat in a dressage saddle, a more open hip angle is usually better.
I’m one of those people who got a saddle with external blocks and rode with my knees jammed into them for months. In a lesson, my trainer had me rotate towards the front of my pelvis and off my pockets, and this finally opened my hip angles and allowed me to drop my knees behind the blocks.
you may find you need a larger seat to accommodate your leg…
5’11, size 2 or 4, and all femur.
Go up a size (I ride in an 18) and get a SHORT block. This will allow your knee room to move. Sometimes it is necessary to ride with shorter stirrups.
[QUOTE=islgrl;8858906]
you may find you need a larger seat to accommodate your leg…[/QUOTE]
Do not fall for this. Seat size has nothing to do with leg length. In jumping saddles, brands that don’t offer a broad range of flap sizes will not be able to fit you unless they go to a bigger seat size. But that solution doesn’t begin to fit nearly as well as the correct seat size in combination with a flap that is forward enough and/or long enough to properly fit your leg. I was in saddles with too large a seat for years until I went with a customized saddle that truly fit. Night and day difference. Since in dressage saddles the leg drapes down more, it shouldn’t be such an issue to find a flap that fits on a correctly sized seat.
I am 6’+ and a long thigh as well. I have an Equipe Oracle and I love it. My saddle fitter had them modify the flap/stirrup bars so it was more accommodating to my leg as well as they built it with a shallower seat and smaller blocks to suit my preference. Having the flap modified made all the difference as the demo saddle was very straight in the flap and I really struggled in it where this one I don’t fight at all.
There are a lot of ways to accommodate this includin:
forward flap
velcro blocks, underneath
angled external or short, high external block where your knee and thigh can slide under yet still offer support
stirrup bar placement
more open seat
Did you find that you need a short block with the Custom?
[QUOTE=Badger;8858853]
I’m the same height as you. I think it’s much harder to find a jump saddle that accommodates my leg length than a dressage saddle. My seatbones and the twist seem to be bigger issues as I sit in different dressage saddles. I’m shopping right now and think you have to personally ride in a saddle to get ANY clue about whether it will work for you. Find an excellent local and accessible fitter and start there. So far my best shopping experience (going back over a decade to previous dressage and jumping saddle purchases as well as the current search) is with the local fitter who will work on any brand but does carry Custom. Several in the Custom line are good candidates for me and they have a variety of blocks. One block immediately stood out as fitting me like a glove, and I’ve narrowed it down to a couple different seats/models that I’m trying. I’ve ridden in a couple dozen saddles in the last two weeks and the length of my leg has not been the issue. And contrary to the suggestion above about flap shape, my leading candidate has a pretty straight flap and my favorite block is not one of the most angled one. It all depends…[/QUOTE]
My fav block seems to be the short icon block but on the matrix or solo tree. I’m still trying stuff to be certain. LOVE their test ride and demo program.
I’m a couple inches taller and longer than you. For an off the rack or used saddle look at County Competitor or Connection, Passier GG or Nicole GG, Ideal saddles, Stubben Tristan or Geneisis Special (maybe), Albion SLK with the high blocks angled forward (this fits almost everyone if you like the seat) and Smith Worthington Maxx or Mystic, Toulouse Aachen. Tad Coffin maybe if you find one made with customs flaps.
If you want to go custom it’ll be easier but some of the options suggested on this thread are $5K+ I wouldn’t spend that much on a first dressage saddle, your position is going to open up a lot in a year or so of riding dressage.
I am about your height with a longer femur – I really love my Stubben Genesis Special. it, however, has no blocks at all (I find they interfere greatly with my ability to put my leg where it needs to go because my knee sits on top of the rolls in 99% of saddles). I tried a bunch of saddles and even bought one with smaller rolls thinking I could deal, but I just couldn’t make it work for my leg.
But it definitely isn’t for everyone, it has a comfortable seat but you have to keep your own legs where they are supposed to go, nothing there to help you do it. To me, I’d much rather have no help than active hindrance though, like poorly placed rolls provide!
Try a lot of saddles before you buy one.
I do want to try Stubben. I didn’t like their jump saddle, but Dressage may be different. I want something that forces me to maintain the correct position and I’m fitting a TB and I know Stubbens work well on them.
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8862282]
I am about your height with a longer femur – I really love my Stubben Genesis Special. it, however, has no blocks at all (I find they interfere greatly with my ability to put my leg where it needs to go because my knee sits on top of the rolls in 99% of saddles). I tried a bunch of saddles and even bought one with smaller rolls thinking I could deal, but I just couldn’t make it work for my leg.
But it definitely isn’t for everyone, it has a comfortable seat but you have to keep your own legs where they are supposed to go, nothing there to help you do it. To me, I’d much rather have no help than active hindrance though, like poorly placed rolls provide!
Try a lot of saddles before you buy one.[/QUOTE]
Just be sure you aim for the Genesis Special, Tristan or something specifically for long legs with stubben. Their regular saddled with blocks don’t work for my long legs at all. Lovely saddles, but my knee sits on top of the rolls. it isn’t going to force you into the right position, though. The seat is very well balanced for dressage but there is literally nothing on the flaps, you have to keep your legs where they go on your own! They might have some forward flaps available in the other saddles though, that might work.
I have two TBs and a stubben 18/31 works well for both. Stubben fits its saddles a bit tight for me, I am sure a stubben fitter would have them in a 29ish but I prefer a looser fit.
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8864137]
Just be sure you aim for the Genesis Special, Tristan or something specifically for long legs with stubben. Their regular saddled with blocks don’t work for my long legs at all. Lovely saddles, but my knee sits on top of the rolls. it isn’t going to force you into the right position, though. The seat is very well balanced for dressage but there is literally nothing on the flaps, you have to keep your legs where they go on your own! They might have some forward flaps available in the other saddles though, that might work.
I have two TBs and a stubben 18/31 works well for both. Stubben fits its saddles a bit tight for me, I am sure a stubben fitter would have them in a 29ish but I prefer a looser fit.[/QUOTE]
Hey – what year is your Stubben? Is it also an NT? Is this for your bay Falcon (is that his name?) IIRC he’s kind of a similar structure conformationally to my boy.
I’m eyeballing a Genesis Special as we speak. It’s older though. Horse#1 moves so flipping well in the Zaria I bought him this summer that I am seriously considering a dressage saddle upgrade despite protests from a very sad wallet :winkgrin:
That is a good question. How do I tell? I bought it during one of the saddle sales, it was a demo so I’d think it’s not totally new, though it looks almost new. It is brown and had a little wear on the flaps that pretty much disappeared once I oiled it.
It is for Falcon (and Ted, the plain bay TB I have who has a higher wither/big dip but is still fairly wide for a TB). It has the short points and I think that makes it fit a touch wider than the long-pointed Scandica 18/31 I also have but that didn’t fit me (though it fit them perfectly). I have a Thinline pad under them both, and the horses move well and seem very comfy in it. The Biomex seat is lovely for me and my bad back and I love the balance point, which is good for taller riders I think.
If you are happy with brown I think you can get very good deals on those. Mine was like 75% off retail, couldn’t pass it up! I did have to punch extra holes on the flap strap, it was too long for my smaller TB and definitely for my kid’s pony!
