Dressage Saddles?!

[Chandler_K]

I have been approved after being on light-duty for 3 months, and have decided to gear myself towards dressage to build my muscles back up, and am now in search of a new saddle. I LOVE my Thornhill Pro-Trainer 18", and I have been looking at the new Thornhill Danube (B-E-A-utiful, in my opinion), but it is double my price range.

I am looking for, must haves:
17.5-18" seat
interchangable gullet (ride 5 different horses; QH, TB, Haflinger)
deep seat
black, leather

thigh/knee blocks; i like the look of the full-pocket columns, but idk the difference?!

budget: $400-600, maybe slightly more if perfect fit

I find that I am difficult to fit for saddles, as it took me 2 years to find my Pro-Trainer. I have a long legs, but it is mostly hip-knee length. Plus I am a big girl, so it is difficult to find something that I am comfortable in and can’t pinch my thighs/knees in. In the few dressage saddles I’ve trialed, I find myself collapsing my hips, tipping them foward, and not riding on my seat bones with my hips tipped back. I don’t have to be on a horse to know how uncomfortable that will be!

Any suggestions? I have no clue where to go from

[EnjoyThe_Ride]

The Bates Innova (extended block) was the best saddle I found for not collapsing forward and preventing chair seat. They are a bit out of your price range though ($1k used)

[atr]

My dh has the protrainer in an 18, but it actually measures more like a 19, so the first thing I would do is actually measure the seat on your existing saddle to check out what size you really need. My guess would be that attempting to cram yourself into a 17.5 is causing a lot of your saddle shopping issues. Especially if you have a long femur.

[alto]

You don’t need a dressage saddle to ride “dressage”, just start with what you have, if your saddle has a flatter more open seat & minimal blocks, it will serve you well. If it’s more structured, then you’ll likely want a different saddle sooner BUT start with a coach/trainer that you like & ask for their input (it will be invaluable).

When going from a close contact to a dressage, start with a “larger” seat size (e.g., 18, 18.5, even 19) - most dressage saddles fit smaller re the deeper seat. With a long femur, try more forward flap models, smaller blocks, less deep seat.

IME you won’t find a single dressage saddle to fit that range of horses, even with an adjustable gullet (if you provide photos & back tracings, you might convince me otherwise :lol: ) as they likely need different tree shapes/angles …

As you like your Pro Trainer, try the various Thornhill dressage models - Cordia Pearson gets good reviews (perhaps even great reviews ) i.e. find the saddles that fit you, then look for that elusive perfect saddle that fits you, your horse(s) & your budget.

As you want an adjustable gullet, you’ve limited your manufacturer options, you can look for an old Rembrandt with the wellup tree (though these do have a bit of a reputation for slipping with age/use, so inspect closely) as this will be in your price range.

If you can increase your budget to 1K, your market will open.

You might also consider the MT dressage saddles - contact Classic Saddlery as they often have prototypes, discontinued models etc & really monitor the quality on these saddles. She offers a Wintec 500 for $550. I’m not a Wintec fan but there are several posters here that love their Wintecs …

If you want to fit you + a single horse (or horses of similar back conformation), you might find many older saddles in that price range to trial BUT any shipping fees will quickly decimate your budget, as will any saddle fitter fees, tree adjustments, flocking adjustments (may older wool saddles are desperately in need to complete ref locking which runs in the $300 range).
Most older saddles will have minimal blocks so the need for a more forward flap is lessened.

[Kitt]

I’ll second alto’s assessment that no one saddle will work for horses of such differing conformations, even with a changeable gullet. First, tree width is only one facet of saddle fit - you have to consider tree type and shape, and panel configuration. If the other facets aren’t correct, changing the gullet won’t make the saddle fit. (If you’re interested, you can read more on that at http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/2009/11/from-tree-up-sub-topic-adjustable-trees.html and http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/2010/08/adjustable-trees-changeable-gullets.html). Second, changeable gullet and adjustable tree saddles weren’t meant to be changed or adjusted on a regular and frequent basis. Doing so will make them wear out, simple as that. On the changeable gullet saddles, the tree points may break off and the screw holes threads will eventually strip. On the adjustable tree saddles, the mechanism will wear out.

You might be able to get a saddle that works acceptably on each “type” of horse (and it might not need to be a changeable gullet/adjustable tree saddle) as long as their conformations are fairly close, but there’s no one saddle that will work for a beefy foundation-type Qh and a lean, steeple-withered Tb. What works for one extreme of conformation won’t work for the opposite end of the spectrum. Your best bet would be to work with a good fitter to pinpoint your horses’ needs (and yours), and then find the saddles that will work.

[Chandler_K]

Thanks for all of the input! My trainer & I are really close, so we’ll be saddle-hunting together.
I have had my Thornhill for the past 6 years and have found that it has fit wonderfully on multiple horses, 2 thoroughbreds, a mustang, and 2 haflingers included. I have yet to try it on my QH yet, but I doubt it’ll fit her. It has thigh blocks and calf blocks and is more for a/p, and I find it restricts me more when I try to relax my thighs and lengthen my stirrups for flatwork.

[alto]

[QUOTE=Chandler_K;7098234]
It has thigh blocks and calf blocks and is more for a/p, and I find it restricts me more when I try to relax my thighs and lengthen my stirrups for flatwork.[/QUOTE]

Have you considered having the blocks switched over to velcro so you can adjust/remove as need? as long as the seat has a long balance point, this should work reasonably well.

Thornhill saddles are very good value, & as you like the one you have, why not test ride their dressage models, sort out which suits you & your horses, then look for one in your budget (of course, as you wait, try setting aside $50 a month (or whenever) for your saddle fund)

[Rooty]

I was very happy with the Wintec I had, and have a Max Benz right now, which has been a great saddle. My horse likes it better than his custom made Schleese, and I only paid $600 for it. I don’t have your fitting issues, but if you are looking for saddles on a budget I can recommend either.

[mountainhorse]

I love my M. Toulouse Dressage saddles. Usually around 1K with tax, possibly $800 used, if you can find it. I’ve found it very comfortable and fits a wide range of horses. Link to show one style, but I have found them much cheaper. I bought mine for $900+ tax, so around $1K when it was all said and done.
Remember you will get what you pay for, so I would suggest going with a mid-range saddle-the cheaper dressage saddles that are not built as well will not hold up and I have seen too many ‘cheap dressage saddles’ bought by students looking for a cheap saddle to end up with more issues in their position and their horses’ backs as a result of compensating for such a saddle,…just my 2 cents.

http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/M-Toulouse-Verona-Monoflap-Dressage-Saddle-P4050.aspx?gclid=CLrijufP1bgCFSdo7AodKCQAGw

[Chandler_K]

[QUOTE=alto;7098330]
Have you considered having the blocks switched over to velcro so you can adjust/remove as need? as long as the seat has a long balance point, this should work reasonably well.[/QUOTE]

I never thought of that! Who could I ask about that? A saddle fitter? & what do you mean by a long balance point?