Saddle for petite rider with tight hip flexors

[OceansAway]

Hi everyone,

I know this has probably already been asked to some degree, but using the search function yields few results. I am quite short at 5’1 and always have trouble with saddles because of the tight muscles in my legs (fibromyalgia) and need for shorter stirrups, which results in a more angled leg position. Hence, most blocks are forced into my knees or thigh, pushing me back onto the cantle. I need a saddle with blocks that are more forward, that allow for more of a bent leg than the more traditionally straight downward leg. I am not looking for older models, as the seats are too hard on my back and hips (lots of physical issues there), further complicated by I having a very young, bouncy horse, so I do need some more support from a block due to said physical issues. My budget is small-$2k and my horse has a longer and flatter back. As for me, I am also small, and currently ride in a child’s dressage saddle for perspective, though it is a bit tight as far as leg room. Does anybody have any suggestions? Thanks very much!

[GraceLikeRain]

Passier, prestige, and kieffer all make dressage pony saddles I believe. The Passier has Velcro blocks you could remove to allow for a shorter stirrup. I found the twist to be quite narrow as well.

[OceansAway]

Thank you! I have the pony Prestige currently, but the pony saddles seem to be a bit tight as far as leg room, from the ones I’ve tried. I think maybe a short flap standard saddle would probably work best. Blocks that I can position would be ideal, as I do still need them, but I might be pricing myself out at that point! I will try and see about the other brands you mention, as their pony saddles might be a bit roomier.

[GraceLikeRain]

I found the passier much roomier than a new prestige lucky. The older lucky models were roomier to me than the new ones

[Demerara_Stables]

My clients all ride in shorter stirrups and I just had a client purchase a Horobin Bondi (it’s a new model and I can’t find it listed on their site) dressage saddle that she and her hard to fit boy are very happy with. There are some other used models on their site: https://stridefreesaddles.com.au/collections/second-hand-saddles.

Most saddles have, or can be ordered with, velcro blocks, and the horses love them.

[OceansAway]

Thank you for that tip! I do have a new model, so perhaps that’s part of the issue.

[exvet]

I agree that the Passier (youth) has more room than the Prestige Lucky. I’m short and have a very short-backed Welsh Cob. I needed a saddle with pony panels, narrow twist, and very wide channel. I ended up getting a different model of Prestige which works great for my pony but I’m not sure it would work for your specific leg length/need. If you could move the blocks (velcro), that might be your best option. I had a Passier for another shorter, Welsh Cob and it was a 16 inch. I had a heck of a time keeping my knee from shooting over the front of the minimal knee block but because it has a flatter seat I was still able to ride in it without risking safety or a balanced seat. I have a longer inseam despite my short stature; so, I can’t go too short in the seat. I can ride comfortably in most 16.5 inch seats however the Prestige Lucky didn’t allow enough room for my femur/knee even at that size.

[dmveventer]

Several of the Prestige models can be found with velcro blocks so you can put them wherever is most comfortable or remove them entirely. Look for one with a narrow twist (the Helen, D1, and D2 should all work, there may be others). Short flap would be ideal but may not be necessary with moveable blocks.

It’s going to be tough to check all your boxes on that budget though, especially depending on what you consider an “older” model. It took me a year to find a short flap, narrow twist Prestige dressage saddle on the used market at a reasonable price (with standard blocks), and my budget was more flexible. You’re probably looking at $3k minimum and you may have to wait a bit for the right one to pop up.

[exvet]

I have a Prestige D1 for my short-backed Welsh Cob. Absolutely love it but didn’t realize you could get the knee block with velcro. Personally not my preference but as stated in my earlier post I don’t have the same challenges as the OP. Mine brand new and semi-custom for my guy was $4000 3 years ago.

[OceansAway]

Unfortunately, might have to hold off and save up more unless I can find a used one for a good price. Older model as I do need blocks, and I can’t do those hard, slippery seats because they kill my back. The softer the leather the better, due to the chronic pain. My Lucky is really nice and squishy, which I love, but no leg room and it’s too short in the panel for this horse.

[sheltona01]

Fairfax has a Petite model that sounds like a real possibility for you. It would be slightly over budget new.

[dmveventer]

That’s a great price, they were running around $6k new when I was looking last year. I wound up with a lightly used X-D1 K for just under $3500 used.

[enjoytheride]

I have a Loxley dressage with a standard padded flap and no block and it works with my short leg and desire for shorter stirrups.

[fanfayre]

Trilogy saddles come with a short flap option standard, not needing to be custom.

Many options for the not-so-tall female rider, including narrow twists. High-quality saddles, many found 2nd hand, both on private sites and through saddle shops such as Pelham.

Not that I’m in the market for a new saddle, but they have many choices on their own website to build your very own dream saddle, if you were so inclined to pursue that option.

[kaya842]

I also need the short/ high blocks (can’t use the normal long blocks because it hurts to have my legs forced down) and my favorite I’ve tried (didn’t buy but I should have) was a Forestier Aachen short flap. They have options for shorter and longer blocks but the short blocks are perfect. MD tack exchange had (has?) a 16.5 on consignment last I checked a while ago.

[Roberta]

Albion has come out with a new model of saddle called The Unity. It is incredibly comfortable and you can get it with velcro thigh blocks. I ride in one with the velcro blocks and move them around depending upon how stretched out my hips are. I have one leg nearly an inch longer than the other as a result of a hip replacement and I am looking at bi-lateral knee replacement as well. You can get very short blocks where you knee does not slam up against the block. The saddles are in a word, beautiful. They are talking about doing a financing program which could make the saddles affordable for you. Talk to Lauren at Mid Atlantic Saddlery. I really thought I was going to have to stop riding because of the pain. Then I found this saddle.

[Paisley_Pony]

So this is going to be a bit far afield, perhaps, but I am also very tight-hipped (lots of piriformis pain) and the saddle that works best for me is a Thorowgood T4 all purpose. It looks much more like a shorter flapped, slightly forward flapped dressage saddle. The seats also tend to run a bit smaller than typical seat sizing, and they also have a pony saddle which comes in 15-16.5 sizes. I like this saddle because it gives me a truly upright, balanced position without feeling like I’m being pulled in two. The material on the seat is suede-like, and it’s cushy and secure. After having tried a lot of different makes and models of dressage saddles over the years, this is my favorite option.

[skydy]

@Demerara_Stables

My clients all ride in shorter stirrups and I just had a client purchase a Horobin Bondi (it’s a new model and I can’t find it listed on their site) dressage saddle that she and her hard to fit boy are very happy with. There are some other used models on their site: https://stridefreesaddles.com.au/collections/second-hand-saddles.

Most saddles have, or can be ordered with, velcro blocks, and the horses love them.

Are you instructing riders in Dressage? I am trying to understand your answer to the OP and why you think that horses “love” velcro blocks.

The video that you have posted of yourself riding Intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gQ8vsZOMpA&t=13s,) shows you riding in a rather short stirrup. Are you teaching the people who you instruct to ride Dressage with “shorter stirrups”?

Matching people who have physical issues with their Dressage saddle as the OP has asked, is important, but teaching all people to ride short (hunt seat) in Dressage is doing them no favors if they are truly interested in learning how to ride a good Dressage test.

I understand that you don’t go to rated shows, so it may not matter if your riders are able to ride at the level of Dressage where stirrup length becomes important.

I know of the short legged difficulties (me!) and they are many, no matter what the discipline, but in Dressage I don’t think that keeping the stirrups short is the way to train the horse or rider well. A well fitting saddle makes a difference for people with the physical difficulties experienced by the OP.

[Demerara_Stables]

@skydy

Are you instructing riders in Dressage? I am trying to understand your answer to the OP and why you think that horses “love” velcro blocks.

The video that you have posted of yourself riding Intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gQ8vsZOMpA&t=13s,) ) shows you riding in a rather short stirrup. Are you teaching the people who you instruct to ride Dressage with “shorter stirrups”?

Matching people who have physical issues with their Dressage saddle as the OP has asked, is important, but teaching all people to ride short (hunt seat) in Dressage is doing them no favors if they are truly interested in learning how to ride a good Dressage test.

I understand that you don’t go to rated shows, so it may not matter if your riders are able to ride at the level of Dressage where stirrup length becomes important.

I know of the short legged difficulties (me!) and they are many, no matter what the discipline, but in Dressage I don’t think that keeping the stirrups short is the way to train the horse or rider well. A well fitting saddle makes a difference for people with the physical difficulties experienced by the OP.

Oh yes here we go again with @skydy following me and commenting on my posts from weeks ago.

To answer your ridiculous questions:

1. the horses love the saddles, not the blocks. Fair enough that my post was ambiguous.

2. yes, all of my clients ride dressage as I feel it’s imperative to teach the horses to carry themselves correctly and to build proper topline.

3. since you have already stated you aren’t a professional, let me explain stirrup length to you. A rider’s stated discipline has exactly f-ck all to do with their stirrup length until they are jumping at a high enough height or participating in a discipline that requires them to gallop and be sufficiently up off of their horse’s back. Riding dressage can be done in any moderate stirrup length. Therefore, I have my students ride on the flat in whatever stirrup length is comfortable for them and their horse, supports their leg, and doesn’t interfere with their aids or balance. For some people it’s shorter, for some it’s longer. But stating that “teaching all people to ride short in dressage is doing them no favors” is a crock of sh*t. I’ve ridden with a few dozen dressage trainers, including a world renowned one just a month ago, who stated “I love Lauren’s stirrup length. Too many people ride with their stirrups too long.” To paraphrase, he went on to talk about needing a base of support and not just doing what you see all of the pros do (which, I might add, are the same people that everyone here complains about beating their horses and riding with nosebands too tight).

So, in summary, yes, my stirrups are short, and yes, that’s how they should be for some people.

[shortenmyreins]

I’m also super short (5 foot nothin’), can have issue with a tight psoas, and tend to pick wide horses (my last guy was an Andy cross who went in the equivalent of a xxx-wide).

I ride in a WOW saddle that works perfectly for me. I don’t ride pure dressage, so went with a jump flap, which looks ridiculously short but is the best fitting flap for my leg I’ve ever had. It’s rotated back so it’s quite straight in the front and has no blocks to talk of. I grew up in the PDN saddle days so am quite comfortable in a saddle with minimal blocks. They’re always in the wrong place for me anyways.

What you might find of benefit regarding these saddles - the area under your thighs is carved out so despite my horse being an xxx wide the saddle didn’t feel like it. You can mix and match your flap combinations - you can do a deep dressage seat with a shorter flap. On most flaps they can rotate forward and back a bit, so a general purpose vsd flap might be a better option than a proper dressage flap (and they have many options with movable block options). Their seats can come with coccyx or pubis channels which could help with back pain.

What you might not like about them - the price - way out of your budget new, but used might be doable. Because you can mix the pieces up there are lots of used parts available, mostly out of the UK. Some people don’t love Flair panels, I’ve had no concerns.

They seem to be a love them or hate them brand of saddle. I’ve appreciated how easy it was to fit both myself and my horse, both difficult fits. And now that I have a new guy I’m happy that I can make some simple changes to it to use on him.