My daughter is a jumper rider at heart and she has done hunters, equitation and jumpers with her large pony. After aging out of the juniors last year, she has spent the last year working with her pony and her trainer (who has a dressage background) to get her pony going better, moving from behind and lifting her back. They have been working on shoulder and haunches in and leg yields. My daughter has expressed interest in learning dressage but won’t be trading her jump saddle in for a good dressage saddle any time soon! Can anyone recommend a decent, starter dressage saddle that I can start searching for used? I know nothing about dressage saddles. Thanks.
I would recommend buying a good used saddle rather than a low end starter saddle.
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Used is the way to go. I love my Wintec! So comfy and you can pick them up all day long for under 500.
It is my intention to buy something decent - she just doesn’t need it to be fancy for a first (starter) dressage saddle. Thanks.
It really, really depends on the shape of the pony–is it an actual pony? Something built more like a small TB? I’m primarily an eq/hunters person, and adore my Passier Grand Gilbert–you can pick them up fairly reasonably priced used, and are IMO a good saddle for crossover riders because they put you in the right position without locking you in there like some other dressage saddles do, which is a feeling most hunter folks are not used to. But while it’s a great fit for my TB, it might not be so great for your pony if it’s build like a typical pony. What saddle does she jump in? That brand may make a dressage model that would work for them.
Wintecs are pretty adjustable and are actually quite a good starter dressage saddle. I know they’re not popular in h/j world, but are perfectly acceptable, even at rated shows moving up the levels, in dressage.
Even though dressage is my primary riding style, I have a Wintec Isabell (synthetic one). I LOVE IT! Mine was a test ride saddle but I am not sure if it was actually ever ridden in…
I highly recommend trying to get your hands on one to test ride in.
Her pony is a TB/Welsh cross so in reality she is a short, TB mare. She currently rides in an Antares.
I just picked up a really great used saddle for pennies on the dollar. A lot of tack stores will have a consignment section, and some even let you try them out before you commit. Its a great way to stretch your dollar and get your hands on something decent. I got the whole set-up: pad, girth, leathers, etc. for less than 1/4 what the new saddle sells for.
I’m not familiar with Antares saddles however I would suggest checking into Thorowgood saddles. They are synthetic, and adjustable but tend to fit a wider range of horses than the Wintec saddles (different tree shape). They are wool flocked and can be reflocked like any other saddle. If the horse has TB withers, they do have a high wither model. For a short broad back, they have a cob model. You can often get them used on eBay for a decent price, but they also hold their value pretty well if you decide you want to resell it.
How tall is your daughter? I was also a former hunter rider dabbling in dressage, and started with a Passier Grand Gilbert for my TB, and though it fit him very well it tipped me forward and was way too big for me (I’m 5’2".) I currently have on order a Stubben Juventus, which is designed for youth/petite riders.
I picked up a Crosby for a steal. It fits TB-types well and has very little in the way of padding/rolls/etc so it doesn’t force me into a position. It’s also wool-stuffed and my fitter said it’s in fantastic shape and will live forever (great English-made quality).
There is a big used market for dressage saddles because we’re all crazy and constantly on the hunt for the perfect saddle. 
For around $1,000 (just guessing), you might look at used Albions, Passier, County, Kieffer, etc. Wintecs are a good pick, and are easy to resell if she decides she doesn’t like it, or gets hooked and wants to upgrade. My advice would be to see if she can sit in many different saddles and see what feels right. Also, assess the mare’s shape more - is her back curvy or straight? Stubben for example fits a curvier back.
There is a Dressage Saddles for Sale Facebook page. If you post your specs and budget there, you’ll get tons of options.
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I used to ride in a Karl Niedersuss and loved it. You can usually find a couple used ones on ebay in the $600-700 range. I don’t know if they’d fit a typical pony, but I know at least one person who is a big fan of them for most TBs. I’d also put in a good word for Passier or Schleese.
Ask your daughter’s coach or your dressage-inclined buddies if they have anything sitting around that you could borrow for a day, though - I think it’s worth having her just sit in a bunch until she starts to find out what she likes and doesn’t like, and what’s more likely to fit her pony.
I’ve become a full-fledged Wintec convert within the past year. I have a Wintec Pro dressage that I just love. This is after years of experiencing a revolving door of dressage saddles, none of which were quite right for me or my horse. For the price point, I don’t think there is a better quality saddle on the market.
My experience with Wintec is that they do NOT fit a shorter horse well. They tend to have very straight, very long panels, and end up digging into the loin of a shorter horse. And their panels tend to be hard as a rock - there is an expose on their “Cair” panels - not a whole lot of air actually in those panels. I’ve tried a few and my horses did NOT like them.
Personally, I would look at a decent quality used saddle - without knowing your budget, it is hard to make suggestions. Without knowing your horse’s back shape, and your daughter’s build, it is also hard to make suggestions. But - in the under $1,000 range, you can look at used Passiers, used Neidersuiss, used Albions, County saddles - all are decent quality saddles that tend to fit horses well. They all have different balance points for the rider, so part of it becomes a rider preference too. In that price range, you are looking at a saddle that is over 10 years old - but a good saddle will still have a lot of life left in it.
If you have $2500 to $3000 to spend, I’d suggest looking at used Custom Saddlery saddles - they tend to be super comfortable, and have a wide variety of seat balances and tree shapes. And they can be adjusted a bit in width. You can also look at newer versions of the used Albions and some of the other brands. In that price range, you are looking at a good quality saddle that may only be 5 to 8 years old.
Sit in some saddles, get some ideas. Ask the trainer if she has any dressage saddles your daughter can try. Visit a tack store and see if they have anything (new or used) to sit in. Then realize sitting in a saddle ON A HORSE is way different then sitting on a saddle on a rack.
You might visit a larger dressage show and sit in a few saddles on the vendor rows, get an idea of what feels good?
My first dressage saddle was the Wintec Isabelle and I thought it was a great saddle for getting my feet wet.
My daughter is only 5’2" (and that’s why she’s still on her large pony at 19). And as luck would have it, we just had an eventer move into our primarily jumper barn and she brought her dressage saddle. That’s the only dressage saddle in the whole barn. When I get to know her a bit in the next week, I’ll ask if my daughter can sit in it.
Thank you all for your suggestions. I really appreciate it.
If her current saddle fits her and the pony, I’d go to one of the online saddlerys like Pelham. They have a huge selection and should be able to point you in the right direction based on her jumping saddle. Their fitters may be able to eliminate the not-so-good options in addition to figuring out what will work. Like others, I’d go with a good used saddle, especially if it looks like she really wants to do dressage and will be keeping her pony. It will also maintain decent resale value if it is taken care of.
Remind her that Olympian Lendon Gray took a pony to FEI if someone starts bugging her about her horse.
I am a fairly recent convert and found myself comfortable in an older Prestige Top Dressage.
Reasons why I chose this saddle:
Puts my leg in the perfect place (I’m not tall either).
Good quality and good prices for used.
Fits short backed horse that has a decent wither, but isn’t a shark fin, and is a wee bit plump. Not straight backed, but not super curvy in need of a banana style panel.
Can be adjusted. Their widths can go up or down a size and some of them are wool flocked.
Overall a good brand to consider.
I just sold my Niedersuss Symphonie and that saddle was good for a short pack and has a more open seat and less knee roll. I think it is good for a transition saddle from a jump saddle. The Prestige “locks me in” a bit more, but not in a restricting way.
Between the quality, adjustability, and price, I am satisfied for now.
If you daughter is 19 (not five years old) and rides in an Antares to jump, she’s going to be able to feel the difference if there is a huge drop in quality between her jump and dressage saddles! A good quality used saddle that fits will make horse and rider much happier than a cheap new saddle.
All the basics of how the saddle fits the horse are the same between jump and dressage saddles, so if you have back tracings or a sense of what brands work on your horse in jump saddle, that’s a good starting point. All the points of how to assess saddle fit and reflock the panels are the same between dressage and jump saddles. It’s just rider fit that’s different. It isn’t like switching between a jump and a Western saddle that are built so differently.
The newer dressage saddles tend to have giant knee and thigh blocks, which some riders like for horses that move big and pull hard. If your daughter is happy with a lower profile dressage saddle, there will be lots of used good quality brands out there for more affordable prices. My guess is she wouldn’t need the hugely built up saddle, she isn’t riding an 18 hand Friesian that tosses her all over and she will have a secure seat from her jumping.
