Saddles with hip impingement?

[quarab]

Good news: the pony is very easy to fit (average medium with moderate withers); bad news: I am very hard to fit.

I have hip dysplasia/impingement - I mostly am riding dressage atm and I think that’s where I’ll keep focusing but I do love a good cross training moment! I haven’t jumped in a long time but I’m itching to get more into it. I had access to a Prestige Bellagio and tried that for a while and boy did it not work for me – no matter what it felt like someone was jamming my femur back into my hip socket + the twist was far too wide. Am now trying an Amerigo DJ which feels better with the twist but still struggling to keep my leg actually on in it like the blocks are fighting me.

Hoping to find somewhere I can go sit in a bunch soon but would be interested if anyone has thoughts based off my limited knowledge of what doesn’t work for me, brands to look for, etc, etc.

[Blueeyedroan]

Just a matter of trying things.
Antares, CWD, Devocoux are my top 3 for hip comfort on long days in the saddle. And some County’s. But that’s me!
If you have a tack shop anywhere near that carries multiple brands used… just go spend a day sitting in stuff and see what comes of it.

[Belmont]

Try everything you can but be sure to try different twists & seat models.

Remember - flatter seats tend to tip your hips back and body forward while deeper seats tend to sit your hips under you and keep your body a little more back. The difference in seat could really play a factor in your hip comfort as well!

You might find the Voltaire Palm Beach quite comfy. I had a client with hip issues and a few additional issues that loved her full buffalo SE02 and then eventually went into a demo 2Gs that was already broken in so the gel seat and everything was already more “cushy” and comfortable on her body. She hated the hinging her hips naturally went into on a flat saddle.

[Simkie]

I find a wide twist most comfortable with my hip issues, but it’s such an individual thing. I’d look at saddles that don’t lock you in, because those subtle positional shifts can help make time in the saddle tolerable.

[Alterration]

I also have impingement issues. I finally bought an adjustable Bates Artiste and removed all of the blocks so that my legs can be wherever they need to be when they need to be there. I typically start with legs very forward and with short stirrups (think jumper length) and they migrate over time and I can lower them.

It depends on where your impingements are but with FAI that’s been the only resolution for me.

[quarab]

FAI and significant ante version in my left hip + extensive hypermobility. That’s funny you said that about the stirrups - I always end up thinking my stirrups are too long at the beginning and have to relax into them a bunch. Maybe I need to just be okay with fussing with my stirrups mid ride since there aren’t actually rules against that…

[Alterration]

@quarab

FAI and significant ante version in my left hip + extensive hypermobility. That’s funny you said that about the stirrups - I always end up thinking my stirrups are too long at the beginning and have to relax into them a bunch. Maybe I need to just be okay with fussing with my stirrups mid ride since there aren’t actually rules against that…

It works for me, despite being annoying!

[Railbird]

I have hip dysplasia as well and a bad back because of all the associated instability. I need a flat seat and a narrow or raised twist. A butet works great for me, or a devoucoux with a raised twist. I really can not do any flavor of CWD I have sat in and generally the more minimal and balanced front to back, the better. Amerigos I tried many moons ago were way too much saddle as well.