Voltaire vs Devoucoux

[longlanefarm]

I have a new warmblood mare for whom I am trying to find a well fitting saddle. The kicker is that she is being brought back into work and is lacking significant topline. She’s got a notable wither but it’s short. She is also rather short backed but I generally ride a 17 so I think we’ll be OK with most saddles length-wise. At this time her top line is leaning to the narrow side of medium but will likely end up wide/med. wide.

I have a Voltaire Stuttgart on trial and it’s absolutely lovely. I felt stupendous riding in it today. However, when fitting it on my mare, it does bridge slightly when just sitting on her back, no girth. Girthing seemingly eliminates the bridging. As I said she has quite a bit of filling out to do over her topline. I’m wondering if this is a dead NO because of the bridging or “she’ll likely grow into it” with a few more months of work. I’m told the Voltaire is a bit flatter with less paneling.

My second trial choice is a Devoucoux Socoa with D3D panels. I’ve been told this is a little more curvy with more paneling. However, I’ve been reading terrible things about Dev’s on COTH (sore backs etc) and I KNOW it’s a personal decision but it’s got me a little spooked. Bigger problem is that I do not have a hands on saddle fitter locally (cry) so I used The Saddle Geek services and, while I learned a ton about what I’m looking for for my mare, I’m nervous about pulling the trigger on a pricey purchase and making the wrong decision.

Experience from people with these exact saddles (and the horses they fit) would be excellent.

[McKinley]

I haven’t used that exact saddle, but I’ve used Voltaires-- the way they make the saddles, they can bridge a lot without the girth and then fit really well with a girth. I’ve seen several horses where Voltaires bridge a lot without a girth but fit great and those horses never experience any back pain from the saddles.

[staceymc]

After my experience with my barrel on legs I will no longer judge saddle fit just while sitting on the cross ties. Ride in those two and have an experienced person WATCH the horse GO in the saddle.

If you saw my CWD on my horse while he’s standing in the aisle you’d think I was insane. Doesn’t look like it fits at all. But when he’s working and lifting his back it’s great and he’s super happy. When we fit the saddle while he was standing around, I ended up with a saddle that slapped me in the butt when he trotted. Just didn’t work at all when working.

[keatssu]

I have a Socoa that I use for 2 mares. Neither has had any back soreness issues. I’ve had it for around 4 years. It was custom made for one of the mares. I like the saddle a lot. I had an independent saddle fitter take a look at the fit, and she was impressed with how well it fits.

[atl_hunter]

I have ridden my horse in a Biarritz, Soccoa and I have now a Voltaire Palm Beach. The Biarritz was amazing but it had soooo many letters on the serial that it clearly was highly customized. The Soccoa was a standard model. The Voltaire is nice but the panels were completely customized for my horse. My guy has a huge wither and I never had any issues with bridging on the Biarritz or Voltaire, and everyone is correct in that my Voltaire settles in when my horse is in motion.

I think when we hear that horses have a lot of pain from a saddle the biggest question I have regardless of brand is “does the saddle fit the horse?”

[Belmont]

@staceymc

After my experience with my barrel on legs I will no longer judge saddle fit just while sitting on the cross ties. Ride in those two and have an experienced person WATCH the horse GO in the saddle.

If you saw my CWD on my horse while he’s standing in the aisle you’d think I was insane. Doesn’t look like it fits at all. But when he’s working and lifting his back it’s great and he’s super happy. When we fit the saddle while he was standing around, I ended up with a saddle that slapped me in the butt when he trotted. Just didn’t work at all when working.

This. This. This. I can not stress it enough.

I know yous aid you don’t have an independent fitter locally, but do you have any brand fitters? I know its scary but they aren’t all monsters, especially if you have a Voltaire rep. She’ll probably be more willing to help you come judge your fit. And I’d ask every question under the MOON so you can understand it all better.

[longlanefarm]

@Belmont

I know yous aid you don’t have an independent fitter locally, but do you have any brand fitters? I know its scary but they aren’t all monsters, especially if you have a Voltaire rep. She’ll probably be more willing to help you come judge your fit. And I’d ask every question under the MOON so you can understand it all better.

I have only been able to find a Stubben fitter who will come to my area. From my experience with that person, I do not believe I will get an objective answer. I also called the local tack shop asking if they knew of any saddle fitters in the area (they don’t sell any saddles I’m interested in) and they rather rudely told me they don’t know any fitters unless you’re buying from them.

I did get the Devoucoux and rode in it today. There was no bridging, complete and even contact with her back. Wither clearance is still great. I feel like it fit my rear end better as well (I think the Voltaire is a bit big and flaps not quite forward enough for my femur). My horse went better in it, however, I am going to do a back to back comparison riding in them tomorrow and see how it goes (I felt she was a little off the day I tried the Voltaire so I don’t want to jump to that conclusion just yet).

I worry if it fits her now when she builds a little more topline it won’t fit as well?

[MuskokaLakesConnemaras]

Love my Devoucoux Dressage saddle so much I got another one for my CC. Had the fitter out (independent) and he was pleasantly surprised at how well they fit my guys. They either work or they don’t is what I understand. My riding is FAR better in a saddle I feel like a million bucks in too