Who here rides their jumping saddle in the dressage phase?

[aquabrwn]

Just getting back into the sport now after a long hiatus, and we’ll be doing our first little mini competition later this month in a jump saddle. It took some searching to find a saddle that worked for my guy, and I don’t have the funds for a second saddle at the moment.

I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a less expensive dressage saddle mostly so I can just, you know, have a dressage saddle… but I keep coming back to the fact that a well-fitting saddle is far more important than looking like a pro. I am, after all, definitely not a pro :lol:

And, FWIW, back in the day I competed through training in a jump saddle on one of my horses. It was many moons ago, but we often scored quite well in dressage!

[Lori_T]

I ride all 3 phases in my Stubben Siegfried AP. Some day a dressage saddle may be on the horizon, but this suits me just fine.

[Silverbell]

Me! The saddle is really an all-purpose but perfectly fine for lower-level jumping. It has really kept me happy about schooling since on many dressage days I’ll just shorten the stirrups and do a little jumping afterward. Vegetables first, then dessert!

[cindywilson]

I do, I do! And I love it. It’s a Barnsby xc saddle. There was an “event” at the saddlery & the Barnsby rep was there. I told him that I loved my jump saddle, but only wished it were a little more forward in the flap & had more support behind the knee. A month or so later, I’m at the tack shop getting random stuff & the saddlemaker says, “Hey, Barnsby sent you a saddle they made for you. Said to try it & see if you like it.” So I did. Fits like a glove & has knee rolls AND calf blocks. You (very nearly) can’t fall out of it. I was sold; gave the old Barnsby to my husband (he loves it).

[AmarachAcres]

[QUOTE=cindywilson;8350746]
I do, I do! And I love it. It’s a Barnsby xc saddle. There was an “event” at the saddlery & the Barnsby rep was there. I told him that I loved my jump saddle, but only wished it were a little more forward in the flap & had more support behind the knee. A month or so later, I’m at the tack shop getting random stuff & the saddlemaker says, “Hey, Barnsby sent you a saddle they made for you. Said to try it & see if you like it.” So I did. Fits like a glove & has knee rolls AND calf blocks. You (very nearly) can’t fall out of it. I was sold; gave the old Barnsby to my husband (he loves it).[/QUOTE]

Would love a picture of it.

[tle]

I have in the past and just did at my first recognized event in 11 years. Just easier as we’d been working in it exclusively for a while. Worked just fine though in the pics I can see where my position would be improved if I could drop my leg down a bit. I could see a just alluding to the need for a dressage saddle as it would put the rider in a better and thus potentially more effective position for dressage. One CAN do dressage in a jump saddle, just as one CAN jump in a dressage saddle… but there is a reason different saddles are made. A jump saddle puts you in a position to be as effective as possible for jumping… ditto for a dressage saddle. Doesn’t mean you can’t do other things, but as someone who has had to fight for proper, effective position in a saddle that wasn’t “right”, it does make a difference. A judge who mentions it isn’t necessarily being difficult, but pointing out that they see the rider doing what they can and being hindered by the position the saddle puts them in.

[skipollo]

I do all three phases in my jump saddle. The only reason I recently got a dressage saddle was because I got it for a mega steal. I don’t even have a girth or stirrup leathers for it. I’ll compete with it next year, but I’m going BN in regular brown jump tack.

[cindywilson]

AmarachAcres–I can’t figure out for the life of me how to post a photo of the saddle. You could either (1) tell me how to do that or (2) give me your email & I’ll send it to you.
My email is: cindybluedog@gmail.com

Hope that works.

[cindywilson]

AmarachAcres–I can’t figure out for the life of me how to post a photo of the saddle. You could either (1) tell me how to do that or (2) give me your email & I’ll send it to you.
My email is: cindybluedog@gmail.com

Hope that works.

[yellowbritches]

I have done it a bunch for various reasons over the years. Sometimes it’s a fit issue, sometimes it’s a youngster that I’m not entirely sure won’t unload me at C. Sometimes it’s because I’m riding multiple horses in short order and only have one dressage saddle. It’s never beena problem. I ride my horse and do all the same type of flat work we did as eventers, but it’s all in my jump saddle since I sold my dressage saddle last year. I will admit I can’t sit the trot very well in it (it’s quite forward), but I also don’t HAVE to sit the trot anymore

As for matching, I rode for many years in black saddles and a brown bridle. No one cared or noticed.