Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Dressage saddles and trail

Sender: Char

Dear Jessica, I have searched your archives, and not found a question that specifically matches one of mine. I am interested in purchasing a dressage saddle, as my riding style has moved in that direction. I also do a lot of trial riding and am interested in getting into competitive trail riding in the future. I'd like to buy a new saddle, I have never had a new saddle before! I currently ride in a very old Crosby Prix des Nations close contact saddle. My dilemma is that my instructor is guiding me toward a dressage saddle with little to no thigh block (I think it's a Stubben Tristan) but I'm thinking that for comfort on the trail, I'd like a deep seat and a medium amount of thigh block/knee roll. She likes to ride in that type of saddle to allow more freedom of movement, but her personal goal is the Olympics, not mine! I'd like to ride at lower level dressage for fun, and still use the same saddle on the trail. Can you recommend several saddles for me to look at?

Thank you for all of the time you put into this, I read all of the archives, even if I don't have a similar question. There is always lots to learn.!

Thanks! Char

Hi Char! how far are you thinking of going with competitive trail-riding? A dressage saddle that fits your horse well will make a good trail saddle. The model nearest what you want is probably a VSD model, which will also allow you to jump the logs and ditches you find on the trail! I'm happy to trail-ride in my dressage saddles -- the important thing is that your horse be comfortable (and that YOU be comfortable too).

If you're going to get heavily involved with trail-riding or endurance riding, you might look at something like the Marciante endurance saddles or the saddles from John Fallis & Co. (these are the Monte Foreman Balanced Ride Saddles). These saddles combine the best of both worlds -- English (they place minimum bulk under rider's leg, rider can sit deep with a long leg) and Western (they distribute the rider's weight over a larger area).

Both of these are good saddles, and I'm sure there are others that would suit you as well. If you decide that a dressage saddle is what you prefer, look at top-of-the-line saddles, Courbettes and Steubbens, with particular attention to VSD models.

Jessica

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