Dressage Saddles: What do you use?

[Katsioo]

Hey everyone!
I have a question about saddles...again... I am looking at the following saddle:
http://www.pelham-saddlery.com/Merchant ... gory_Code=

Does anyone have any thoughts?
Also... what types of dressage saddles do you all ride in or recommend for my Percheron? I just need some opinions. The price I am looking at is right at $1000 or under.

Let me know

Thanks!

[Graymare]

If I was buying a dressage saddle for a wide body, it would be a Duett. Very well made, comfy and constructed all the way around with the wide horse in mind.

www.duettsaddles.com

[appynperchlover]

I own a Duett Fidelio and I love it. Mine is a bit larger and wider than that one and fits my guy very well. I also like that you can change out the knee rolls, three different sets and a plain flap if you don't want a knee roll.
Very comfy for both my horse and me.
Good luck looking.
ANPL

[eaoreilly]

I finally bit the bullet, and had a saddle made for my girl. It's a Spririg - http://www.spirigsaddlery.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - and it's actually fitted to both Duchess AND me. It does cost quite a bit (now it's closer to $4800.00), but...it's really worth it

[CieloAzure]

I use a Bates Innovio and I LOVE it. I have the larger knee rolls, and I feel so safe when my babies act out!

Showing last week, the mare I was riding had a complete melt down at the 4000+ audience clapping and kids running up and down the metal handicap ramp where we stopped in the arena while waiting for the class to start. Me, I just rode through it (we got last) but no problemo...I felt safe while riding one wild and crazy grrrl! She was crazy too... Try doing that in a Passier GG! My old body loves those knee rolls!

And the saddle fits all my Perch girls like a glove.

[Phyxius]

I do love Bates saddles but the dressage saddles I've used from them run small (for the rider) and the panels tend to be made for rounder horses so they don't work for me at this point.

For Peanut I have a medium tree Stubben Scandica. I bought it instead of the Romanus which I would have had to wait for it to ship from Europe. I LOVE it.

Octavia is VERY wide and when I as first searching for dressage saddles I couldn't find one that I liked, that fit, that was in my budget. Then, I found Barefoot treeless saddles and ended up with a Barefoot London. This saddle is so comfortable it's like riding on a couch!

I recently got a Stubben Sigfried for Octavia for jumping so, they do have EXTRA-wide saddles too.

[Graymare]

Christina: I'm considering a treeless for my Clyde-X. She's kind of a tough fit because she's so short-coupled, yet wide. Most saddles bridge on her. I did find a GAWJUS Stackhouse a few months ago and it fits well, but not me The twist is too wide for my poor body and I wind up in agony.

I was "told" by some folks that treeless usually isn't an option for us Womanly Sized Riders because they don't distribute the weight enough BUT seeing your post gives me hope. What say you?

[Phyxius]

Hey, sorry I missed your reply.

I've not had any problems with the treeless saddle and my horse's back is fine, too. I use a skito pad and my barefoot is one of the older ones. They now come with built in equalizer pads.

It's shame we don't live closer I'd be happy to let you give it a try!

[ErinW]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I also have a saddle question...

Does Duett make medium or medium wides too, or only for the really wide horses? I'm not thrilled with my Kiefer dressage saddle as it pushes me forward and too far in front of the verticle. It's ok, but I feel there is a better fit for Encore too. So I'm looking to exchange/trade/sell for a different dressage saddle medium-wide...I think that's correct, but honestly not sure. How do I find his "size"? He's half Clyde, half TB, has pronounced withers, but isn't as narrow as a full TB. So I'm not sure what I should do. Here's a pic if it helps.

[draftxrider]

I rotate between two saddles right now with Chi based on her chiro's fittings. I have the Kieffer Wein (OLD version) and a Thornhill Vienna.

We're currently riding in the Thornhill. I am not a huge fan of the quality of the saddle but for the price, especially if you get them used, is fair.

Chi will be five this year and since I guessing the rapid body changes will slow a bit I'm going to be purchasing Smith Worthington this spring. They'll semi custom the one I want and I'll use that until we move up and then we'll see where we're at and what we need.

[duettsaddles]

Duett specializes in wide and extra to super wide trees but does carry trees as narrow as 32 cm, which in many cases will even fit a slender TB.