Should I Use a Dressage Saddle?

Whether you are a novice or experienced horse rider, the large amount of horse riding equipment on the market can be confusing at the best of times! With saddles in particular, there are so many types available it can be be a headache trying to choose the right one. The most commonly used horse back riding saddles are general purpose saddles. As the name implies, these are used for all ages and abilities of horse and rider and are suitable for many different equatrian activities.

So if the general purpose saddle is good for everything, then why is there a need for specialist saddles? Well the answer to this is in the question! Specialist horse back riding saddles are exactly what the description states - specialist. They are designed to suit a particular discipline and a particular style of riding with properties that better enable horse and rider to perform. The general purpose saddle is a compromise between many different specialist horse back riding saddles but in the process this means that at advanced levels of riding and competition the general purpose saddle ceases to fulfil all of the requirements of horse and rider. Take for example the dressage saddle. It is a specific style of horse back riding saddle used, as the name suggests, for riding horses on the flat and in particular for riding dressage movements. It has a number of features that make it distinguishable but also a number of properties that make it completely unsuitable for other disciplines, for example, show jumping. However, if you are a serious dressage rider then a dressage saddle can be of great benefit.

The design of the dressage saddle enables the rider to sit deeper with their legs longer. This position of the rider in turn helps the horse to remain balanced and carry himself correctly. The seat is deeper than a general purpose saddle, with a higher pommel and cantle and usually wider panels to the underside of the saddle with less padding. This not only encourages a deeper seat from the rider but also enables closer contact and a more even weight distribution, this in turn allows the rider to give more accurate aids to the horse.

The position of the rider in dressage requires a longer leg that hangs directly underneath the hips of the rider. To facilitate this, dressage saddles have long, straight cut saddle flaps and stirrup bars positioned slightly further back to encourage the rider to keep the knee down and the thigh back. The straight cut design also allows the horse plenty of freedom around the shoulders.

Another feature of dressage saddles are long billet straps with a shorter girth which buckle around the elbow of the horse, this keeps the buckles out of the way of the rider's leg allowing for the rider to keep a close contact with the horse and give effective leg aids.

Although useful, a dressage saddle is not a necessity for many riders who happily ride and compete in dressage for all of their life in a general purpose saddle. Generally speaking, a dressage saddle is only necessary for those riders where dressage is their main discipline and are riding at more advanced levels. If you often ride and compete in other equestrian disciplines such as show jumping or hunting then it may not be worth investing in a dressage saddle. Consider the fact that you may then end up with two or three different saddles for your horse which also means two or three times more tack to clean! This being said, if you are serious about concentrating solely on improving your dressage and moving on to more advanced competition, then then the purchase of a quality dressage saddle may be a worthwhile investment.

View the original article here