I am planning on going dressage saddle shopping on saturday for my 4 year old canadian mare. I want a saddle that will last me a long time and i can compete in higher levels. I was just wondering what saddle would you guys suggest? it needs to comme in a wide tree. If it helps, the 2 tack shops that are closest to me are apple saddlery and greenhawk.
Thank you! 
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
No matter what you think you want, the saddle you should end up with is one that fits the horse first, and you second. =)
The saddle should be wool flocked, not foam in the panels so that the saddle can be adjusted to fit by a qualified saddler when your young horse changes shape and muscles up. My saddles need to be re-fit about every 6 to 8 months.
Generally, the saddle that works well for your young horse will not be the one that works once you get to 3rd level and above. The saddle that works for the 3rd level horse, just doesn’t let you move around as much as the young horse needs you to do, so don’t get really hung up on whether the saddle that works today will work in 4 or 5 years. I know that would be ideal, but it just doesn’t work out that way.
The newer designed saddles have wider channels, or the area between the panels. For our horses that are bred to be bigger, and are bigger boned, this is an issue. I love Keiffer saddles, but even their newer designed saddles just don’t have enough of a channel for my big boned horses. Same with the Bates Isabelle, although I don’t find the same problem with the Wintec Isabelle, and they should be the same. Just weird I guess.
Your tack store should be willing to come out with a selection for you to try on the horse and try with you up in the saddle. They have (or you can make) covers for the stirrup leathers so you don’t mark it up too much. If they won’t come (and they should, let’s face it, you’re gonna drop $2500 or so, so hold out for them to come to you) You can do the old leave a deposit and take them out one at a time. That takes forever!!!!!!
Good luck, and enjoy all that wonderful new saddle smell!!!!!
i would recommend getting your saddle from a place that will let you take it out for a few days to try it on your horse because what fits you in the store can end up putting you in a very uncomfortable position when on your horse.
I just bought a dressage saddle this summer, and i LOVE it! It’s a Marcel Toulouse Aachen and it is under $1000 brand new, but it looks sooo expensive. I had a lot of trouble finding one that is wide enough (my horse is also a wide tree) and it fits him perfectly. Miraculously, it also fits medium-narrow tree thoroughbreds. I never believed people when they said that one saddle can fit all horses, but this one truly does and it’s a GREAT price! I’ve already had 3 people come up to me in the last 3 months asking me where I got my saddle because they love they look of it and want one themselves. They couldn’t believe that it was so inexpensive as well!
Good luck on your saddle search, mine literally took years but the M. Toulouse Aachen made it all worth it!
I’ve had Stubben saddles for decades. My FAV dressage saddle is an old Parzival that I just sold. My soon to be 40 yr old Stubben Siegfried was the VERY first saddle I ever tried doing dressage on in the mid 1970′s.
http://www.stubbennorthamerica.com/stuDressage.html
Between the ages of 4 and 7 a horses shape can change massively due to the development of new muscles and through the horse finally finishing growing out (up finishes at about 4 but they also have to fill out and that often isn’t complete until about 7). so at this stage you are unlikely to find something that will last a long time.
When she has finished then perhaps consider a made to measure saddle.
I had one made for my connemara when he was 11 as he is a bit of a weird shape, he is now 19 and it still fits like a glove.i have a master saddler up to see all my lot once a year
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