A Question About British English Saddles

[Roheryn]

Meaning, "English" style saddles that are used in the UK but that I haven't seen in use here (US).

I have seen saddles for sale on UK Web sites that are called working hunter saddles and show saddles. I am interested in the fact that some of the working hunter saddles have straight flaps instead of forward (jumping) flaps.

The show saddles look like one I actually did see at a barn where I rode 40-odd years ago, it had straight flaps (all the other saddles at the barn had forward flaps). It looked like cutback (Lane Fox) saddle seat saddle without the cutback pommel.

I guess what I want to know is, are the working hunter saddles used in hunting, or for shows to show off the horse's forehand, or what? Are the show saddles used for anything but shows? Could they be used for dressage since they have straight flaps?

Just wondering ...

[Thistle]

Hi!

Working Hunter saddles are mostly used for showing though I have just bought one for my young highland and I will use it as a general purpose saddle too. The straight cut flaps do show off the shoulder well in the ring and the knee rolls are sufficient for jumping too. Not many people would use one for general hunting though.

Showing saddles are used mainly in the ring though I have seen them used for dressage. As far as I remember they are quite similar to the LaneFox saddles without the cutback bit. Show saddles generally have no knee or thigh rolls and so tend not to be used outside the ring.

Hope that helps a bit!