What can you do in a dressage saddle (apart from dressage...)

[capalldubh]

I have a very nice and comfy dressage saddle (a Heather Moffat Saddle Co. one) which I have been riding in since April.

It has been very successful for both me and the hoss - we have been coming on in leaps and bounds (and it is so good, I even don't fall off when we do the leaps and bounds).

It has set back stirrup bars which prevent me from assuming my default chair seat, and it fits the hoss very nicely (especially now we have built up around the pointy withers a bit) - he is moving much more freely and has become much more active.

However, things have been coming on so well, we have been introducing small jumps. I have never been a jumper - I can negotiate my way around a baby XC course if nothing is higher than 18", don't like showjumping because there are too many jumps in too small a space :o, but am happy to tackle logs etc. out hacking.

Hoss has never jumped under saddle before (he occasionally jumps things in the field for his own entertainment and will follow me over a jump in the school). We started with a few wee poles on the ground when we got access to a school in May, and have now worked our way up to 2footers as a treat when schooling is going very well. He is clearly capable of a lot more (I, on the other hand, am still a wuss).

Is this the time to think of a new saddle? I admit 2foot seems about as high as I am willing to go in a small school with dressage length leathers :p

Has anyone happily jumped more than 2ft in a dressage saddle? It would just be occasional jumps, not a course or a competition... BTW if there is a reason not to apart from the saddle shape, I would like to know (i.e. lack of cushioning for the horse's spine etc.) :)

[KateWooten]

I started to jump when I just had my phoenix. Now a few months on, I'm up to 2ft 9 in competitions. I would have to say that ok, you can pop some little jumps in the treeless- as indeed, you can bareback. I jump around 2ft 4 bareback too, but on a very reliable horse.

BUT it's like the bicycle thing... I wanted to buy a mountain bike, but wasn't sure I'd take to it, so I told my friend I'd buy a cheap one and see if I liked it or not. He told me I could save my money and he'd just tell me the answer. If you buy a cheap on, you won't like it !

Same with the saddle. It's not built for jumping, won't help you get into the secure position that you need to be in, in order to progress confidently. Especially if you feel you won't enjoy jumping more than the 2ft level - well, if you already know you're not naturally in love with jumping, then you would probably be better off giving yourself the best possible chances to get secure and stable, and get yourself a jumping saddle. (IMHO). I didn't make much progress until very recently - I'd been jumping in the abominable wintec, and just recently managed to change to Crosbys and Stubbens and it's made all the difference for me.

[Trewsers]

OH has a dressage saddle for JOe and before Joe developed djd (and subsequently had to retire from jumping) he bought a second hand Bates event saddle - the reason was the instructor said the dressage one wouldn't be any good - and wouldn't be good when he landed?! Not sure how true this was - but he did say his seat was better in the Bates.

[capalldubh]

So it's not necessarily better for the horse over low jumps (except that it should make me sit better so will feel better for him?).

I have to admit, I've surprised myself by jumping 2ft (I may have done so before but it was most likely by accident ;)) and it wasn't bad. I probably would go higher bit by bit... But I do have an absolute aversion to shortening my stirrups, so the 2ft has been done sort of in two point :o

I guess that's a new goal for us - proper jumpies with stirrups at the right length... I might PM Iron Maiden about that saddle she's selling (hmm, deja vu :D).

[Palomino Mare]

Hi,

I dont knwo much about dressage saddles but my old RI prefered jumping in a dressage saddle as she felt her legs were more balanced?

but she had been jumping BSJA for years and the leg thing was probably a long term issue she had and so the dressage saddle alowed something to cheat!!

i have a sj saddle you can borrow to see if that helps although i dont think they are great for horses with high withers?

[capalldubh]

I dont knwo much about dressage saddles but my old RI prefered jumping in a dressage saddle as she felt her legs were more balanced?

Hmm, interesting - so it's not completely unheard of to pop a jump in a dressage saddle (I was expecting the saddle police to swing by any day and confiscate it... :o).

I do feel quite secure now in the saddle and have been fine with the wee jumps (even doing them from odd angles etc) - but Lucyad has pointed out that when gallolloping, if we speed up beyond a normal canter, my legs start to wander backwards and that's when I feel less secure. So probably, a WH or even GP would be better both for that and jumping?

I had thought I could get away with just the one saddle, at least for this year, but it seems I might have to start selling that poo and put the money in a "buy a jumpy saddle" fund...

[Lucyad]

I don't know that it is just that it is a dressage saddle and long stirrups - I think that the set back stirrups in this particular model saddle aren't doing your legs any favours when you tense up (or possibly just when you go into a forward seat) - whereas you used to have a very good defensive position with strong lower legs (tendency to 'ye olde hunt seat' rather than them swinging back;)).

Jumping with long stirrups isn't so difficult (I have been jumping with too long stirrups for the last 6 months or so, until I managed to get round to punching some more holes in my stirrups). Alternatively, could you try raising them shorter than dressage length in your existing saddle - what happens - does you knee stick out over the kneerolls? If so, does it matter (for experiment's sake - not long term solution).

[Wally]

I have jumped about 2 foot in a HM Saddle co Dressage saddle.

[capalldubh]

Alternatively, could you try raising them shorter than dressage length in your existing saddle - what happens - does you knee stick out over the kneerolls?

Nothing to stop me - except shortening webbers without dismounting is difficult, so I tend to go for the lazy option and just head for the jump :D

Maybe I will have a go at shortening leathers and just experiment (do a lots of jumping session rather than a flatwork only with jumps as a treat...).

I have jumped about 2 foot in a HM Saddle co Dressage saddle.

Just sending the saddle police your address then :D It took me a while to get used to the saddle, but once I did, I loved it. Amazingly secure position for a fairly flat seated dressage saddle... and a nice squishy seatsaver to match my bum. My only quibble about the WH is that they may not be as forgiving to the bum as the HM model :o

[CrisO]

I used to jump my old share horse in a dressage saddle, it was what the owner had and didn't think it was my place to ask him to get another saddle.

I would have stirrups shorter than usual but not as short as I would have had them in a jumping saddle though my instructor would make me put them up a bit
and my knees did poke out beyond the flaps.

Used to do up to a bit over a meter - whatever the top measures of those plasic triangular spread jumps you get.

It wasn't brilliantly comfortable but i made do.

[Ms Kitty]

my old RI prefered jumping in a dressage saddle as she felt her legs were more balanced?

Same here. I did all my competing in dressage saddle, be it dressage or jumping and even did some cross country. I don't like jumping saddles, I really don't feel good in them and I have tried quite a few different types. I had (well, I still have the saddle, but not the horse) a Passier for my horse and we competed in 4ft jumping classes before I stopped competing. Never had any problems with it.

I guess it is a preference question, but I don't see a problem with using a dressage saddle for what ever you want to do with your horse, just as long as the saddle fits your horse otherwise and you feel comfortable in it.

Nina x

[capalldubh]

I guess it is a preference question, but I don't see a problem with using a dressage saddle for what ever you want to do with your horse, just as long as the saddle fits your horse otherwise and you feel comfortable in it.

Thanks, Nina - I have an offer of knee blocks that might help and I will hike up the stirrups a bit and see how we get on :) I do actually feel very secure in this saddle (and am not likely to be jumping much over 2ft until I get used to it) so I think I'll keep going until it's clear another saddle is needed.

[Bertie]

It's not ideal to jump in dressage or dressage style saddles but sometimes you cannot afford to have a saddle for every purpose. I was jumping 3ft last night in a very straight cut dressage/show style saddle

Working hunter saddles are quite similar in the straight cut of the flap with minimal knee rolls and you jump in working hunter - saddle experts why is that please???

[Ms Kitty]

It's not ideal to jump in dressage or dressage style saddles

But why is it not ideal? Ideal for the horse or the rider? I can't see it causing any problems to the horse if the saddle fits and if the rider, like me, prefers the dressage saddle I don't understand why it wouldn't be ideal? To me it definitely was.

Nina x

[Iron Maiden]

But why is it not ideal? Ideal for the horse or the rider? I can't see it causing any problems to the horse if the saddle fits and if the rider, like me, prefers the dressage saddle I don't understand why it wouldn't be ideal? To me it definitely was.

Nina x

I didn't understand why there was anything wrong with eventing in a working hunter saddle until I tried a 'proper' jumping saddle. I could stay with the horse's movement so much more easily & my lower leg hung in a secure position without me having to think about it. Jumping in the WH, where the saddle held me slightly in front of the movement, had got me into the habit of shoving my heels down and forward and pushing my bum back to the extent that I was getting left behind the movement and no longer in a balanced position over fences - basically it was messing my jumping up! I know it's possible to jump in a dressage saddle and it may suit some people - fair enough. But there is a good reason why different saddles have been designed for different jobs, and in the case of a jumping saddle, the design takes into account the particular ergonomics and physics that's going on when you jump. I certainly don't think that jumping in the EasiSit dressage saddle that Cap...etc has would be easy, as well as being very straight cut the stirrup bars are set waaaaay back, which means that as you fold forward in jumping position your leg is trying very hard to swing back & your centre of gravity will be a long way in front of the movement. This won't be good for the balance of the rider, and by virtue of that I can't see it being helpful for the horse either.

[x x Summer x x]

I just bought a dressage saddle for my horse, its the only saddle I have at the moment. He wont be doing alot of jumping so I might purchase a cheap GP at some point but will make do with what I have

Ive got enough on trying to get used to the position this one puts me in at the moment to even contemplate jumping lol

[capalldubh]

as well as being very straight cut the stirrup bars are set waaaaay back

Too right. As dressage saddles go, this one was clearly intended for dressage... and not much else ;) But it is very comfy and surprisingly secure for what we're doing just now. If anybody is selling a nice Saddle Company GP 17" do get in touch :D

[Ginger Thing]

Too right. As dressage saddles go, this one was clearly intended for dressage... and not much else ;) But it is very comfy and surprisingly secure for what we're doing just now. If anybody is selling a nice Saddle Company GP 17" do get in touch :D

I too have the HM Easisit dressage, love it for dressage but wouldn't jump in it :eek: Once did an unintended jump over a pole on the floor and nearly flew off :rolleyes::D

And I'm selling my Saddle Co GP, but it's 18" :(

[Ms Kitty]

I didn't understand why there was anything wrong with eventing in a working hunter saddle until I tried a 'proper' jumping saddle. I could stay with the horse's movement so much more easily & my lower leg hung in a secure position without me having to think about it. Jumping in the WH, where the saddle held me slightly in front of the movement, had got me into the habit of shoving my heels down and forward and pushing my bum back to the extent that I was getting left behind the movement and no longer in a balanced position over fences - basically it was messing my jumping up! I know it's possible to jump in a dressage saddle and it may suit some people - fair enough. But there is a good reason why different saddles have been designed for different jobs, and in the case of a jumping saddle, the design takes into account the particular ergonomics and physics that's going on when you jump. I certainly don't think that jumping in the EasiSit dressage saddle that Cap...etc has would be easy, as well as being very straight cut the stirrup bars are set waaaaay back, which means that as you fold forward in jumping position your leg is trying very hard to swing back & your centre of gravity will be a long way in front of the movement. This won't be good for the balance of the rider, and by virtue of that I can't see it being helpful for the horse either.

I agree. But what I said is that if the saddle fits the horse and the rider prefers it, then I can't see a reason why the dressage saddle wouldn't be "ideal" for some, not that everyone should ditch their jumping saddles.. ;) Jumping in a dressage saddle suited me, in fact even my RI told me to stick with my dressage saddle after seeing me in a proper jumping saddle. Trust me to be the awkward one! :p

Nina x