Monday 13 June 2016

New Dressage Saddle!

When I bought Dee it was my first experience with truly challenging saddle fitting. She has a super short back (and I need an 18" seat), a hollow behind her wither, and then she's super flat across her loin. I tried over 15 saddles before finding my fabulous Amerigo. It isn't a perfect fit but it's close enough that with a shimmed up half pad it causes us no problems.
So much love for my expensive Italian bum-candy
I also tried a bunch of dressage saddles. Nothing even came close to fitting. They were all either too long, they bridged or slid back really bad.

Gusseted panels are a complete no-go for her. They always end up sitting way past her last rib. Turns out, most dressage saddles have moved towards gusseted panels.

Add in that I really, really want brown and I spent my entire saddle budget on the Amerigo my saddle search got pushed to the back burner.

Then my dressage instructor put a training ride on Dee (#littleasshole had been a jerk while ponying and I managed to sprain my hand so badly I couldn't close my fingers, not super conducive for a dressage ride). She commented on how I should really look into getting a dressage saddle as my position problems are stemming from doing dressage in a XC saddle.
He can be such a jerk. Thank goodness he's cute
Two days later someone posted an older brown Crosby dressage saddle on our local HT association Facebook group. She was only asking $500 and was willing to have someone bring it up to Beaumont so I could try it.

I put it on Dee and was pleasantly surprised. I couldn't see any major issues. It was a little low in the back but seemed to fit everywhere else. I gave it a quick ride and sent a picture of me in it to my dressage instructor. I messaged the seller and asked if she would take $400.

I also had my previous coach (one of our only local saddle fitters) give the fit a quick look. She was shocked at how well it fit. It seemed like the shape of the saddle was made for Dee's back.

The seller said that $400 was perfect and that's how I ended up with a dressage saddle I wasn't really looking for, but couldn't pass up.

I'm not a fan of the colour though. I love brown dressage saddles, but this shade of brown is just unappealing. I may have to consume many an adult beverages and take a page out of Amanda's book and dye it. (I looked at dyes and there are too many for brown, I'm terrified to commit to one)

10 comments:

  1. DYE IT!!!! I used chocolate on my jump saddle.

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  2. That is so awesome! I feel your pain on the dressage saddle fitting for saddlebreds. I agree with Amanda. DYE IT!!!!

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  3. I had an old, old, old County that fit a saddlebred like it was made for him, but literally no other horse. It had the weirdest curvy tree, and swept up panels and a super narrow gullet. But he loved it. So weird, but awesome, when that happens.

    If you decide to upgrade later, a lot of saddle companies can make saddles with upswept panels for those super short backed creatures. I feel your pain. Pig's back ends basically at his last rib, making him stupid short backed. My 17" saddle almost sits on his loins. Plus side, he rides like a Ferrari.

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  4. Lucky! Can you transfer your amazing dressage saddle finding luck to me now that you're done with it? Can't wait to see it dyed.

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  5. Awesome! I'm glad you found a saddle that fits. That's next on my list for Emi.

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  6. Yup dye it. Not scary. Just do it. Literally can't look worse.

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  7. That coloring is very reminiscent of the old Bevals.

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  8. I love when you find a saddle that fits the hard to fit horses!

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