Buyer’s guide
Saddles
BUYING A SADDLE is a big investment, so it’s important to make the right choice for you and your horse before handing over your money. This can be easier said than done and, with such a huge selection available, the whole saddle buying process can be pretty overwhelming. However, asking yourself a few key questions will help you narrow down your search and make buying a saddle much more exciting. To help you, we’ve put together all the advice you’ll need and we’ve even included a selection of quality saddles available, too.
Help from an expert
Top of your to-do list is to book an appointment with a registered Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Fitter. They’ll be able to guide you through the whole process and offer advice on which saddle suits you and your horse best. Also, having your saddle correctly fitted is essential so your horse is comfortable and you can maintain your position easily. This advice applies whether you’re buying new or second-hand. Any slight imbalance in the fit of your saddle can play havoc with your position, which then impacts on your horse’s way of going. To find your nearest qualified fitter, visit www.mastersaddlers.co.uk
Pick your style
Next, you’ll need to decide what style of saddle you’d like and this will be largely dependent on what main discipline you do with your horse. Each style is made according to the way you sit for each particular discipline and in this feature we’ll cover the three key types. 1 General Purpose (GP) as the name suggests is a type of saddle that’s suitable for just about any purpose and will let you do most disciplines in comfort. If you don’t compete regularly, or mainly hack, this will probably be the saddle that will suit your needs the best. 2 Dressage saddles have a longer and straighter saddle flap that allows you to ride with longer stirrups. The seat also tends to be deeper and it’ll have larger knee blocks that can be fixed or moveable. All these features will help you maintain a correct riding position for riding on the flat. 3 Jump saddles have a more forward cut saddle flap so you can ride with shorter stirrups. They’re also likely to have a flatter seat to allow you some freedom of movement, especially useful when you’re riding cross-country.
A saddle for life
A great modern feature that’s definitely worth looking for is a saddle with a changeable gullet. This allows the width of your saddle to be changed quickly and easily if your horse changes shape. This is particularly useful if you own a young horse who’s still developing. This option could save you quite a lot of money as one saddle should last your horse a lifetime.