Conformation Considerations!
When it comes to choosing a dressage saddle for your horse, it’s not just your horse’s conformation that needs to be considered – the rider’s physical attributes are key to a comfortable ride for you too!
Sara Morrison is a trained and experienced saddle fitter for Saddles Deluxe, a division of on-line retailers Dressage Deluxe. In this feature Sara gives you some points to consider if you are looking to buy a dressage saddle…
TALL
If you are tall, then you need to ensure that you have a saddle which gives you enough room for your leg to fall naturally and that the knee roll doesn’t block or interfere with your leg. Amerigo saddles even offer several options, including Long, XL and ‘Swiss Flap’ which gives the rider additional room at the front of the saddle.
VERTICALLY CHALLENGED
If you are petite in height, you need to ensure that you do not get ‘lost’ in the size of the seat and also that the knee blocks are in the right place to give you the security you need in a dressage saddle. Shorter flaps could also be a consideration, so that your legs will make contact with the horse’s side.
APPLE SHAPED
If your derriere is on the larger side, you will need to consider this in your choice of seat size, so that your weight is evenly distributed across the saddle, as opposed to perching you or putting your weight too far back. This is not only uncomfortable for you the rider, but can create un-necessary pressure points at the back of the saddle. The problem arises when you have a fuller figured rider wanting a saddle to fit a short coupled horse – in this situation it is hard to find a solution, which works best for
Sara Morrison from Saddles Deluxe
both horse and rider, even the bigger, chunkier type horses can have shorter backs, so its buyer beware!
PETITE
If you are petite then opting for bigger knee rolls can be helpful in maintaining your position, as well as opting for a deeper and smaller seat to contain you. We have a number of petite dressage riders partnered with big horses, so to give a smaller seat a bigger ‘look’, a black sheepskin pad can be used to make the saddle look bigger and more pleasing to the judge’s eye.
Remember, that just like our equine friends, riders come in all shapes and sizes, so make sure you take this into consideration when choosing a new saddle!
Sara Morrison: saddles@
dressagedeluxe.co.uk www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk 0800 321 3001 or 07740 281 591
TURN TOENTRYFORM TOENTER WIN WIN WIN
Keen to keep your tack looking great and in good condition whatever the weather decides to throw at you this winter?
We’ve got 3 x tubs of Amerigo Soft Grease up for grabs! Available through on- line retailer Dressage Deluxe, Amerigo Soft Grease was created by top international saddle brand Amerigo to help protect and condition leather, creating a natural barrier against the elements. Use this balm regularly to help maintain the leathers’ softness and help to keep your leatherwork looking good as new.
RRP: £19.50
www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk 0800 321 3001
rolls need to be in the right place for you
petite knee
If you are
Sienna Cervia is a good saddle for taller riders
Amerigo
Emporio Saddle is good for short riders
Kieffer Piet is a good saddle for larger frames
26
www.equestrianlifemagazine.co.uk
The Equipe
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