Favourite Saddles & Why

Well, I'm off to Phillip Oates this sunday to suss out his selection..

Seems to be a good place - have bought all my saddles from him now.. (well, except my Ammo). So before he does a well deserved runner, keen to pop in for a visit.

Put my butt in a few saddles and see what we come up with.. I'm a shocker.. We go to him for our saddles and we are like kids in a candy store.. LMAO..

make sure he gives you a lolly pop chook!

Bandicoot he's got all his brand new Barnsby saddles mega discounted - I was going to pick up a brand new Kanter for $2100 but ended up buying a Bates privately - LOVE the Barnsby saddles!

Also currently in love with my Bates Maestro Have never been a huge Bates fan but somehow have ended up with all my saddles being Bates (well the jump saddle's Wintec... close enough)!

Oh Christ dont tell me that.

I really really really LOVE my Crosby Impulsion saddle. I also have a county compeittor that I really like as well but the crosby is better IMO. I like the crosby better as it seems to put you in a much better position and gives a really good feel. To look at them on the shelf they aren't very pretty but once on a horse they look really good. I use mine for showing. even tho it is a dressage saddle, and it doesn't look out of place. They are reasonably priced if you can get them on sale, around $1700.

I love my Keiffer Dressage saddles (no fanny griding?)
Have had Lech & Profi.

When i was jumping, had 2 Stubbens, Seigfried & Tristan.

My FAVOURITE saddle of all time is my Lincoln Cygnet Rambler Special Jumping Saddle..............

I bought it in 1986 (was second hand then), and I LOVE it.

It has a REALLY deep seat, lovely big knee rolls and LOTS of room............

It is REALLY comfy..........

I had a momentary lapse of sanity last year and sold it to one of my dearest friends who it was left to in my will (she loved it too!!) and then I have recently bought it back from her.

I have an old bates close contact jumping saddle (with the long points and only one flap). I have had it for over 15 years and still ride in it all the time.

For dressage I have an old bates osborne which does the trick.

And I am about to take delivery of a northern river drafter cross bred with swinging fenders. So fingers crossed that it works out for me.

I love my Anky... although have ridden in not that many dressage saddles and liked a few of them (friend has an Innova that I don't mind either)

My jumping saddle is an Ambassador.... it's ok. Dash was hard to fit so I bought it for her confort not mine. Would prefer her happy in a saddle I find a little hard to the seat than a lovely soft saddle and an unhappy broncing horse!

I'm riding in an old Anky at the moment.. LOVE it!! Hate the new ones, my legs are too short for them, but this old one is love

I have a new one and my legs are very short... maybe it just doesn't suit you? I do like the old ones too, I don't find them that much different.

still waiting for my Anky

love me wintec 500 though, it does its job i guess and its fair comfy.. miss my wintec 2000 yup that was a comfy one

Dressage Diva wrote:I have a new one and my legs are very short... maybe it just doesn't suit you? I do like the old ones too, I don't find them that much different.

Really? Wow you must be weird haha joking! But seriously, EVERY short person I've met that has sat in an Anky hasn't liked it! I loved the seat but the legs just didn't do it for me. They're designed with the long legged rider in mind. Lyn loves the new ones because they suit her length of leg, but she can't ride in this old one because it's too short in the leg for her It's an old OLD one though, not just like a model from a couple of years ago, it'd be at least 7 years, probably more. The knee rolls are positioned quite alot higher than the newer Anky's.

I dunno, I just don't find it's a problem.. having said that, I didn't try THAT many saddles before I bought my anky.

My friend who events a lot in Vic is VERY short, and she loves hers too. She knows her stuff too, her mum is a GP dressage rider. So I would never tell anyone not to give them a go just cos they have stumps in place of legs!

I'm tall-ish & can't stand Ankys! Although I've only ridden in 2 & I don't think either of them were the newest versions. They put heaps of pressure on my tailbone & were just generally unpleasant to ride in. Having said that, I've had both an Isabell & an Ulla that I loved & a lot of people don't find either of those comfy.

I would be keen to try an Innova, with the standard knee blocks - the extended look ridiculous & I'm seeing a lot more pics in Horse Deals of people riding in them & it seems to give some people a less than exemplary position. A lot of times it actually looks like the seat size is too small for them & the huge knee blocks are pushing them to the back of the saddle.

For jumping I love my Wintec 500 close contact - basically the same as a Caprilli jump but synthetic - a while back I kept selling mine & trying other jump saddles but always ended up getting the Wintec again!