Like all other budding dressage enthusiasts, I have dreams of owning a beautiful
that will make my mare move like a grand prix horse and turn me into a top rider!!! OK, so it’s a dream. I don’t dispute that a good dressage saddle will improve the rider’s position and because the saddle flaps are straighter cut, the horse's shoulder is able to move more freely, hence, improving the horse’s movement. When I can afford one, I’ll buy one, but if like me you’re on a budget and only compete for fun as an amateur rider (albeit with dreams of higher level stuff), then you probably really only need one saddle for now. I spend most of my time hacking and I’d like to get around to jumping my horse too at some stage and so although my main passion is dressage, I needed a saddle that would be suitable for jumping and hacking too.
As such, I bought a
. This is a good option for the amateur rider as again the saddle flaps are straighter cut allowing the horse more freedom of movement and positioning the rider into a more upright posture, yet it is also suitable for all activities. Many manufacturers make VSD saddles including leather and synthetic versions, making them available to all budgets.
However, if you're not convinced and are still determined to go for it, then there are plenty of options available. There are many places to locate second hand saddles, including on the web and locally. If you're buying a used
, the only problem with buying it from out of your area is that you won't have the opportunity to make sure it fits your horse before you buy it. However, if you've already had a saddle fitter to try different types of saddle on your horse and found which makes and size fits best, then you shouldn't have too many problems. Advertisements in local papers are always useful to find the odd bargain as well as local riding clubs. Most riding clubs have a web site and many have classified advertisements. You can search for affiliated riding clubs in your area on
The British Horse Society web site.
Buying a second hand saddle locally will generally allow you to try the saddle first and return it if it doesn't fit. Alternatively, you could take your horse to the saddle! Either way, there's less chance of spending money on a saddle that doesn't fit and that you then have to try to re-sell.
As such, I bought a 
