If you're wondering 'do I need a dressage saddle' then Horse & Hound is hear to help you understand the benefits and when a specialist saddle is helpful ...

Basically I’d love a dressage saddle but can’t justify one, even a cheapish second hand one will cost me six months’ worth of lessons and I know how much more I will gain from the lessons.

Could the saddle you’re riding in mean the difference between a winning dressage score and a losing one? Ask a competitive rider this question and the answer will usually be, ‘Yes it can’.

Western saddles are used as opposed to classic dressage saddles, and they are large, with a horn or pommel, and broad stirrups. An example of the western saddles often used in cowboy dressage.