# Top level show jumping tack question for the competitor.



## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Beginning levels you can use the same saddle for everything. Moving up if you are eventing the typical next purchase is the dressage saddle. Then when you get into more upper level competitions you would have a saddle for dressage, stadium jumping and cross country. The friend I have that is an elite competitor uses the same for both of the horses she competes on. Well she may have a different cross country for each. The bridles are horse specific as well as event specific.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

This is a good question. I wish I knew. Id write that one to Practical Horseman or Dressage today. 

Unfortunately I have one horse and no fitting saddles presently so about 0 experience on the topic (you can have my speculation though ! ) I know a couple times I caught rode I just used whatever tack was had for the horse, since tree size can be so variable and my jumping saddle was 1.not mine, 2. Very old 3. Looked like a misshapen flap jack. Also usually horses in a top competitors "string" are around as expensive as houses, so another $5000 into a saddle isn't likely to be the biggest expense, when top shows can cost $10k in fees and care, and board and vet work is also running in the thousands each month. Though this is just my guess.


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## seabiscuit91 (Mar 30, 2017)

Not entirely sure what you're asking.. 

But yes, professionals will have a saddle for each horse fitted correctly to them.
When you're at that level you are more then likely sponsored and would get saddles for each horse and/or re-fitted previous saddles to new horses. But from everything I've seen, each horse will have it's own saddle/tack.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

My former dressage trainer(and judge) rode all of her training horses in Wintec saddles. She had several, so that the next training horse was ready to go when she was through with the last. I never heard anyone complain... I think she showed in her show saddle, not the horse’s....but because she is a busy judge, she didn’t show all that much.....that was up to us owners. We were obviously an independent bunch.....out there showing without a trainer (GASP)!,!


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## AGibson (Nov 23, 2018)

What @SeaBiscuit said. I have been in the tack room of a Grand Prix rider. He had about 10 saddles. He was also sponsored by a well known saddle maker. Some of the saddles were new and he was test riding them. Some of the saddles were provided by the horses owners, custom fit to him and custom fit to the horse. (very rarely do riders at this level own the horse they are competing on). And some saddles were custom made for him and used on clients horses. Most trainers when ordering a custom saddle don't go for all the bells and whistles that the Ammy owner does. Trainers will get a tree that is pretty universal. Something that can be adjusted with pads. Trainers typically ride several horses a day and not for very long. Mostly to tune them up for their Ammy owner. So they need a saddle that will hold up to several rides a day and is comfortable on most horses. If there is a clients horse that is hard to fit saddle wise, the trainer will then use the clients saddle when working the horse.


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## TBIredrover (Dec 23, 2018)

Mahalo for all your answers, great explanations just what I was looking for. 👍


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