# Can you trail-ride with an english close contact jumping saddle?



## Eucah (Dec 22, 2020)

I plan to ride my future horse for pleasure riding, not for competitions, shows, or anything like that. I am also most comfortable with English riding.
Im hoping to get one saddle that I can use for both jumping(low-medium) and lengthy trail-rides.(Probably 3+ hour rides)
I am wondering if it’s comfortable to use a close contact saddle for long trail rides or if I should just buy a saddle made specifically for trail-riding?
Thanks!


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

You are either going to compromise or get two saddles. I have a trail saddle which I could, technically, do low level jumping in, if I was interested in that or knew how. It is a VSD (German type of all-purpose) saddle. It has velcro-attached inside knee rolls. I'd say though that if I wanted to jump I'd get a nice used jumping saddle.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

A lot of this is going to depend on what you find comfortable.

I have done many, many trail miles in a Rubicon, as well as popping over some small things here and there:










I suspect that if you use the same saddle for both, you will want to have two different sets of stirrups - normal irons for jumping and then something with a wider footbed for trail riding. Easy enough to keep each on their own set of leathers and just change them as needed.


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## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

I see no problem with hitting the trails in an english saddle - at this point, it's all I ride in, no matter what I'm doing. I'll usually put my stirrups down a hole or two so that my feet are still secure, but there is less pressure on my knees. The biggest thing is that the saddle you chose is comfortable over fences and on the trail - which can be difficult to find, depending on your budget and preferences.

I find that really anything at this point works for me - I ride in a M. Toulouse monoflap right now, previously a Collegiate Senior Event Saddle, a Rembrandt Dressage Saddle, SO's huge 19" Stubben...really whatever. The only thing that hurts is SO's saddle, it kills my tailbone, but I figure it's made more for a man's pelvis than a woman's.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

If the english saddle is comfortable for you then yes - you can totally ride trails in it. I did it for years but now I live in my western saddle... I just like it better these days but there are times when I just "need" my english saddle...


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## Eucah (Dec 22, 2020)

phantomhorse13 said:


> A lot of this is going to depend on what you find comfortable.
> 
> I have done many, many trail miles in a Rubicon, as well as popping over some small things here and there:
> 
> ...


So I can buy a close contact saddle and just change out the stirrups when I want to trail ride? Seems simple enough !


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

Fox hunting is done in jumping saddles and a fox hunt is basically a really exciting trail ride with big jumps and mud. So, yes, you can trail ride in a jumping saddle.


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

I have done it and will probably do it again, ha. It's not the most secure thing to trail ride in, but if you trust your horse there's no reason it can't work. The only time I've fallen off my current horse, I was riding her in the bush at the back of the boarding property, and something scared her and she did a VERY quick 180 and cantered off for a few strides. I probably would have stuck that spin if I had been in a western or Aussie saddle. But... I wasn't -- I was in a fairly slick, minimalist dressage saddle with no thigh blocks or anything -- so off I went.

However, I used to do all kinds of trail riding, as a kid, in an all purpose English saddle. Same one I did all my jumping in. It wasn't particularly built up or anything. But I trusted that horse and I never even came close to falling off of her.


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## secuono (Jul 6, 2011)

You can use w/e saddle your comfortable in.
I used to use a T4 dressage saddle.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I use a hunt saddle or a polo saddle for working cattle sometimes if I don't want to rope. We cover miles of ground, so it's similar to trail riding.


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## farrieremily (Jul 8, 2018)

My mare only wore my English all purpose and we did miles and hours or trails and cross country jumping. If you’re comfortable in it you’re good to go!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

@Horsef beat me to the punch. But fox hunting is a prime example of jumping saddles used for trail riding.

Also mentioned Is that you are the only one who can really make the decision.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

For trail riding, you need a saddle that is comfortable and that you can stay on. I like the idea of changing out the stirrups.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Eucah said:


> I plan to ride my future horse for pleasure riding, not for competitions, shows, or anything like that. I am also most comfortable with English riding.
> Im hoping to get one saddle that I can use for both jumping(low-medium) and lengthy trail-rides.(Probably 3+ hour rides)
> I am wondering if it’s comfortable to use a close contact saddle for long trail rides or if I should just buy a saddle made specifically for trail-riding?
> Thanks!


I rode most of my life in a flat, close contact jumping saddle. We did shows, trails, penning, sorting, and dirt track racing out in the desert, all on that one saddle. It was very comfortable and I still have it and ride it when I don't feel like lifting my western saddle.


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## starbuster (Jul 10, 2019)

Sorry if this is late, but I have trail ridden in my jumping saddle for years! With that being said, I have some joint issues that prevent me from riding any longer than 3 hours and I usually stick to about an hour and a half for my comfort (though I have gone up to 3 hours in this saddle), so I can't say for sure how well it would work for longer rides. I haven't had any issues, however, and have been very happy with it and am more comfortable trail riding in it than any of my Western saddles I was using before.

For what it's worth, mine is a Courbette Husar (very similar to the old Stübben Siegfrieds), so it has a deep seat, as well as knee and thigh blocks (though more minimal ones than many modern saddles), making it a very secure saddle. The first time I ever took it out on the trails, I kept forgetting I wasn't in my Western saddle and have had several Western riding family members and friends tell me the same thing when we switched horses on rides. I've also trail ridden in my Crosby Sovereign (the smooth bridle leather version of the Prix des Nations; pancake flat, no blocks or rolls, and very slick leather) and did alright, except nearly slid out of it when a horse struggled with his footing in the mud one day! It is not yet all the way broken in which may be part of it, and that was the only issue I had with trail riding in it, but my favorite is definitely the Courbette with the added security for trail riding. It's not so much that it interferes with your freedom of movement or your position, but is just enough to be helpful for when a horse slips, spooks, etc.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I've ridden about an hour on some pretty extreme trails with a new close contact saddle, to get used it. First 20 minutes, it was weird, after that, it was fine. That was my first ride in it too. I only use it for shows, so if a show is coming up, I will do that again, but if that was my only saddle, I would be okay with it.


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