# Collegiate Dressage saddles??



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Tabitha Fawn said:


> I'd be buying it from someone online and the seller told me if it doesn't fit my horse I can send it back so that's not a problem.


Make sure she's/he's serious!

I own a Collegiate Dressage saddle. I love mine, it's comfy to me, but then again that's the only dressage saddle I've ever been in.

As long as you like it, that's what matters.


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## With Grace (Oct 20, 2011)

the dressage saddle at my barn for the lesson horses is the Collegiate. It's quite comfy and honestly fits every horse in the barn. I liked it so much that when looking for an A/P saddle I went with Collegiate knowing it would wear like iron and fit many horses. A girl at my barn with a Morab uses it to show in, thats how versatile they are!


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

I'm another Collegiate fan. The barn dressage saddle that fits my mare is a Collegiate (model unknown). And I have ridden in a friend's Collegiate Jessica dressage saddle.


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## SunnyBlack (May 5, 2012)

It really comes down to personal prefference when your shopping for saddles. However being a Dressage gal myself, I will give you one piece of advice. Always try out your saddle in a lesson. Much of the time when you go to tack stores and sit your butt down on one of those "Tree-stump looking saddle racks" you get a false pretense into how the saddle will feel when ridden. This is simply because you have no horse under you, lol. Horses come in all body shapes and when they move their muscles acclimate seamlessly to that body in order for them to move forward. Many saddles that feel "comfy" or "correctly" will feel completely different to the horse, and to you, when ridden. The saddle should rest securely on the horses back without pinching the muscles over the theistic vertebrae beneath. It should have sufficient stuffing as to not create saddle sourness and should not slip or "drop behind you" (the strange feeling you experience when the cantle drops below your hip during canter. This occurs because of too little padding around the tree.) when engaging gaits. You should be able to flawlessly move through transitions without feeling hesitation or stress from your horse. (Especially if said horse does not normally have an issue with this)

This sounds very duh, I know... but you'd be surprised the number of people who do not do this very simple and important test.


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

A few months ago I got the collegiate convertible post graduate dressage saddle. I seriously would not ride in anything else! The confort is amazing, it is easy to fit to the horse, gullet change system, fair size knee rolls etc!!AND it looks good as well! It is well worth the money spent.
I love it!! considering going to the jumping saddle in the collegiate brand as well


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Aside of all the fit checks one can do between cross ties, one of the best ways to know if a horse likes a saddle is to feel his walk. The freer and more impulsive his walk, the better he likes the saddle.


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