# Aussie Saddle for Beginner Rider



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I love my Aussie saddle. I use mine for trail riding.

You can jump in it, even with the poleys, it's just not very comfortable and doesn't put you in the optimal position. 

I believe it does put you in a position similar to a dressage seat, however I'm not 100% sure on that.
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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

That link doesn't work for me, but if it's the synthetic Kimberly without a horn, I have the same saddle!

I loooooove it. So comfortable and so secure!

However, I would not recommend it as an "transition to English" saddle. At least with mine, it puts me in a really chair seat-type position, with my legs more in front of me than under me. That, of course, is a HUGE no-no in the dressage/English world.

Aussie saddles are meant to be ridden in with your legs slightly forward of "center" so it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find one that puts you in a proper dressage/English seat.

For me, I've been riding for so long in a chair seat that I find it nearly impossible to get my leg really under me. I'm sure I could if I had an instructor mention it to me every time I slipped into that position, but it's a super ingrained habit=would take forevvvver to fix.

If I were you, I would just switch directly over to an English/dressage saddle - if that's your end goal. No need to teach your body bad habits that you're eventually going to hate! haha


On the other hand, I really do love that saddle. I'm most comfortable in an English saddle but wanted more security for the trails, since I am a trail rider. That saddle feels just like a really secure dressage saddle. After a bit, you forget the poleys are even there. And the poleys are excellent for teaching low, proper, posting - there's absolutely no way to post too high! :lol:
Other bonus - my mare is a "stop, freeze, spin"-type when she spooks and I have never felt close to falling off while riding in this saddle. I feel safer in it than I've ever felt while riding, western and english saddles included. 
Actually, I think the only saddle I've felt as secure in was a early 1900's bear-trap western saddle. However, that was sacrificing comfort for security. This Aussie is comfort AND security!!
I'm not sure if I'll ever buy another kind of saddle.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

This is the position my Aussie saddle puts me in:









Not exactly a dressage position, but definitely not a chair seat.
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## BreakableRider (Aug 14, 2013)

I'm not a fan of aussie saddles personally. I've never seen one that puts a rider in a decent position. 

You want to learn to ride in a saddle that will put you in a good position to develop good muscle memory, and not create bad habits you'll need to break. 

Later on by all means, go aussie but by that pointyou'll know the difference between a good and bad position.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Drafty, that IS a chair seat. :wink: Anytime your leg/foot goes in front of the straight line that goes from your head-hips-ankle = chair seat.
I'm not trying to bash you at all, I hope you don't feel that way! Heck, I feel most comfortable IN a chair seat position. 
As more experienced riders, I think we have the knowledge to make the choice. I just don't think it's necessarily in the best interest of a newer rider to start out with a chair seat, then possibly have to fix it later as she/he progresses to his/her goal [of course, talk to bsms and he'll tell you that a chair seat is the proper way! :rofl:]. 

Here's a stock photo of "chair seat" showing that line, the one "should" be straight:










And here I am, in the saddle the OP is considering, showing off a definite chair seat! haha
[sorry for the terrible photo, it's a screen capture taken from a video]


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

See, I guess when I think chair seat, I think more how you look in that pic. Sitting back on your pockets with your legs fairly drastically in front of you. It doesn't look like it because of all the fluff, but I'm actually up on my seat bones in my saddle, more like you would be in a proper position.
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## Tracer (Sep 16, 2012)

As someone who has been riding irregularly for many years without lessons in mostly Aussie saddles, they're great for helping find your seat. The poleys help keep you in place, and the deep seat is just so darn comfortable. For the 6 months when I was doing a course involving riding in an all-purpose, I felt less secure but had very little trouble converting from my uneducated style to riding 'properly'. Even now, trail riding in my Aussie, I can let myself relax into my old chair seat, or fix myself up into 'proper' riding.

It's really a matter of opinion. If you're planning on doing dressage though, I'd go straight to it so that you don't get addicted to the security of having the poleys.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Chair seat:










Thighs parallel to the ground, all her weight in her butt.

Not a chair seat:










Not a chair seat:










There is no requirement (outside of a few horse sports) to have your heel under your hip. Lots of instructors tell their students they must have their heel under their hip, or their toes pointed forward, but that is because a lot of instructors are parrots instead of thinkers.

You don't have your heel under your hip for jumping, cutting cattle, campdrafting or many other activities. If your heel is way forward, it makes cueing with the heel darn hard. However, it also wraps your legs around the horse's center of gravity, and makes it easier to keep the horse facing forward instead of spinning around, and it helps if (or when) your horse puts on the emergency brakes without telling you first.

Those sorts of activities are not expected from a trained dressage or western pleasure horse, but they are activities some of us live with.

My DownUnder saddle puts me in this position:










That is not a chair seat. Nor is this, which is closer to my goal:










A chair seat is not based on heels in front of hips, but on balancing and having the thighs sticking out in front and your weight on your tailbone - like you have when you sit in a chair.

The US Cavalry manual:










Sorry. Rant off.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I also ought to add my rant was not directed at anyone on this thread...so if I came across as rude, I apologize.


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## SketchyHorse (May 14, 2012)

I've got an Aussie saddle by the same maker that you're looking at & it's no where near as close to my dressage saddle as they might seem. It's got a deep seat, but not as deep as dressage. Like everyone else pointed out they also have a tendency to put you in somewhat of a chair seat. I ride similar to how bsms does in my Aussie. This is not how I ride Dressage. My seat bones are tucked under me more with my heels under my hips. For me this IS a strong position to ride in & is the most effective one. Not saying bsms doesn't have a point there's other ways to ride - because I'm sure if I'm sorting cows no way in hell are you catching me riding like I do Dressage LOL. If english is the route you want to go & more specifically dressage - then get a dressage saddle. My hunt saddle is different from my dressage saddle that's different from my aussie that's different from my western. If anything my aussie fits more like my western in my personal opinion. 

And bsms its far easier to jump with your heels under your hip or at least center of gravity  (just giving you a hard time lol)
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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I've lifted a lot of Australian Stock saddles that are heavier than westerns. They're pretty secure which is why a lot of people seem to like them but to me most of them are nothing like a dressage saddle. The stirrup bar is often too for forward of the centre of the seat. When you move to English you'll likely have to relearn your position. 

I always rode dressage and have recently started riding western and I find that I can ride quite easily in a dressage position in a western saddle due to the flat seat and swinging fenders which allow you to adjust your position, where as the stock saddle really locks you in.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Absolutely nothing like a dressage saddle.

I rode in an Aussie for a long while with Sky after I got him. Then eventually got my old dressage saddle fitted to him.. the first ride in that I felt like I was going to die I was so unbalanced. You feel naked without the "mickey mouse ears" or the thick leather.

I forever love my dressage saddle. I'm a stronger rider because of it.

However props to those that can ride comfortably in a western saddle. It scares the beetles out of me as I haven't been in one in a long time. Not used to being on anything but my seat bones.


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