Hunter Jumper Saddles

Buying a new English saddle can be quite an investment, so it's important to take your time researching brands you like, deciding on a particular style, and also making sure it's the right fit for you and your horse. Once you have taken the time with research and settled on the perfect saddle, you should be able to enjoy your saddle for years to come.

Brands
There are many brands of hunter jumper saddles, so how do you choose the right one? It's a matter of preference really, but also, in general, really good, expensive brands have created saddles of the best materials. They also tend to be designed for maximum comfort not only for you, but also for your horse. On the high end of the price scale are Beval Butet and Hermes saddles that are very popular with people competing in A-rated hunter/jumper shows. If you're interested in more of a day-to-day schooling saddle that can also be used in the show ring, you can't go wrong with the less expensive brands like Pessoa, Collegiate, Stubben, Bates, and Ovation, to name a few.

Fit
It is incredibly important that you have the right fitting saddle for both you and your horse. The saddle is generally measured in inches from the pommel to the end of the seat. For adults, saddle sizes start at 15" for small adults (about 5' tall) up to 19" saddles for people over 6ft. Besides fitting the saddle to you, it's important that it fit your horse comfortably. If you have a thoroughbred or skinnier horse with narrow shoulders, you will want a narrower pommel. However, the same saddle would pinch a big warmblood, so you would need to make adjustments accordingly.

Once you've considered the brand, style and fit, you should think about trying some saddles out. If you have friends with saddles, ask them if you can borrow it for a lesson. The more saddles you try, the better sense you will have of what works for you and your horse.

Stubben 17 Hunter Jumper Saddle