Saddle Pricing Question

I would like to know why it seems that when you look at a line of saddles by pretty much any saddler the dressage saddles are always more expensive then the close contact saddles and they are a bit more then the all purpose ones. I don't think it is a materials cost increase because the close contacts usually have less material used then the all purpose saddles. Any tack dealers or saddle reps out there that would like to help me out here? Also anyone with any ideas of why this is so please put in your two cents.

I am now looking at buying a dressage saddle and will probably go to the used market so that I can get a higher quality saddle for the money that I want to spend. I have looked at the new saddles available in my price range (under or around 1,000) and while I have heard good things about them I would just like to get something that I am really going to be happy with. I know why the dressage saddles are holding there value more in the used market because of the current high popularity of the sport.

Well, I am assuming from your user name that you might be a lot like me! I grew up in the H/J world and LOVED my Crosby Sovereigns. When I got back into riding, I also wanted to make the switch to dressage and had a bit of sticker shock when buying a saddle. I do know that good dressage saddles typically tend to be very well balanced and made with a little more care in fitting the horse and rider than a lot of other mass produced saddles. My best advice, assuming you're a crosby fan, is to try to find a Crosby Softride PSG dressage saddle. Crosby didn't make them very long, but you can find them at a really great price. I just bought one off ebay, never ridden in with the tags still attached (sticker on tag still said $1800!) for $895. I absolutely love it!

I am a Crosby fan and have been kinda disappointed that either they don't really make many dressage saddles or shops just don't carry them. I would like to find a Softride I rode in the eventing Softride model and loved it.

Check some of the bigger online tack shops that offer a trial period. Shipping is normally something like $35 and they'll let you try the saddle for about a week with an authorization on your cc. Also, keep an eye on Craigslist. I find all sorts of stuff on there and you can see it before you buy.

Used Dressage: Pelham Saddlery

Used Dressage Saddles - St. Croix Saddlery

Used Dressage Saddles Trumbull Mountain Tack Shop & Saddle Specialists

Rick's Heritage Saddlery - Dressage Used Saddles

Oh, believe me I am haunting all of those sites! Unfortunately we don't have a craigslist in our area, and the equivalent that we do have never has English tack, I think they only English saddle I have seen on it was a silver fox all purpose. I also really like the older Stubbens. I really like brown dressage tack too and some of the older Crosby and Stubbens came in brown. It will just be hard to find a brown dressage girth.

Crosby was made by Walsall Riding when Miller Harness owned it. Wallsall is now selling Exselle and hear that they are able to recreate any Crosby from the Miller era if you can get the model number or name. But that won't help the cost any.

Good information! Welcome to the forum, Tack Collector.

Really? Close contact saddles are cheaper then dressage saddles?! Have you seen the higher end ones? I wouldn't consider a $6500 Hermes a cheap CC saddle.... Devoucoux, Antares, Tad Coffins, Delgrange... not cheap. But, I'm not a dressage person so what do I know? :) Maybe there's more construction on them?

I think what she meant was that an equivalent Dressage saddle is more expensive than its close contact counterpart. For example, the Hermes Essentielle, Brasilia, Steinkraus are all $6100 on Dover. While the Hermes Corlandus Dressage is $7200.

I've noticed this pricing trend too, and have no idea why it is the case.

Brown Keiffer...
Used Dressage Saddles - Kieffer Aachen | Apple Saddlery

GENERALLY speaking, people are willing to spend more more a disipline specific saddle, so they have a tendancy to have nicer leather and more features. I've always found that the Dressage vs. equilivent Close Contact battle puts Dressage at a higher price point because there is more material used.

There are exceptions however, take the Bates "Caprilli" because they make the same saddle in CC, A/P and Dressage. CC and Dressage are both $1866 but A/P is $1765. As far as I know, they all have the exact same leather and features.