Should my Dressage Saddle be more comfortable?

Hmm, I have about the same problem, but only in sitting trot in my saddle. I know a part of this is that my horse will not go as fast or bumpy when trotting bareback, but also that a saddle has the tendency to put you in a certain position. I like my legs under me, but with space to move. Sitting trot with the stirrups is okay, without stirrups my thighs start hurting like mad because the knee rolls are keeping them back while the saddle is pushing them forward.

The most obvious reason for a saddle not fitting either a horse or a rider is that it is static. It's hard, it doesn't give. When you ride bareback, even with a pad in between, you don't have this problem. Both you and the horse's back are flexible, but when you sit down on a saddle, you're sitting on a well-padded piece of wood. No amount of padding (your half pad won't matter either) is going to change that it is wood/metal/whatever and not flexible. Now I do fully believe that there should be a saddle out there that is comfortable for your horse and for you and barely bothers you, but especially with a horse that is hard to find a good saddle for, it will be even harder to find a saddle good for you both.
What I wonder is why walk and sitting trot go fine for you, but not rising trot and canter. What is it that is getting in your way, the shape and/or depth of the seat, the knee rolls, the hang-up point of the stirrup leathers? Does it make you lose your balance or do you get sore muscles after riding? Another thing to ask is does the saddle really fit on your horse, and is it possible it could be rocking on your horse's back?

I have that half pad and unless your saddle is a touch too big and you need the padding, it's thick, pretty unforgiving and not great. Try a sheepskin halfpad, way more cooshy and not going to affect saddle fit as much. I'll never use the Exselle one again.

Do you have a saddle fitter around? The one here will loans saddles until you find one that fits the horse AND you and she comes out multiple times to make sure of it.

And I adore you, as does the forum so as M.C Hammer says, can't touch this!!


Cinny your saddle needs to be super comfy. You shouldn't fight it for your position. A halfpad can help just go with a thinline one or one with wool. But yeah.. going to need to get a different one eventually.

Mine is so-so. It could be better, but it's WAY more comfy than any other saddle I've been in (I'm just picky :P)