Clarification of new saddle rule

[Judy F]

To All Competition Organizers -#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Date: May 25, 2005#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#To: Dressage Competition Organizers, Officials and Competitors#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#From: Dressage Canada Rules#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Re: Re. FEI Art 428.2#ed_op#br#ed_cl# Saddlery - EC page 39 Art, 2.21.2#ed_op#br#ed_cl# A plain Dressage saddle, which must be close to the horse,#ed_op#br#ed_cl#which has long, near- vertical flaps with stirrups and must be black#ed_op#br#ed_cl#or brown in colour is compulsory in all levels.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#There has been discussion about this recently published amendment and#ed_op#br#ed_cl#clarification is required. This is an FEI rule and the philosophy continues#ed_op#br#ed_cl#to be that EC rules, and therefore Dressage rules, be kept in line with FEI.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Rules are dynamic and ongoing changes to equipment such as spurs, bits and#ed_op#br#ed_cl#saddles mean that definitions may need to be modified to reflect these#ed_op#br#ed_cl#current standards. The current marketplace is promoting a wide variety of#ed_op#br#ed_cl#decorated and stock seat type saddles for dressage including but not#ed_op#br#ed_cl#limited to Australian, Endurance, Baroque, Spanish, Stock and Western. This#ed_op#br#ed_cl#rule is to ensure that the plain English type saddle continue to be used#ed_op#br#ed_cl#for Dressage.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#For 2005 Equine Canada sanctioned competitions (Primary, Provincial &#ed_op#br#ed_cl#National) the dressage and the basic English saddle will comply with the#ed_op#br#ed_cl#above rule.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#**************************************#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#If you have questions please contact either:#ed_op#br#ed_cl#competitions@dressagecanada.org or rules@dressagecanada.org#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Anne Welch#ed_op#br#ed_cl#Competitions Committee

[Pony Hunter]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#The saddle pad has to be brown or black??? I am very  confused #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Thinking/2.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Piaffing]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN class=name#ed_cl##ed_op#A name=174671#ed_cl##ed_op#/A#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Verdana size=4#ed_cl#Pony Hunter the saddle has to be black or brown#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[draftdriver]

Thanks for posting the clarification, Judy.

[Judy F]

Now if only we could find horses with long straight flaps and built in stirrups! Or perhaps Equine Canada could find someone who could write proper English grammar.

[cadence]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Of course, the really big and important question everyone wants to know is WHY won't they allow a PINK saddle?  Purple is nice too.  Lately, I've had an orange kick, so why not that?  Blue, personally, looks very good on me and my horse!  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#A href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm460YYCA" target=_blank#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG alt="Too Funny" src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_1_72.gif" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/A#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl#Seriously, I didn't think there were any other colours in saddlery but brown and black?? So why the clarification on colour?  And aren't most dressage saddles with "flat, vertical" flaps and close-fitting in design?? #ed_op#A href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb044_ZNxdm460YYCA" target=_blank#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG src="http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=ZSzeb044&pp=ZNxdm460YYCA" border=0#ed_cl##ed_op#/A#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[cadence]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#One thing I'm seriously concerned about is if the sport is so stuck on "dressage only" type saddles and not allowing all-purpose saddles on EC sanctioned shows, especially when it comes to kids, (which around here is practically every single show there is, except for the 4 training shows per year), it is going to reduce interest in this sport. Most parents aren't going to buy their kid a dressage saddle plus a jumping saddle for their well-rounded, multi-functional pony their kid is riding in Pony Club or 4-H, jumping, eventing, going on hacks with, doing flat classes at shows, maybe some dressage, etc. And don't we want more kids riding in dressage to keep this sport alive and training those kids to have good seats, legs and body positioning the way only dressage really can? As a kid, I always rode my dressage tests with my all-purpose saddle, because my horse also jumped, evented, participated in Pony Club, did some endurance, hacked on trails a lot, yadda yadda. There was no way my parents could afford to buy me 2 saddles, let alone a saddle for every sport, not with keeping my horse, getting me lessons and paying show fees plus driving me there too.  I think my parents' budget wasn't that far off from the budgets of a lot of parents today.  I hope some stewards and judges turn a blind eye instead of being so rigid.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Chisholm]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#This is an FEI ruling, you can use what ever saddle you please at regular schooling shows, trillium and national shows.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Browndog]

Chisholm, please read thread titled 'new dressage rules' - the FEI saddle rule now apply to all EC shows - Primary, Trillium and National although it seems that the rule was in affect for one day and has been reversed and reverted to previous wording if I am reading the above correctly?

[cadence]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=1#ed_cl#For 2005, Equine Canada sanctioned competitions (Primary, Provincial &#ed_op#BR#ed_cl#National) the dressage and the basic English saddle will comply with the#ed_op#BR#ed_cl#above rule.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT size=2#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I think that is pretty clear that this is with all EC sanctioned shows.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#And my concern still stands regarding the impact it will have on our sport with youngsters who are the future of dressage.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Kerri]

Just to reiterate, this in no way affects juniors, amateurs etc. You
can still use an all-purpose saddle - the clarification makes this
clear. This clarification has been sent to all EC Officials
(judges/stewards) as well as a large number of show organizers across
the country. #ed_op#br#ed_cl#
Anyone can feel free to email me directly with any questions/concerns etc. they have - kmcgregor@dressagecanada.org #ed_op#img src="richedit/smileys/Happy/2.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#

[Judy F]

Poor Cadence, you're just a few years late! Wintec produced a whole line of coloured saddles about 10 years ago: red, blue, green, fuschia! It prompted the FEI to immediately ban coloured saddles for competition use.

Now it appears that dressage style endurance, Australian, etc. saddles have appeared and people are using them for dressage competition. Hence the rule.

And Chis, sorry, this one applies to EC competitions as of now BUT not if the prize list has already been disseminated. For the rest of us, we now a a little lee-way at least for this year. Schooling shows are not bound by EC regulations and don't have stewards, so others saddles will be okay there.

"Long nearly-straight flaps" can apply to a lot of all purpose saddles. The good news is that they did not specify "straight tree" versus "forward tree".

[cadence]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#hehehe.. I really must get out more and go shopping once in a while!  If a Wintec would actually fit my horse properly, I just might be interested in some of those pretty colours!  Thanks Judy!  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[xena_n_joss]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#haha those wintecs were wicked, this one lady I knew had a red wintec. It was so strange... but cool... Im just think wow... id never ride in that but... it still looks cool hehe. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Morgan1981]

Just thought I would add my two cents here as I am a dressage rider and competitor. Many may disagree with me but in my opinion I thinki it is about time that a rule like this has been made.

I think it will make people think long and hard about the dicipline they wish to persue. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to succeed well in dressage and I ahve seen way too many people competing that really shouldn't be there. I think this saddle rule will encourage more serious riders in the ring and hopefully a higher claibur or riders. I'm not kidding when I say that some of the riders I have watched in the ring these last few years is painful.

I personally think that by the time you are ready to show Trillium level dressage you have chosen dressage as your discipline of choice and a proper dressage saddle is essential. Some may say "what about people who are trying it out for a few shows?". If you are just "trying it out" then you are not ready for Trillium level dressage and perhaps a primary show would be best.

I don't know...this is just my opinion...hope I didn't step on anyones toes.

[Lix]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Thinking/3.gif"#ed_cl# I'm confused... (and I apologize in advance since I'm not familiar with showing and regulation lingo.)#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Does this mean that dressage saddles are now required in order to compete in dressage classes at the trillium (or higher) levels?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Judy F]

What it means is that you can't show dressage at Trillium and National shows in a jumping saddle.

The question that has folks worried is whether on not an all-purpose saddle with 'long, nearly-straight flaps' will be allowed. Stewards have a certain amount of lee-way this year but next year may be something else.