What can you compete in with an Australian Saddle? or does the type of saddle not matter in what event you do?

Question

i would really like to start competing in jumping. i have a 9 yr old appendix quarter horse, can you compete on an australian saddle?

Answer 1

No ,,

the saddle will not let you have a proper seat

you need a close contact or eventing saddle

if you do really low stuff like troting over pole's ......yea

But No Not for the bigger stuff

Answer 2

I've heard many people use Australian saddles for eventing and trail riding.

The saddle was designed for 'rough riding'.

However, these saddles do have closer contact fenders.

So it could be used for jumping if you really wanted to use it for that..

But you might feel more comfortable using an actuall CC saddle.

Wintec saddles have amazing CC saddles.

Here's an interesting article that tell you more about the saddle:

"the Aussie saddle is actually a FORWARD SEAT, as in an English saddle, and certainly NOT A REAR-READING SEAT, as in a Western saddle.  Interestingly, the Aussie saddle is somewhere in between.  At the walk, the rider sits in the back of the saddle, with the leg slightly forward, and the heels down.  This spreads the bearing weight of the rider not just under the butt, but also under the thigh, making it more comfortable for the rider.  Which is why we sit in the back of chairs, not on the edge of them.  This rider position does the same for the horse.  The bearing weight of the rider is thus spread over a greater surface of the tree, lowering pounds per square inch for the horse.  It is also a much SAFER way to ride.  If the horse at the walk puts his foot in a hole, and drops on his knee, you may not go over the front, BECAUSE YOU WILL ALREADY HAVE YOUR FOOT IN A POSITION TO PROP AGAINST A FALL.  You will also be helped by the knee pads, or poley's.  They are there to STOP you going over the top.  The straight up and down leg, as in dressage, and as in Western pleasure, is deadly on the trail, although it does look pretty in the arena.  If the horse stumbles, and your ankle is inline with your elbow, which is in line with your shoulders, you will not have time to tell your brain to tell your foot to get forward to prop against a fall.  You will already be on the ground.  Now, the faster you go in an Aussie saddle, the more your weight comes forward, so, at the full gallop, you should be in the jockey position, with your thighs secured against the knee pads, your head down, back straight, reins short, and your leg will AUTOMATICALLY be in full dressage position.  This will enable you to control direction of the horse with leg pressure and body weight shift a good thing in thick timber at a flat gallop. Put simply, there is NO saddle more comfortable for the trail horse, AND the rider, than an Australian stock saddle."

Answer 3

The thigh swells prevent the proper forward position to meet your horse's lurch forward over an obstacle. The australian saddle is really called an Australian Stock Saddle, which is their version of our Western stock saddle. Not designed for jumping, but for wrangling/moving livestock via horseback. Stubben is my favorite all purpose for flat & jumping--comfortable, fits many horses, and thigh/kneeblocks can be removed if they interfere with your equitation. They retain their value if maintained well over time, and are EASY to work on.

Aussie saddle can be competed in cutting, reining, sheperding, trail, field trials, and some gaited work.