Bates Isabell Dressage Saddle

Advantages: Comfortable and you can change the gullets
Disadvantages: Can be a bit expensive with the gullets

...What Wintec Say: Developed in conjunction with World Dressage Champion, Isabell Werth to support both horse and rider. The difference the Isabell saddle can make to your riding is quite profound as radical features take the effort out of sitting in the correct position. The Wintec Isabell is versatile, lightweight and provides the easy care benefits of Equisuede. FEATURES: Performance driven tree and seat shape Super-Enduro seat foam retains its resilience and won't ride down, flatten or harden Soft Sorbtec knee inserts moulds to the rider's knee shape Newly positioned stirrup bars are positioned 5cm (2") further back than standard bars Adjustable Flexibloc System enables the rider to individually tailor their thigh and knee support Adjustable Y-Girthing System secures the front and back of saddle High performance...

sweetpea_sweetpea 04.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Bates Isabell Dressage Saddle

Partnership of olympians

Advantages: Really helpful, entertaining
Disadvantages: Would have liked to see more equine models

...This is a really useful DVD that would be helpful for anyone interested in show jumping, cross country or any other equestian activity. To perform any equestrian activity well, your horse or pony needs to be balanced, supple, attentive to the aids and obedient. Dressage comes from French term "to train" and that is what we all have to do in partnership with our mounts, if we wish to perform well. Dressage trains the horse to go in the correct manner and perform what is asked of it obediently. Who would want to jump a horse that did not move properly or do what theyI asked it? This 85 minute DVD takes Olympic and long-term GB dressage team member Richard Davison and pairs him up with two of the greatest show jumpers on the circuit today, John Whitaker and his son Robert. John is known for his intuitive feel for a horse and is...

catshark88 18.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Dressage For Jumping (DVD)

Low Maintenance Performance

Advantages: Design, ease of care
Disadvantages: None found

...Synthetic saddles were once looked down upon as the very poor relations of their leather cousins, but times are certainly changing. Once only seen in racing yards, synthetic saddle manufacturers have now moved into every equestrian discipline. Bates are probably the leading maker and have a pretty high reputation. Whilst their quality is traditional, their design is pretty innovative both in terms of material and ways to enhance rider and horse comfort. What is it? -------------------- This dressage saddle is made of "equisuede" which mirrors the look and to some extent feel of leather, but is man-made, tough, durable and of course needs no feeding. The Dressage Pro is a standard dressage saddle with straight panels and longer than standard girths. Whilst designed for dressage, it is also great for schooling, hacking...

catshark88 17.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Wintec Pro Dressage Saddle

Well worth a try

Advantages: Stylish, comfy
Disadvantages: Not cheap

...A very well designed saddle. A lot of my friends have used Bates saddles over the years and they have always seemed to be well designed, robust and reasonably priced. The Isabell was designed with (I understand) a lot of input from world dressage champion Isabell Werth and trainer Dr Baurner (how is it that all German dressage people seem to have six degrees each AND be able to ride like that?!). It is designed to enhance partnership between horse and rider and this can only improve your performace whether you are a pro or a happy hacker. The design of the saddle helps the rider to sit correctly and I have seen so much improvement in riders when they crack how to sit properly. It is so hard to use each part of your body properly when the overall balance is out. It is really comfortable and it does make you feel like you are...

catshark88 15.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Bates Isabell Dressage Saddle

Very good horsey game

Advantages: Easy to get the hang of and fun to play
Disadvantages: Once you've finished there is little to keep you playing

...Really enjoyable game, recommended to horse lovers. Along the same lines as the second Pippa Funnell PC game you have to complete several weeks of training with a competition at the end of each week. There are also tasks to carry out, both ridden and around the acadamy in order to progress. Each week you will be expected to care for your horse, practise dressage, showjumping and cross-country, go for hacks, talk to course-mates and read in the library. The gameplay is good and not repetitive and although it is not a complex game, there are a few tricky bits and the game will take you some time to complete. Failure to meet standards results in retaking a game week of training rather than losing the game. Once you have completed the game there is little to keep you playing. Alongside the main game you get to care for and train...

Maud82 10.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Pippa Funnell (Nintendo DS)

Weatherbeeta Kincade (Roma) Softie Pad

Advantages: Choice of colours & shapes. Washable & Durable.
Disadvantages: None

...I have been using these Softie Pads for about 2 years now under my dressage saddles especially as they are such a good fit. Please note that Weatherbeeta also go under the name of Roma so please when you are searching for this item look under Roma and not Weatherbeeta Kincade. I own four of these in white and black but they do come in four colours, White, Black, Navy and Green and they also come in 3 different shapes, Dressage, Saddlecloth and Numnah GP. These soft quilted pads are made from a durable cotton drill and are shaped to sit well in to the saddle. Features touch tape tabs. They are great to use and provide a bit of extra support under the saddle. I dont use them as much in the summer months as the horses tend to sweat alot so I use the normal Roma dressage square but during the winter I think they are ideal. They are so...

sweetpea_sweetpea 08.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Weatherbeeta Kincade Softie Pads

Horse and Hound is no good

Advantages: Classifieds
Disadvantages: Too expensive, boring

...Horse and Hound magazine is my least favourite of all the equestrian magazines. I find it very patronising and doesn't have enough articles in it that the everyday rider can relate to. It comes out every week and is quite expensive and really mounts up if you want to read every issue. It has news on what is going on in the equestrian world in each discipline including hunting, eventing, dressage and racing. All of these articles are in my opinion too in-depth for someone who isn't involved and I find when I read it I only read the show jumping page if I read all of that. I feel that the articles are too long and I often find them quite repetitive. Also, half the magazine is wasted just with results pages from every show you can think of that has happened that week which I think is a little unnecessary. Overall, I find that there are...

skipper6 03.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Horse and Hound

A big let down

Advantages: Quite enjoyable at first
Disadvantages: Lack of gameplay and basic bits too awkward

...I was rather disappointed by this sequel game. There is a storyline that helps you learn how to play the game, but I had finished this before really figuring out most of the game and found that this rather removed the incentive to play. To play you have to care for your horse and your foal simultaneously. If you go off and do too much else during the game your horse or foal will become neglected. I found this very frustrating as there are no 'days' within the game and having to continually go back and groom a foal so that it did not got ill rather spoilt the rest of the game. I also felt it grating that unless you own another game as well, part of this one is unavailable to you. I found the competitions to be uninspiring. You basically pick which one you want to enter and it's just a straight dressage, show-jumping or cross...

Maud82 10.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Pippa Funnell 2 (Nintendo DS)

A Penalty for Pippa Funnell!

Advantages: Get to explore many different areas
Disadvantages: There's a glitch that came three quarters of the way through the game.

...I got this game as a Christmas present and I thought great I love horse games, but about three quarters of the way through the game there was a glitch and I wasn?t able to play it any further. I found this quite disappointing. In this game you get to train, look after your favourite horse and build a relationship with it. You also get to travel from Scotland to Morocco and to the United States, to compete in competitions. Timetable There is a timetable for you to help you keep on track and help to organise what you have to do. You need to plan the timetable suitably depending on what tasks are coming up. Activities The activities that you can put into the timetable are split into three groups. Ø Training ? you can train for cross country, jump or dressage trials. (Training I find gets a bit boring, because it?s basically...

dramaprincess 05.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of Pippa Funnell Takes the Reins (PS2)

Weatherbeeta Kincade Reflective Saddlecloth

Advantages: Comfortable and it does reflect!!
Disadvantages: Might fade after repeated washing.

...This is also known as the Roma Reflective Saddlecloth (Roma is part of Weatherbeeta). I decided to buy this when I started hacking either early morning or on the late summer evenings when some reflection is needed!! I always use reflective brushing boots and I wear a reflective bid but its always better to safe than sorry especially when hacking out of the road. At the time I had the choice to two colours navy or black. I opted for the black as my horses tack is black so it will match. I also had it in the FULL size. Its obviously easy to use!! Just put it under the saddle! the touch tape tabs are okay but sometimes I ride in a dressage saddle which the girth straps are a bit further back so they dont fit which is a bit annoying but in a general GP saddle they fit fine. They are very soft to touch and must be comfortable under...

sweetpea_sweetpea 06.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Weatherbeeta Kincade Reflective Pads