Pam riding an Excel on Amos

I love my Excel! I brought my Amigo with me up to Canada to test-ride Pepper, my Rheinlander-cross Gelding, and he’s been wearing an Ansür every since. But when the brand-new Excel arrived for a test-ride, Pepper made it clear that we needed one immediately – the additional support for the rider provided me with increased confidence and a longer leg, and Pepper moves more forward with more freedom and fluidity – making us a more confident and fluid pair overall. Thank you.

Vicki K. and Pepper

Gale Wolfe, Horseheads, New York

Gale Wolfe, of Horseheads, NY, is an Ansur Saddle distributor, dressage instructor, trainer, Friesian breeder and all-around horsewoman.

Here are Gail’s responses to inquiries about the Ansur Excel:

Good Morning Dawn....

Thank you for writing to me.

I own both a Classic and the Excel saddles so you can look at my saddles and sit in them on one of my horses. 

Your height/weight puts you right in the middle of the Petite and Small sizes.  I can fit in both, actually.... at 5'6" and 158 pounds.  My Excel is a Small, and it seems to be just right for my legs to slide right into the knee roll.  The Petite is a bit "short in the leg" from hip to knee for me.  But either size can work for me.  At your height.... the Petite will probably be just right.

I prefer the Excel for riding higher level dressage because it sits me so well.  The BIG difference between the Excel and the Classic is that there is WAY more saddle with the Excel.... it looks and feels like a traditional dressage saddle and allows my frame to sit nicely across the wide back Friesians.  The Classic, on the Friesians, puts me into the "chair seat" and I'm not able to correctly engage my hips and legs for higher level dressage.  The Excel has a "twist".... so it sits up higher off the horse. 

 The Classic will rest across the withers and Excel has a gullet and clears the withers.   As I said...there is much more "saddle" with the Excel, and thus explaining the higher price.

 I have several horses that prefer the Classic over the Konklusion models of Ansur.  But all like the Excel and the Elite.  All like the Classic too....  which is kinda controversial as many saddle fitters will tell you that the saddle simply can not sit on the horse's spine. Go figure.... I have several horses that seem to be going just fine with the saddles on the withers with no issues. 

 We have about 15 Ansur saddles in the barn now (many boarders have their own Ansurs), of various styles, sizes, colors..... so you can look and sit in any of them. My boarders will let us use their saddles for demonstration.

 However, it's a long drive to come down here to ride in a saddle for awhile.  You may want to do what I did, seven years ago..... I just ordered the saddle with the mindset, that I could return it in a week if I really didn't like it.  I'd be out only the shipment costs.  It was worth the gamble because I loved the saddle, immediately, and have never looked back.  

I will never ride in anything but my Excel now.  It's my saddle of choice....and I've ridden in just about EVERYTHING in my 45 years of riding.  I can use the Excel on every horse that I have, from TB's to Friesians, from Saddlebreds to Quarterhorses, from pony to 16.2 handers.....  same saddle.... all different horses - shapes and sizes.

 Let me know if you have additional questions, or would like to travel to Big Flats, NY to check out the saddles first hand.

Regards, Gale

Thank you for your email.  I'm glad you enjoyed watching my lesson with WAZ (Walter A. Zettl).  I was riding in my Ansur Excel in that video. 

I could go on for HOURS about how great the Ansur saddle is for horses. 

My client and friend, Pam Schneider, who rides Friesians "Karolien" and "Amos" and I (who rides Beike and Tim.. and many other breeds of horses), went around and around and around to find the perfect saddle for our Friesians.   

I've been riding in the Ansurs since 2002, but the older styles just didn't work for dressage on the wide body Friesians.  The saddle put me into a chair seat position.  It was even worse for Pam who is very petite through the hips.  So, between the two of us, we've tried several types of saddles, including custom made ones (with NUMEROUS refittings) done on Albions, County, and Schleese.  We also both bought and tried Bates Innova saddles.  It was very frustrating that nothing seemed to work.  Our horses went OK, but there was something missing.  FINALLY, Ansur came out with the Excel model and HOORAY... our problems were solved.  Perfect saddle for the horse, and perfect positioning for us for dressage.  We both have the Excel and it's the perfect saddle for us.  Just past Monday, Pam said, "I just love this saddle".  Our Ansur saddles have allowed us to take our Friesians two levels higher in dressage than before.  Beike who NEVER was consistent in flying lead changes is now performing four and three tempie changes for me.  We hope to compete at PSG next year.  Karolien who was stubborn about doing leg yields is now doing half-passes in all three gaits.   

My dressage coach, Carel Eijkenaar (Dutch FEI I Judge and long time trainer of dressage horses....and in my opinion...an even better teacher and more knowledgeable than WAZ) used to dislike the treeless saddles, because he believed that for higher levels of dressage, the old styles did not give the rider enough stability to give the subtle commands for the higher level movements.  He now is very much in favor of the Ansur Excel.  He is suggesting the Excel to his other clients for horses with saddle fit issues.  He is very complimentary on how much Beike and Karolien have improved since we switched to the Excel saddles.  The horses move MUCH better with freedom of back and shoulders.  You should see my extended trot! 

Carel raves about how well Beike can sit down on her hocks and do canter pirouettes.  He says it is amazing to see for a Friesian.....and a 17 year old one at that!  We keep saying, at my barn... "It's because of the saddle."    The ANSUR saddle. 

So.  YES YES YES YES.   The Ansur Excel is PERFECT for the Friesians.  Four Friesians at my barn attest to it.   

I'll make one more comment.... the photos on the Ansur website do NOT do the saddle justice.  It really looks JUST like a regular dressage saddle.  I show it to people and they can not believe that it is treeless.  It's a GREAT saddle.   And... it fits ALL my horses, and needs no ADJUSTMENTS.  I use no special pads and just plop it on any of my horses and GO!

Let me know if you have any other questions.  Or give me a call at 607-796-9821.

Regards!

Gale