PLN
What makes an experienced rider, who competed in the Olympics, say after the first ten minutes of riding that this saddle "definitely won't go back to the store"? We talk about the Prestige Brillante dressage saddle, its adjustable tree, horse comfort, and why good equipment fit is sometimes more important than another hour of training, with Aleksandra Szulc – a coach and rider who has been riding in Brillante for two years.
Table of contents
- Why you should take a closer look at the Prestige Brillante
- From the Olympics to daily training: how the perspective on equipment changes
- Technological leap: what horses feel
- How to recognize that the problem lies with the saddle, not the training
- The journey through Prestige models – why Brillante in particular
- The first ten minutes – and the decision
- Seat, space, and horse comfort
- Service and relationship with the brand
- Quick questions at the end
- Who is Prestige Brillante for – what to remember
Why you should take a closer look at the Prestige Brillante?
A dressage saddle is an item of equipment that, like no other, mediates between rider and horse. It determines the seat, how cleanly aids are applied, and – most importantly – whether the horse can work its back freely. The importance of horse comfort is also emphasized by the FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse itself, which places animal welfare above all other considerations. Over the past few years, the technology for selecting dressage saddles has advanced significantly, and Prestige Brillante is one of the models that clearly demonstrates this leap: a different AS-X tree construction and the ability to configure the blocks change the way the rider sits and the horse moves.
We asked for an interview with someone who has a long-term perspective and experience with dozens of horses. Aleksandra Szulc has been working in Brillante for two years with her own horses and her students' horses. The following interview is her practical perspective – without catalog enthusiasm, but with specifics from the arena.
"Equipment selection was my priority – to ensure the horses were comfortable."
From the Olympics to daily training: how the perspective on equipment changes
Monika (Equishop): You have competed at the highest level, including the Olympics in Paris. How has your perspective on what you truly expect from equipment changed over the years?
Aleksandra Szulc: When I started, there wasn't as much equipment as there is today. I'm talking about over twenty years of professional career. Back then, Prestige saddles were just entering the market and had a much smaller assortment than now. I always tried to stay current with what was newest and most trending.
You can't compare saddles from twenty years ago to what we have today. Access to technology and knowledge about how to fit equipment to horses has changed. However, my guiding thought has always been the same: I wondered if the horse was comfortable and well. The selection of equipment in terms of horse comfort was a priority for me. Visual appeal in dressage is also important, but it's secondary.
Monika (Equishop): So, the perception of equipment itself hasn't changed – you're just taking advantage of the fact that technology offers more possibilities?
Aleksandra Szulc: Yes. I also try to approach it wisely, because I'm not the type of rider who changes bits every day. I stay current, but I verify and think reasonably about what I need and what I don't.
With the Brillante saddle, it wasn't easy to convince me to try it. I can be a bit of a traditionalist, and I had the impression that visually this saddle seemed enclosed, and I would definitely feel uncomfortable in it. It's a good thing Mateusz forced me to get in and see – otherwise, I might not have tried it at all.
Technological leap: what horses feel?
Monika (Equishop): Do you feel a technological difference between Prestige Optimax and Prestige Brillante? The tree is different, after all.
Aleksandra Szulc: I feel the leap, but I think above all, the horses feel it – I experience it through them, so to speak. I might not notice a huge difference if I tried this saddle on a horse I don't know. However, we already have many of these saddles in the stable, and every horse and every owner is very satisfied with them. The difference is truly visible and felt by the horses.
How to recognize that the problem lies with the saddle, not the training?
Monika (Equishop): You coach riders who compete and achieve success. How much of what you know about saddle fitting comes from your own riding, and how much from observing hundreds of pairs in the arena?
Aleksandra Szulc: I'd say half and half. From experience and from observing, I delve deeper into the topic. For me, it's not "just any saddle, throw it on the back and go." That's why it's hard to convince me of some things – I consider some to be unnecessary or not requiring change.
When I ride myself, I can quicker feel if there's a saddle or bit fitting issue. From an observer's perspective, it's not that simple – it takes me longer to realize that someone's saddle is ill-fitting than when I'm riding myself. During training, when a horse under a rider clearly doesn't want to move forward, you don't immediately instinctively check under the saddle or if it's pinching the shoulder blades. This happened to me recently: a girl was having a lot of trouble with her horse, I asked her to put on a different pad – and the horse started moving.
Monika (Equishop): How do you know it's not a training issue, but that the equipment needs to be looked at?
Aleksandra Szulc: If it's not obvious – meaning the saddle isn't performing glaringly poorly – then it's usually the horses that show it. They become tense, their necks are tense, and their stride often shortens. In extreme cases, they simply don't want to move.
Changes also occur over time. A horse can grow or, conversely, lose muscle. Here, no saddle fitting will help if we don't keep up with the equipment. Someone fits a saddle to a heavily muscled horse, and in the meantime, the horse has a break, loses muscle, and the saddle no longer fits.
"No saddle fitting will help if we don't keep up with the saddle."
The journey through Prestige models – why Brillante in particular?
Monika (Equishop): Besides Brillante, you have used three other Prestige saddle models: XD2, Optimax, and Doge. What led you from one to the next?
Aleksandra Szulc: Essentially, technological change. I get attached to saddles, and there's no force that could make me ride in a saddle that I don't feel good in. I sometimes encounter comments like: "You probably ride Prestige because they pay you well." No – even if I received a fortune, I wouldn't advertise or train in a saddle that is simply bad.
For example, I think that five years ago I rode exceptionally well in the Prestige Optimax saddle and to this day I consider it a very good saddle. But horses have definitely more comfort in Brillante.
Monika (Equishop): What did each of these saddles teach you?
Aleksandra Szulc: First and foremost, that equipment fitting technology is constantly advancing, and you need to educate yourself and stay up-to-date. And as for Brillante itself – I wanted to change something in my seat, and it allows me to do that. You have space, you can open your legs and sit very deep.
The blocks can be configured in many ways, you can choose a recessed, standard, or forward-set version. I discovered that on some horses, I ride much better with the recessed flap.
The first ten minutes – and the decision
Monika (Equishop): You were one of the first in Poland to trust Brillante. What made you decide that it was worth trying something new?
Aleksandra Szulc: At first, I didn't want to, so I can say that, first and foremost, I was forced to try it. But I admit, I started with a bad attitude. I rode for ten minutes and immediately told Mateusz that this saddle definitely wouldn't go back to the store. It's a good thing I was first and could keep the test saddle, because back then there wasn't as much interest as there is now! I'm really happy; you could see a huge difference in the horse.
"I rode for ten minutes and immediately said that this saddle definitely wouldn't go back to the store."
Seat, space, and horse comfort
Monika (Equishop): Has your work with horses changed in these two years since you got Brillante?
Aleksandra Szulc: The training philosophy hasn't changed – besides technological progress, there's also breeding progress, currently we have different, better horses. It rather changes based on what I'm sitting on. Brillante gives me a sense of comfort – I know the horses are comfortable and at ease, I don't have problems with a blocked back.
Monika (Equishop): Do horses react to this saddle differently, or is there a repeatable pattern?
Aleksandra Szulc: In my opinion, it's repeatable, although I'm only talking about horses I and my clients ride. All of them immediately went well in this saddle – they were more relaxed, more willing to move forward. Between fifteen and twenty horses passed through my hands, and one hundred percent of them felt a positive difference.
Monika (Equishop): How would you describe the character of this saddle itself?
Aleksandra Szulc: Compared to Prestige Optimax – this model is certainly more enclosed, it has more blocks, which I didn't like before. It was a surprise to me that I sit in Brillante and it still gives me space. Despite being, in inverted commas, "packed," it holds the leg well.
Quick questions at the end
Brillante saddle in three words: comfort, design, and horse comfort.
One thing this saddle does differently than previous ones: adjustable tree.
What Brillante has given your students: balance and a deep seat.
After two years, this saddle is for me: a salvation in everyday riding.
Who is Prestige Brillante for? Summary of the conversation
The conversation with Aleksandra Szulc reveals a quite coherent picture. Prestige Brillante, part of the Prestige AS-X saddle line, is a proposition for dressage riders and trainers who want to consciously work on their seat and at the same time not compromise on horse comfort. The ability to configure the blocks and flaps allows for adjusting the leg position to a specific rider, and the saddle's construction – despite its "enclosed" appearance – provides space and a deep, stable seat.
However, the horse aspect resonates most strongly. In Aleksandra's account, all the horses she worked with reacted similarly to this saddle: with relaxation and a more willing forward movement.
If you are considering changing your dressage saddle and are looking for a conscious choice, it is worth seeing Brillante in person and consulting a fitting. We invite you to our Fitting Center at ul. Oświęcimska 9 in Ruda Śląska, where saddle fitting is based on the individual conformation of a specific horse, not just a catalog size.
