I've been trail riding in my dressage saddle and want a good trail saddle.  I don't really like western saddles because I'm used to the closer contact.  I also prefer safety stirrups. Any suggestions?

 Well...I trail ride in my dressage saddle.  For 5-6 hour rides, I put sheepskin seat cover on it, but it's so comfy anyway.  I despise riding in Western saddles to the depths of my soul, they hurt me.  Is there a specific reason you don't want to continue to ride in your dressage saddle?  You can put whatever stirrup you want on it.

So since this post I've discovered my dressage saddle tree is broken!  Apparently, it is possible to break a tree by other means than dropping it or having a horse roll over on it.  It's cracked in the "sweet spot" area.  I was told the saddle probably didn't fit the same after he lost weight, and galloping up hills caused stress on the area that didn't fit the same?   

 I'm heartbroken because it was an expensive saddle that I bought used at a great deal.  They sell for $2600 used now . . .  And when I find another one, I sure don't want to expose it to the trail.  Sad day for me!

 I use my wintec for trail riding mostly because my horse loves to go swimming and has on occassion surprised me by launching into a pond when I gave him his head for a drink plus we do a fair amount of water crossings and have found some places where the horses have to swim so I like not having to worry about a leather saddle like some of my friends.

I know one person who liked the deep seat of her dressage saddle on the trail but also didn't want it to get beat up and got an australian saddle at a good deal without the horn and loves it.