Fairfax Perfomance Dressage Saddles, Petrus VS Stella - but which one is right for you?
As any rider will tell you their saddle can have a huge impact on both the horse and rider. This is no different with dressage saddles providing balance, comfort and support for the rider and their equine dance partner both training and whilst in the white boards.
There is a vast selection of Dressage saddles on the market but today we are focussing on the Fairfax Stella and Petrus. During this blog we will be delving into the differences between these two models, looking at their design features, materials used, and overall performance.
Features
Both the Petrus and the Stella have the standard features of the Performance Range saddles form Fairfax that customers know an love;
1. Performance Panel
The Performance Panel has been scientifically proven to improve gait symmetry, join flexion and limb extension. The panel separates under the riders knee (over the horses shoulder) allowing the horse's shoulder to be free from restriction that a traditional panel could potentially cause. As part of the Performance panel the separated part under the riders knee has the option to change/remove the shoulder blocks here. Both the Petrus and the Stella come with three sets of different thickness blocks, these are deisgned to be able to aid the rider to sit 'square' in the seat. They are particularly usefull if you have a horse that has some asymmetary in the shoulder as you could use a thicker block on the side with the muscle aytrophy.
2. Adjustable Gullet Plate:
As with all the Fairfax Saddles the Petrus and Stella are no different and come with an adjustable gullet plate system that allows riders to change the gullet bar of the saddle to suit different horses or changes in their horse's shape throughout the year. The gullet bars range from Narrow Medium upto XW-XXW. Needing a gullet bar for your Fairfax saddle? Click here!
3. Wool Flocked Panels
Both the Petrus and Stella are flocked with Britush Jacobs Wool providing superior softeness and comfort for the horse, The panels are also lines with Prolite for proven pressure distribution.
4. Monoflap Design:
The monoflap design of the Stella and Petrus Saddles reduces bulk between the rider's leg and the horse, allowing for a closer contact and enhanced communication. The monoflap design enables riders to give subtle aids with precision, there fore increasing harmony and responsiveness.
5. Luxurious Leather:
Crafted from super high quality Italian calf, the leather is meticulously selected by Fairfax to ensure not only suppleness but also grip, providing riders with a secure seat while maintaining a close connection with their horse.
Similarities in the Petrus and Stella
Both Fairfax Stella and Petrus dressage saddles are both monoflap designs, which means they have a single layer of leather between the rider's leg and the horse's side. They as previously mentioned feautre the Performance panels.
They are both also built on the same tree and have the same knee block configuration.
Infact those with a keen eye will notice they are an updated and renamed verion of what was the ever so popular Gareth and Rebecca dressage saddles which were discontinued in early 2023.
Differences
So between the Petrus and the Stella there are a couple of differences, these are all cosmetic, as same as the previous models the Gareth and Rebecca they are essentially the same saddle just with different visual designs to them.
Petrus as shown above features a similar flap design to the Gareth but with a new attractive stitching design and has also no longer got the stirrup leather recess.
The Stella like the Rebecca is for the rider who wants all the features of the Petrus but with abit of added pizzazz to it, the Stella still feautures the same stitching design on the flap as the Petrus but the stitching itself on the Stella is grey for an eye catching finish, teamed with the snake print welting and trim .
Petrus VS Stella
So really the only thing to decide between the Fairfax Petrus and Stella is if you prefer a more traditional look, or want a bit of glam to brighten up your ride!
Or are you similar to many of our customers and are still a fan of the 'Originals' the Gareth and Rebecca?
If so click here to see the Fairfax dressage saddles we have in stock.
