Fairfax Andrew Hoy – The ultimate Cross-Country Saddle?

In this article we will discuss everything you need to know about the Fairfax Andrew Hoy cross country saddle, and its ever increasing popularity. This blog should help give you a broader understanding of the Fairfax Andrew Hoy saddle and whether one might be suitable for you and your horse.

If you are still a bit confused about which saddle or any saddle related product is best for you why not get in touch with our friendly customer support team. Via phone on 01733 301 488 or email info@thesaddlebank.com. Our lovely team are always happy to help as much as they can and provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for you and your horse.

Who are Fairfax saddles?

The name behind the brand – Vanessa Fairfax is responsible for some of the most exciting saddlery developments in the last decade. Their saddles are all made in England and their ethos is to enhance your horses freedom of movement and strengthen communication between horse and rider.

Vanessa teamed up with world-class riders, in each discipline to create saddles which improved performance. Their saddles are known for being high quality leather saddles which have the added feature of being adjustable too. Fairfax saddles area available in 4 ranges; Original (discontinued), Classic, Performance and World Class. Within each range there are a number of discispline specific models suited to a range of horses. 

To find out what a monoflap saddle is click here to read our previous blog on them.

Fairfax are also well known for their innovative girth design. The Fairfax girth has been developed using scientific research. The shape of the girth is unique and designed to mould and adapt to your horse, providing extra comfort and full freedom. The girth also has gone through rigorous testing to ensure it gives even pressure throughout.

If you are looking for an anatomical girth which is super soft and more purse friendly check out our range of girths here.

What is the Fairfax Andrew Hoy saddle?

Andrew Hoy came into partnership with Fairfax saddles by coincidence. Having bought a couple of girths from Fairfax the partnership between Andrew and Fairfax stemmed from there. Andrew has won many medals for his country. Including three gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal at the Olympics. He has competed at the Olympics 8 times! If that’s not a world class rider, who is! Andrew joined team Fairfax wanting to create a cross country saddle which gives horse and rider support but maximum freedom, enabling them both to compete at their best.

The Andrew Hoy saddle is designed for the cross-country discipline, so for those adrenaline junkies this saddle is made for you. This mono flap saddle is made of high quality full-grained leather, which is then waxed for extra grip. The seat has been specifically designed to align the rider over the horses centre of gravity. The four girthing options gives you the option to fit the saddle around your horses shape and movement. If your horse has asymmetrical shoulders, there are two sets of adjustable shoulder blocks which allows the rider to sit squarely. This allows the horse to move freely, and it also builds up muscle. There are adjustable and moveable knee blocks under the flap which offer customisable support.

This saddle has the option of being in black or brown, so you colour-co-ordinate it with your horses colouring and your bridle!

What makes the Fairfax Andrew Hoy saddle the ultimate Cross-Country saddle?

There are many additional yet unique features which makes this saddle stand out. The adjustable gullet is just the start, horses are constantly changing shape. Instead of having the financial worry of having to change saddle, the adjustable gullet means your saddle fitter can change the width of your saddle really quickly and easy. This saddle takes the R gullet bars and widths are available from narrow-medium to XW-XXW. It is available in 17 inch and 17.5 inch seat size.

Being a monoflap saddle, means less leather between you and your horses. Therefore, you can be closer to your horse creating a stronger connection between horse and rider, vital in cross country. It has the added advantage of being a wool flocked saddle so it can be adjusted accordingly on site. Fairfax saddles in the Performance range also have what is known as ‘performance panels’. Essentially this is a half panel design, which incorporates shoulder blocks to eliminate any restriction in movement of the horses shoulder. This is ideal for horses with prominent shoulders or big moving horses. It has been scientifically proven that this improves the horses limb extension, joint flexion and gait symmetry.

2023 update

In 2023, Fairfax has upgraded and released many new models of saddle. The Andrew Hoy has since been discontinued and replaced by the World Class Monoflap Jump saddle (flocked) and the Eros monoflap jump saddle. Both of these saddles feature the performance panels, yet have a slightly different flap design and different knee blocks. If you are looking for a brand new saddle you will now be looking at the World Class Monoflap or the Eros monoflap. However, if you are looking for a secondhand saddle, the Andrew Hoy is still an extremely popular saddle for fit, function and price. 

Want to try one?

Here at The Saddle Bank, we are pleased to stock the Fairfax Andrew Hoy XC Jump saddle secondhand. However, they don't hang around for long! 

Click on this link to see our full range on all Fairfax saddles.

Are you looking for your next cross country saddle or would like to try a monoflap event saddle? Why not trial one via The Saddle Bank

The Saddle Bank offer 5 Day Trials on all Quality Used saddles to UK Mainland customers. Therefore, you can try the saddle before committing to keeping it. 

Full details on our trial policy can be found here.

Are you from outside of the UK? No problem. The Saddle Bank offers international shipping. The Saddle Bank can deliver your new saddles direct to your door.

Sell a Fairfax Andrew Hoy Jump Saddle

Have you got a Fairfax Andrew Hoy saddle that you are looking to sell? Get in touch with our super friendly team by filling in our Sell A Saddle form here! You will receive a quote within 24 hours, but please do check your spam and junk folder as our quote may end up in there!