albion k2 jump - reviews good and bad pls

[Wheels]

I am taking my youngster for his first saddle fit shortly and my saddler has put the Albion k2 jump forwards as a possible option. I have sat on one in the shop but never ridden in one. Does anybody have anything to say about them good or bad? My prob is that this will be the saddle I back my youngster in so although the saddler can have a good guess at how it Will fit my horse, I won't actually get chance to try it out.

Also, it worries me a little that he seems to have several 2nd hand ones at less than a yr old, says to me that peeps have bought them and then traded them in rather quickly

 

[Luci07]

Tend to be sadldles that will fit a variety of horses for some reason! I have one, not great for me but really fitted my horse well

 

[star]

love mine - bought it off ebay 4yrs ago and wouldn't swap it for the world. found the seat a bit hard at first but now it's fine - i hunt in it, event in it and hack in it.

 

[michellybob]

I have 2 and I love them!! Def like them for youngsters as can get your knee in the roll and keeps you really secure!!

 

[pipsqueek]

I have one & use it for s.j, hunting & hacking, it has fabulous knee rolls & provides a really secure seat, wouldn't swap it for anything

 

[ellie_e]

I love mine!! Have just had it back fom Albion as it needed the tree to be stretched, after my youngster changed shape, lovely saddle would recommend!

 

[georgiegirl]

I would go against the grain here and say I didnt really feel that secure in mine! It fitted my old horse beautifully but might not have been the best fit for me - I'm 5'2 and had the knee blocks been adjustable I may have got on better with it.

I now event in a bates momentum which is very mininal indeed in terms of knee blocks (which I can move to fit just right) and a flat seat - Im really secure in it and Autumn goes very well in it.

I guess its all down to personal preference though and you will only find what suits you both through trial and error.

 

[pairciban]

Glad to see this thread I've just bought one today! When I first sat in it I didn't like it but it was brand new so took a while to bed in. Over a fence it felt nice and secure which I like, my horse can be interesting to jump, he thinks he knows best! The seat is very hard compared to the Ideal Nyala that it is replacing and I think it will take a bit of time to get used to it. Main thing for me is that it fits Fig and he seemed happy in it.

 

[measles]

Son loves his and very secure. A bit heavy would be my only criticism

 

[starryeyed]

My gelding wore an Albion K2 and it was heaven!! Comfiest saddle I've ever ridden in, loved it to pieces. Would love to get one for my mare when I've eventually saved enough - was lovely to jump in and really helped keep me in the saddle during a tant!

 

[Wheels]

That's very encouraging thanks. I watched my youngster playing in the field and he's got an amazing buck on him so security will be important lol

 

[LansdownK310]

I love mine, super secure xc and jumping. I hack in mine as well. Its comfortable but not really suitable for riding long. If I do a bit of flatwork, my stirrups wouldn't be as long as usual.

 

[floradora]

I've got a 17.5, med , brown, nearly new sitting in a cupboard, should anybody want to bag themselves a bargain! No horse to put it on!

 

[little_flea]

I find the knee rolls too restricting, but I am short and "grew" up in flat as pancake Pessoa saddles, so going back to that. I'm selling a black 17" medium K2 Jump should anyone be on the lookout.

 

[LadyRascasse]

I used to ride a horse in a K" jump and loved it, sadly they don't fit my new horses shape so will have to go for a different Albion. Currently have a Albion style GP and when the time comes we will get an albion jumping saddle as I think think they are really nice comfy saddles.

 

[Scarlett]

I find the K2 too blocky, it always felt a little to 'holding' and although it made me feel secure in some respects I didn't feel like I could move in it. I prefer the Kontrol which is far more open but trying to find one of them I'd proving difficult at the mo!

 

[taracrowe]

I had it and had to get tid of it jumping anything over 1.20m was pure agony as it was way to deep seated and you had to ride with super long stirrups as the knee rolls were giant!! On the upside though it will probably fit virtually any horse you will ever ride! They are super versatile in that respect!!

 

[taracrowe]

* I am selling mine and have got a prestige on instead!! I actually think the Albion saddles are a bit smaller than what inch is printed on them as I went from an 18'' Albion to a 17'' pretige and both saddles fitted my horse and me ( well I endured the Albion on the flat .. Hated jumping anything of a decent size !!)

 

[Javabb94]

I liked it for my long legs - Shame J didn't - fitted well with him standing still just he hated it when riding, I did find seat a bit hard although I'm sure it would 'bed in'

Although was a lovely saddle that fitted my long legs well.

 

[BlueFire710]

I have one that is for sale (Black 17.5" MW) as it doesn't fit my current horses (they're narrower) but the horse it did fit went really well in it. I'm now on a monoflap as prefer the feel but the albion was very secure in my opinion.

 

[RobinHood]

It was the only jump saddle we could find to fit my connemara (tried 30+ saddles ). I can't say it's my favourite saddle ever but I don't mind as long as the horse is happy.

The seat's so hard I use a gel seat saver with a sheepskin one on top for everything except competing.

 

[unlimited10]

awful, wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. there are much nicer saddles for your money.

 

[Wheels]

Unlimited 10 would you like to elaborate? Open to all options.


I am not buying a new one btw, it will be second hand. Whoever said they needed something different when jumping 1.20 or more, that won't apply to me lol I'm not that brave I just want something safe and secure for the first year of my horses ridden career while I'm working out what he is good at although I think it will probs be dressage

 

[unlimited10]

I wouldn't have one for a young horse - far too heavy and not adjustable. There are so many lighter cheaper saddles with a changeable gullet and moveable knee and thigh blocks. I am a saddle snob and will openly admit it but I always start my youngsters in a wintec so I can change the shape of it and then make any small changes with pads etc. Once they are more mature and settled in their shape I change them into a different saddle. Even if you didn't want a
Wintec, plenty of leather saddles come with an adjustable gullet, such as Pessoa saddles, Kent and masters etc. these are normally a similar price to albions but give you much more flexibility. Also I find albions so damn uncomfortable!!

 

[ellie_e]

Just because the saddle is adjustable doesn't mean the horse will like it, I made this mistake when I first had my new one, I ordered a new bates jumping saddle thinking great he will change shape so it will be easy to adjust horse hated it, it didn't fit him very well and ended up getting the Albion. Yes it's heavier than a standard saddle but I feel totally secure in it which I need as my horse is shall we say naughty at times! It's not very good if you have a short leg however, my mum is 5"2 and struggles with it, she uses an ideal impala. I've recently been looking for a dressage saddle, tried my mums who's horse is an Ish on my WB and he hated it, he couldn't move his shoulders and it was awful again her saddle is an 'adjustable ' type , I ended up buying another Albion and horse and myself are very happy! I would suggest trying as many as you can, make sure you jump in them all and give them a good try!

 

[Wheels]

I'll be going in with an open mind and will go for the saddle that best suits my horse. If I have to change it in 6 months time then so be it. If I'm lucky enough to find an adjustable one that fits then that's good too