Antill Spring Seat Saddle

[DARhodes]

Hi, I would like to find out any information on an Antill Spring Seat Saddle I came across. I can't really find any information on it. How old it might be? Is it worth anything? What discipline it might be used for? How popular they are?

 

[Glitter's fun]

How did you come across it - are you able to post photos, especially of any logos, buttons , writing on the stirrup bars?

Antill were one of the old English makers (Birmingham maybe?) . They were around and well thought of in the 1980s . I think they stopped making their own saddles in the early noughties and farmed out production to Asia. Those later ones had a reputation for not being as well made.
The better quality old ones have a shield with a fancy "A" in it. The newer, badly made ones have red studs.

Generally old saddles don't fetch much because modern ones are so much lighter.
As an example, I still have a saddle that I bought second hand in 1986. It's a very good make, in beautiful condition but now worth half what I paid for it then (in actual money I mean, not with adjustment for inflation).
So whatever you find out about it, your ship hasn't come in I'm afraid!

Edited to add :
@Darkly_Dreaming_Dex
@sbloom
@cremedemonthe

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Years ago, Anthill was considered a decent make but I haven’t heard any mention of them for years.

 

[sbloom]

Older saddles generally have very narrow channels, too narrow for the horse's spine, before we get to tree shape, panel shape, panel hardness, seat hardness for the rider etc, pretty much worthless and shouldn't be put on a horse's back. If newer then it's Indian.

 

[horsesense]

I have an Anthill saddle bought second hand a few years ago which had not been given a great deal of use. It's a well made and comfortable saddle in decent condition, and, of course, fits the horse. The fact that it's old doesn't matter.

 

[sbloom]

I have an Anthill saddle bought second hand a few years ago which had not been given a great deal of use. It's a well made and comfortable saddle in decent condition, and, of course, fits the horse. The fact that it's old doesn't matter.

Old in itself doesn't matter one bit, but the designs of old saddles can be problematic. How wide is the channel? If it's one of the exceptions made with a wider channel then you can start considering an older saddle, no point being snobby about them, and this is definitely NOT that.

 

[humblepie]

Had an Anthill saddle back in the early 1980s, always remember it as having lovely leather on it. Just used in the show ring on a narrow 7/8ths TB 14.2.

 

[horsesense]

Old in itself doesn't matter one bit, but the designs of old saddles can be problematic. How wide is the channel? If it's one of the exceptions made with a wider channel then you can start considering an older saddle, no point being snobby about them, and this is definitely NOT that.

All I can say is that my saddle fits my horse who has been working happily in it for several years. Obviously the OP has to ensure that the saddle being considered will fit their horse.

 

[DARhodes]

How did you come across it - are you able to post photos, especially of any logos, buttons , writing on the stirrup bars?

Antill were one of the old English makers (Birmingham maybe?) . They were around and well thought of in the 1980s . I think they stopped making their own saddles in the early noughties and farmed out production to Asia. Those later ones had a reputation for not being as well made.
The better quality old ones have a shield with a fancy "A" in it. The newer, badly made ones have red studs.

Generally old saddles don't fetch much because modern ones are so much lighter.
As an example, I still have a saddle that I bought second hand in 1986. It's a very good make, in beautiful condition but now worth half what I paid for it then (in actual money I mean, not with adjustment for inflation).
So whatever you find out about it, your ship hasn't come in I'm afraid!

Edited to add :
@Darkly_Dreaming_Dex
@sbloom
@cremedemonthe

 

[DARhodes]

I have several pictures but I don't know how to add them. Found it at a shop that went out of business. I am a western rider but it was a nice saddle. I can tell it was not used much nor had it had any leather care, as the leather is new and stiff. It does not have the "A" on it but has the stamp "Spring Seat" on it. If I measured correctly it is a 17" seat and a 7" channel. As I am assuming is on the narrow side? It is in good/great condition and I would like to find a home for it to be used in. I am not looking to make mucho money on this but maybe just recoup the money I have in it? I will work on getting someone to help me put pictures up. Thank you all for your information and time.

 

[DARhodes]

The closest I have come to figuring out what kind of saddle it most looks like is the General All Purpose Saddles. I love leather and it was in good shape as far as leather goes. If someone that does lessons or someone starting needed a saddle without spending a lot of money, as long as it fit the horse of course, I could find a home for it.

 

[Glitter's fun]

I find the easiest way to post photos is to put them on my lap top & then press "attach files" (at the bottom left while typing a reply). That brings up a second window with all your own computer files & you just pick one.
Looks like we are in a different time zone, it was 4am here when you posted your last reply, so we'll be having a conversation with a delay on the line! but I'll keep an eye open for you tomorrow morning!

 

[DARhodes]

Yes, lol!! I am in Washington State on the West coast. It is 5pm here. I am on my computer now and I will see if my Goddaughter can help me this weekend with maybe putting them in a file. I actually figured out how to get a picture on but then it said it was to large. This is already out of my pay grade so it not taking the pictures I did figure out is WAY above my pay grade!!!!! lol!! Have a great day!!

 

[sbloom]

7" would be the channel at the front only, which is about the pommel/head shape and the attachment of the panels. You need adequate channel width right through to the back for the spinal processes not to take direct pressure. For most horses the absolute minimum is 6cm, but some need up to 8, possibly even 9. Beyond that is a particular approach to fitting such as Saddle Fit 4 Life.

You can reduce the size of photos on most devices, PCs etc

 

[Glitter's fun]

7" would be the channel at the front only, which is about the pommel/head shape and the attachment of the panels. You need adequate channel width right through to the back for the spinal processes not to take direct pressure. For most horses the absolute minimum is 6cm, but some need up to 8, possibly even 9. Beyond that is a particular approach to fitting such as Saddle Fit 4 Life.

You can reduce the size of photos on most devices, PCs etc

So in inches (for old people ! ) Minimum channel width is 2.5 to 3 inches, maybe even 3.5 ?

I can get my flat hand all the way down the channel of my 1970s saddle. That's how we were taught to tell a good one.

 

[sbloom]

So in inches (for old people ! ) Minimum channel width is 2.5 to 3 inches, maybe even 3.5 ?

I can get my flat hand all the way down the channel of my 1970s saddle. That's how we were taught to tell a good one.

That's a goodie then, so many had narrow channels. The traditional way is fingers' widths, with 3 being the standard and 4 for wider spines, but measuring is better!

 

[Glitter's fun]

Yes, lol!! I am in Washington State on the West coast. It is 5pm here. I am on my computer now and I will see if my Goddaughter can help me this weekend with maybe putting them in a file. I actually figured out how to get a picture on but then it said it was to large. This is already out of my pay grade so it not taking the pictures I did figure out is WAY above my pay grade!!!!! lol!! Have a great day!!

I'm in Scotland UK. It's 9.30 am right now!
What would we do without grandchildren to fix the technical things?!!
See you at the weekend maybe!

 

[DARhodes]

That's a goodie then, so many had narrow channels. The traditional way is fingers' widths, with 3 being the standard and 4 for wider spines, but measuring is better!

Lol!! Or goddaughters. I didn't have computers in school. I played on the play ground and in the dirt. )) I don't know yet if my daughter can make it, this has turned out to be a busy weekend with father's day. Scotland use to be one of the places I would have loved to see. I am not much on flying anymore and you can only do so much in life when you have to work.

So you guys have cm and we have inches. So 7" is pretty wide?? I did some research on saddles and how to measure, that was just how I seen other people measure the channel. I am real big on plenty of room for the horse to move. I always check for dry spots after riding. It is really sad when you see a horse with saddle soars. Have a great day and I hope I can get pictures up tomorrow.

 

[sbloom]

7" must be at the front, a channel that width would lose most of the panel. Where did you measure it?

We use an awful mixture of metric and English imperials.

And careful which post you click to reply to, was scratching my head at your first paragraph

 

[DARhodes]

I think I figured it out!!

 

[MereChristmas]

There was a second hand tack seller locally who had hundreds pf saddles. I’m pretty sure I recall seeing second hand Antill saddles in her piles of saddles 30 years ago. I can’t say they stood out as being much different to any other GP saddle of the time. I never bought one.
Here is a link to one similar to the ones I remember.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[MereChristmas]

and here is a way of posting photos

 

[Glitter's fun]

7" must be at the front, a channel that width would lose most of the panel. Where did you measure it?

We use an awful mixture of metric and English imperials.

And careful which post you click to reply to, was scratching my head at your first paragraph

Looking at the photos, OP is measuring low down between the Ds.

ETA look at his third image.

 

[Glitter's fun]

I think I figured it out!!

That looks like one of the old, well made ones, made in Walsall, England, not the later ones with the same name made in Asia. To be sure, look if anything is written on the metal bar the stirrups attach to.
I'm no expert but it looks General Purpose, certainly not for dressage.
Antill saddlery opened in 1981. I don't know when they stopped making saddles in UK.
The width Sbloom is talking about is the channel between the padding. So in your 4th picture, you'd measure the channel between the padding at the back of the saddle, top of your picture.
I don't know what it would be worth where you are. Over here sellers seem to be asking £100-£150 .
Hope you find a good home for it. Is there much call for European saddles where you are?

 

[sbloom]

Yep d to d is entirely different (and also not something that is actually useful with saddles, we've probably discussed it on here if you search).
Sorry, I didn't want to have to download a load of pdfs. The channel should be wide enough all the way through, no narrow spots, so not just at the back (the odd one can be narrow in the middle and flare out again at the back).

 

[DARhodes]

There was a second hand tack seller locally who had hundreds pf saddles. I’m pretty sure I recall seeing second hand Antill saddles in her piles of saddles 30 years ago. I can’t say they stood out as being much different to any other GP saddle of the time. I never bought one.
Here is a link to one similar to the ones I remember.

Pardon our interruption...

Thank you very much!! The E-bay link is one I had looked at to compare the saddle I have. I think I am just going to post it on E-bay as well.

 

[DARhodes]

That looks like one of the old, well made ones, made in Walsall, England, not the later ones with the same name made in Asia. To be sure, look if anything is written on the metal bar the stirrups attach to.
I'm no expert but it looks General Purpose, certainly not for dressage.
Antill saddlery opened in 1981. I don't know when they stopped making saddles in UK.
The width Sbloom is talking about is the channel between the padding. So in your 4th picture, you'd measure the channel between the padding at the back of the saddle, top of your picture.
I don't know what it would be worth where you are. Over here sellers seem to be asking £100-£150 .
Hope you find a good home for it. Is there much call for European saddles where you are?

I am not sure if there is much call for them here. I am just going to post it on E-bay and see what happens. We have a 4 star Eventing Instructor in the area but evidently he has no use for it, he never got back to me. This has been a neat journey for me finding all this out. I am not sure still why I bought the saddle I new nothing about. I really appreciate everybody's input and helping me as much as possible. Have a phenomenal day!!

 

[sbloom]

Having looked at the eBay link and photos the pommel ("head" of the tree) on that saddle is so narrow it can't give a fit that allows the spinal processes at the wither space enough for the horse to move correctly. Not something I would fit.

 

[MereChristmas]

Having looked at the eBay link and photos the pommel ("head" of the tree) on that saddle is so narrow it can't give a fit that allows the spinal processes at the wither space enough for the horse to move correctly. Not something I would fit.

Not a a saddle I would have bought either but I posted the link because I remembered the brand

 

[sbloom]

Not a a saddle I would have bought either but I posted the link because I remembered the brand

And really useful to see, head shape isn't discussed very often, and I didn't think to bring it up.