Anyone got an ideal suzanna?

[marlyclay]

I am interested in an ideal suzanna dressage saddle,but would like to hear from anyone who has ever had one good or bad. I can't help noticing that they are often advertised for sale on ebay,some have had hardly any use. As they are over £1200 new the sceptic in me can't help wondering why they keep appearing for sale on ebay. Are people buying them then regretting it later or is the tree shape not always suitable for some horses. Personally they look like a great saddle and the width of the saddle flap looks like it would suit my fatty thighs.....I always found the Jessica too skimpy. Anyway I diverse......your thoughts please

 

[super ted]

I have one, bought it second hand from someone i met in a lay-by! Best purchase I ever made. I can imagine it wouldn't suit everyone. I am a 'larger lady' with pretty chunky legs and i have an 18" which suits both me and my 17.1 IDX perfectly. I can imagine they may be a bit broad for more slender riders, I believe ideal have designed other saddles with a narrower twist (I believe this is the phrase?!) for more slender riders (This may be where the Ideal Roella comes in?). But me at 5'6" with long but chunky legs and size 16-18 body find it great. As far as i'm concerned it's good quality and unbelievably comfortable and secure.

It has decent sized blocks which i have heard some people don't like as they can feel a bit 'pinned in'. To me this is a bonus as when broncing starts i can just sit there! I believe the Jessica has smaller blocks.

As far as the horse goes, it is great for my horse with a massive shoulder and very high withers. The saddler also said it had a fairly curved tree so maybe it is that it wouldn't suit all types. I had mine widened from Medium to Medium wide no bother.

Mine is pretty heavy? Maybe that could have something to do with it?

And has the tendency to throw me forward the tiniest bit, but that could have more to do with the size of my 'upper body'!

 

[Perfect-Piaffe]

I have one and I LOVE it!!!! The big knee rolls have kept me in place more than once when the broncing begins and even felt secure enough in it to pop round a 4ft course (I had no intentions of jumping that day though!) Best buy ever and I've had mine about 6/7 years I think- the only thing I don't like so much as its gone a bit discoloured Now a funny blacky/greeny colour on the bits that are in buffalo leather, the rest is still black! No idea why as its kept in a cover, wiped/dried every time its used! Oh well

 

[Abacus]

I think there are a lot around because it is a very popular saddle and so naturally many do come on to the second hand market eventually. It has been around a few years now so inevitably the horses they were originally bought for die or are sold or retired.

Asking people who already have one will give you a biased response, but personally I like them and am on my second. I bought the first from new but got the second on Ebay. My saddler told me to be careful buying second hand as so many are made to measure that it's hard to tell what size they really are (they are not stamped with the width). On the plus side they can be adjusted, I think one width fitting either way.

I have also had a roella and it was nice but I prefer the suzannah. The roella is smaller all over, including the weight bearing areas.

They have fitted my last two horses, one a medium and the other a wide, with very different back profiles. My saddler says they are 'good saddles that seem to fit most horses'. As the last post said, they are quite bulky and a bit heavy but they do put you in a good position and help you to stay there. I have jumped up to about 3' in mine and don't find it restrictive.

 

[marlyclay]

Thank you everyone for replying with such helpful info. Like you Super Ted I also am a larger rider with a big horse,so it sounds as though the suzannah might suit my frame too. It is interesting what you said about the tree shape being possibly banana shaped as this wouldn't suit some horses ,not sure it would mine.

 

[marlyclay]

Abacus ,thanks for the advice. I hadn't considered that some will have been made to measure and will not have a width stamp on them . I shall bear that in mind if buying second hand.
Perfect Piaffe the knee rolls sound like they are substantial and you obviously love yours after 7 years . Great advice ,thank you all.