harmony_
Well-Known Member
good or bad comments?
bates GP
- Thread starter harmony_
- Start date
Maia
Well-Known Member
Provided they are suited to your horses shape then they are great saddles, especially for youngsters or horses comming back into work though it is still always worth getting a good fitter to check the fit as sometimes they need tweaking for that perfect fit. Personally I'd go for flocked over cair and a good saddle could stuff with flair (or flair and flock) if you wanted - I know mine will (especially as he hates cair but really rates Flair).
For rider comfort they are maybe not as wonderful as some of the ££££'s saddles but for the money I find them comfy, well suited for a bit of everything (I hack, jump and dressage in mine) and having had one after a wintec I would never use a wintec again as the extra money is well worth it IMO. I also have an Ideal and a Barnsby and I'd say the comfort and quality is comparable but with the added advantage of being able to adjust the gullet as the horse changes.
For rider comfort they are maybe not as wonderful as some of the ££££'s saddles but for the money I find them comfy, well suited for a bit of everything (I hack, jump and dressage in mine) and having had one after a wintec I would never use a wintec again as the extra money is well worth it IMO. I also have an Ideal and a Barnsby and I'd say the comfort and quality is comparable but with the added advantage of being able to adjust the gullet as the horse changes.
Toby_Zaphod
Well-Known Member
We like the Bates, they're good quality, the leather is really soft, saddle is comfortable & you can change the gullet very easily to accomodate the size of your horse/horses as they change shape through the seasons or as they grow.
One thing though is you need to have Bates leathers. If you don't other leathers invariably mark the flaps, much to the annoyance of a friend who marked their Bates with stubbens.
One thing though is you need to have Bates leathers. If you don't other leathers invariably mark the flaps, much to the annoyance of a friend who marked their Bates with stubbens.