Bates saddle

[RachelMcTimoney]

Has anyone got the leather bates GP saddle with cair and changeable gullets??? thinking about buying one for my new youngster but have never ridden in one, nearly new and would have firtted but thought there is far more room for alteration this way hopefully saving on saddles in the long run...i have far to many alrwady but pretty sure they are not going to be narrow enough for baby horsey!
and no i don't know anyone with one unfortunately!

 

[flyingfeet]

I've got the close contact version, which is very good.

 

[Ginn]

I have the GP - its a lovely saddle BUT I am most likely having the cair removed and having it flocked once T has stopped growing.

 

[Bossanova]

Got a jumping bates, I dont find it very comfy but having the changeable gullets is useful

 

[so03]

Yes I've got the GP. Very nice saddle.

But my saddler said he doesn't really like them as they don't fit that well. But that is his opinion. It fits my boy well.

I bought a gauge so I can measure the width of my boy. Shockingly he measured extra wide to just off the scale so I changed the gullet to extra wide.

I do find that the back lifts sometimes, but doesn't seem to cause a problem. My boy has gone loads better in it, it's free'd up his shoulders.

 

[RachelMcTimoney]

oh no not sure what to do!!!

 

[Peanot]

I have the Bates Caprilli GP saddle and its lovely. When I first rode in it, the trot felt so light and bouncy but now I`m used to it, and when I ride other horses with different saddles, they aren`t very comfy at all.
I used to have a lot of trouble with my mares back too but this has helped loads. I love it. I compete in dressage SJ and HT with no problems. I have been at shows when people have asked me about it, because of the colour, and my instructors have pointed out what a nice saddle it is too.

 

[dieseldog]

Wintec do the exact same saddle in synthetic for less money, depends how much you want leather. Wintec and Bates are the same company I think.