Bates Saddles

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1275gta

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Does any one own one.

Are the comfortable.

Has any one fitted one on a cob.

Does anybody hate them.

Thanks in advance
 
Love them! I have a Bates Caprilli GP and I just love it. I use it on my HW cob (TB x Clydesdale) and it fits her great
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Have a Bates event - it is lovely now but took some breaking in - I found the seat pretty darned hard - even though I have loads of natural padding! But once worn in it is lovely - can advise about the fit on a cob though as ours are fairly slight horses!
 
I have a bates close contact, don't mind it but tbh I wish for the money that it cost me I had bought an albion. When I got my saddles checked a couple of months ago the saddle fitter (not who I bought my saddle from) said that it fitted ok but she wasn't a big fan of the saddles and suggested I tried an Ideal but at the mo don't have the money so will have to wait. My horse is a 7/8th thoroughbred though. Sorry if thats not much help.
 
I have 2 Caprillis, the GP and the dressage. The most comfortable saddles I've ever owned, tho they do not suit every horse. Mine is a Shire x TB and is a medium fit, not cobby at all. Flatish back.
 
I tried a Bates Caprilli VSD and both horse and I loved it. But, he's a big shouldered cob and it slipped right back (four inches). The air pockets made it feel as it I was sitting on a trampoline but it was very comfy.

Compared to my Kings event saddle which is now 15 years old I felt is was very shoddily made for the price. I sent it back because of the slipping and had my old saddle stripped out and reflocked.

I can't believe how much saddles are these days!
 
I have a close contact momentum, it was so comfy but doesn't feel like it really holds you in, as it has a fairly flat cantle. You get used to it though.


It has the chageable gullet, we've changed the gullet 3 times in the space of a year so it comes in very handy if the horse changed shape.
Very expensive but worth the money IMO!
 
I have got a Bates Caprilli GP and its AMAZING!! v. comfy and I feel very secure in it (useful when my TB mare decides to spin whilst cantering!). Just make sure that you have it fitted properly- The shop where I bought it fitted my TB as a medium wide, I was not happy with the fit and so eventually got a master saddler who fitted it with a medium gullet and also added extra flock above the CAIR panels to lift it up. Perfect now!
 
Loved loved loved my momentum, but put me in a shocking position on the flat (I was comfy though!), was excellent jumping, but my horse hated it. Got an Ideal now.
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