Black Country and Frank Baines dressage saddles

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Bearskin

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Does anyone here ride in either a Frank Baines or Black Country dressage saddle? If so, what would be the plus and minus points regarding fit etc. Have your horses improved since buying them or have you encountered any problems?

Thanks
 
I have two Omni Saddles, from Frank Baines Saddlery, with two different trees.

One horse is super wide, barrel shaped Arabx, and the other is a large warmblood.

Have always found Frank Baines super to deal with (have their jumping saddles too), I send a template and they make the tree to fit.

They are extremely comfortable, I hack in mine regularly.
 
i had a frank baines, it the worst waste of money ever!!!

the tree was twisted, i was sitting on a slope and the horse was bucking.
 
tristar said:
i had a frank baines, it the worst waste of money ever!!!

the tree was twisted, i was sitting on a slope and the horse was bucking.
Click to expand...

Really? Did you send it back if the tree was faulty? Assuming you had it from new and didn't buy it with a twisted tree in the first place of course.

I love my Frank Baines (jump not dressage I'm afraid so not much help OP) and have always found them to be really helpful, would be saddened to hear other people don't think so.
 
Hi there

I have a Black Country dressage saddle on the eloquence tree on my youngster.

I got it because she was rather difficult to fit and most things just did not fit at all. My mare needs a wide tree and she is a large framed and rather uphill horse with large shoulders. Many of the saddles that fitted in a stationary position were a disaster once she started to move and rolled from left to right and back again and impeded her shoulders or sat too low at the back sliding me backwards. This stayed completely still and does not roll about. I know there are several different trees which suit different horses and this was the one that worked for us. Black Country were very quick and made the saddle to order as I wanted stickybum leather on it and an 18 inch rather than 17.5 plus saddler wanted some more gusset for the flocking to improve the fit. The front strap is a point strap which emerges quite far forward under the blocks so that there is a better anchoring effect and I use one of the curved passier girths as she has quite a forward girth groove. Also have removable blocks and they will make different blocks to order. For me I possibly prefer my albion SLK which I have on my oldie but I do like the Black Country and in terms of fit on the horse it was by far the best.
 
Thanks for the info. trying to find the best fit for a medium/medium-wide 7 yr old who is quite slender through his frame. Amerigos tend to drop in front and Albions seem a bit tight and/or unbalanced on him. Finding the right fitters is the tricky bit.....
 
No experience of fitting Frank Baines, but we do lots of Black Country. The reason is (as per one of the posters) the choice of tree, panel, leather, siting of girth staps, choice of front gussets, rear gussets etc is one of the best we have come across. We have many happy horses & riders as customers!
Depending on where you are, the knowledge of the fitter is vital. If you are in the SE, pm me if you want any more info

Longdog
 
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