Buying Saddles

maxapple

maxapple

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 February 2007
Messages
2,181
Visit site
How do people buy a 'new' saddle?

Do you buy one through a saddler - or get one from somewhere like ebay and have it fitted?

I'm looking to get my pony a new saddle soon and don;t know which route to go down.
 
I had a saddler come out, he was fantastic and really helped me get one that was the best fit for both Jasper and I. Totally worth the money IMO. x
 
Absolutely always though a saddler that I have had recommended. A saddle even slightly out can cause all manner of problems with a horses back, just not worth it tbh.
 
Gosh! Big subject, but the vital thing has to be your pony's comfort. You need to have the saddle checked at least twice a year, possibly more than this, as horses can change shape due to workload/fitness, whether at grass, time of year etc etc., so you really need to be checking for discomfort with your pony, i.e. how does he react when you saddle up? Are his ears back? Is he obviously in discomfort? And in ridden work, does he buck/nap/rear? Does he go better on one side than another? Is he disunited in canter, etc etc., the main thing is you always need to be aware of the littlest of things coz that can tell you that maybe the saddle isn't fitting as well as it should.

Personally, I like secondhand saddles, they are already "worn in" and therefore more comfortable for horse & rider, plus cheaper! But the problem is that many "master saddlers" won't fit secondhand, only new, so you need to shop around, plus make sure that your person you have is qualified as a "saddle fitter" not just a "saddler".

A saddle fitting should consist of work in walk, trot & canter, on a level surface, and you should be given the opportunity of trying a number of saddles.

I'd be very careful of buying something "off the peg" or on the internet, and hope its OK, coz it probably won't be, and if you're not used to fitting saddles and/or don't know what to look for, you could damage your pony's back.
 
I have his current saddle checked regularly & the saddler said its ok - but its a really heavy leather one and uncomfortable for me too. It came with him (I actually have him on full loan but it it likely to be a permanent loan) and I think he's had the same one for years.

I'm planning on selling my trailer and using some of the money to get him 2 new saddle (a GP and a dressage)
 
Have a look at the Balance International website. They have the best saddles in the world, and they have a list of people who can come out to you so you can try them out and ask about the system.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top