Close contact saddles...

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MissJessica

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So much choice...I've been saving for a long time for something close contact as I want to go along the route of more foam panels than traditional flocking.
Talk to me about;
Childeric, Devoucoux, Equipe, Butet and any other brands I may not have considered.

What do you like or dislike and why. Thank you.
 
Sorry always flocked for me they can be easily fitted and altered had to many nightmares with latex panels in the past . Why do you want foam panels?
 
Agree with popsdosh. Latex panels and felt panels can't be changed so it either fits or it doesn't. I've had bad experiences with both - saddler blamed the latex for lameness in my horse as well!
 
FfionWinnie said:
Agree with popsdosh. Latex panels and felt panels can't be changed so it either fits or it doesn't. I've had bad experiences with both - saddler blamed the latex for lameness in my horse as well!
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Funny you should say that most saddlers do not recommend using close contact as the only saddle for a horse . The general opinion is that most riders delay getting latex panels altered because it is such a faff so they keeping riding in ill fitting saddles . I am always amused when riders say I love my blah,blah,blah because it fits everything as they are riding along with numerous saddle cloths!
 
I had a Butet XC and loved it. It stayed fitting the horse it was fitted to, with just the standard numnah it was fitted for. I t also fitted the next horse, and I had it for around 8 years until...

Sadly Jay did not fit the saddle, and I had them back out to have another made, but that was not a good experience and ended up with a sore and unhappy Jay Jay.

I called Devocoux and explained the fitting issues (a far back, fleshy wither on an otherwise posh build of horse) and they said their saddles would likely not fit as well.

Jay ended up with an Owen panel, with standard flocking. I don't really like it, but when it was fitted a load of Jay's "schooling issues" disappeared.

I guess the conclusion of that is that the best saddle is one that fits the horse!
 
popsdosh said:
Funny you should say that most saddlers do not recommend using close contact as the only saddle for a horse . The general opinion is that most riders delay getting latex panels altered because it is such a faff so they keeping riding in ill fitting saddles . I am always amused when riders say I love my blah,blah,blah because it fits everything as they are riding along with numerous saddle cloths!
Click to expand...

I had no idea about that before hand but yes that's exactly what he was suggesting although not because they aren't altered just that they are never suitable as the sole saddle for a horse. I had trusted a different saddler who said it wasn't a problem at all. I even did endurance in the blinkin thing. I'm not entirely sure her issues were all because of the saddle however I will never have another one.

I instead had a specialist saddle company make a saddle which was a similar design on my side of it to suit me, and the right materials and shape on the inside to suit the horses I ride.

Much better outcome for us all.
 
I have to have mine altered 6 monthly due to change in shape and I feel it's never perfect, my horse is a native. Had close contact recommended by saddler, an equipe to cancel out some of our struggles. The flocking just never seems to fit right 100%, I want something to mould to him
 
We did things the other way round, wanted a flocked saddle ended up with an Equipe. I like the adjustability of flock, but the tree shape and saddle was a spot on fit for Topaz so ended up with the Equipe. Touch wood 6 months in it's still fantastic.

I would recommend riding in a few to find one that fits you as well as the horse. Even within the Equipe range some fit me better than others.

x x
 
it's horse for courses, as with anything - i have an equipe saddle and love it. It was fitted to Millie 3 years ago, but she has aged and changed shape a little but tbh I absolutely don't have an issue with adjusting the fit using shims etc - she changes a gullet size from summer to winter anyway so no non-adjustable saddle would fit all year round without some tinkering. Same approach to use it on Kira.

You really can feel so much more being that close to the horse. I was bowled over the first time I sat on mine.
I have Wows for hacking and fun stuff, so completely different style of saddle.
I like the foam panels actually - until I had a Wow I thought I'd never stray from flock, but seems I'm the opposite to others on here as my flocked saddles gave me no end of problems and now I have none ;)

Both horses have regular physio visits and neither of them have saddle related problems so I'm happy with my arrangement, and they both go well so I think the horses are happy too.

definitely do have a sit on as many as you can :)
 
Can only comment on the Equipe from your list above - and I can't recommend them enough!
Never had a problem with horses backs, I have 2 saddles and 4 horses and can swap them about if needed. The trees are adjustable too so they can be tweaked if needed.
Love the feel of a cc saddle, have even bought a cc dressage saddle as I found the feel of the flock one wierd. Hoping to save for an Equipe dressage next year.
 
I've only had close contacts for a long time but my barnesby stopped fitting my mare when she matured & widened out as the gullet was too narrow for her & the panels to slanted. I tried an albion k2 & hated it, it was so chunky & I felt a mile away from the horse, my 16hh felt 16.2 !! I ended up with a WOW which I loved.. sadly it went with her :( so I'm back to a thorowgood for breaking the babies.

I've ridden in devoucouxs a lot, I love them but they aren't the comfiest for hacking for a decent period of time, that said they are so so secure ! They only really fit the narrow tb, sports horse, warmblood types though not the chunky irish & big boned warmblood lot !

Also Childric dressage saddle I loved, gives you such a good feel of the horse, childric jump saddle I wasn't a fan of! but they do other models which looked nice
 
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