Does anyone recognise this unbranded saddle ?

[Equine mads]

Just brought a second hand saddle for my horse, it has no marking/branding on it anywhere. Wondered if any of you lovely people would recognise it?

 

[sbloom]

Indian, sorry, it should be in the bin - cut the webbing on the girth straps right through so no-one else can use it. Gallop or Windsor.

 

[Nasicus]

Indian, sorry, it should be in the bin - cut the webbing on the girth straps right through so no-one else can use it. Gallop or Windsor.

Is there a giveaway or tell that's it's Indian made? Just curious

 

[sbloom]

Is there a giveaway or tell that's it's Indian made? Just curious

I know the model well so there are various things on this particular saddle that scream to me but generally the way the leather has worn, the patchy wear that is flesh coloured and irregular, poor quality ENglish saddles tend to have a larger redder patch, the wrinkling on the pads, the curvy tree and upswept panel (no rear gusset, not enough on its own to say it's Indian but it's common). This photo makes the flap shape look reasonably sensible but directly from the side it looks awkward to me eyes, though I realise that it's different for non-saddle fitters!

The double coloured buttons are generally a giveaway for this brand, big awkward Dees on the front rather than neat round "fall down staples", though again on their own that wouldn't necessarily raise the alarm.

I admin https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641386762817197 and we have a rule of no Indian made saddles, the Gallop and Windsor ones are the easy ones to spot.

The other thing to be suspicious of is if, in ads for new saddles, the saddle design rings a bell as they almost always steal photos from other makers. Prices under £1000 for a fancy looking saddle, under say £600 for a more basic looking leather one, under £300 for synthetic. Any used saddle under £100 unless it's clearly a very old English saddle (the ones with narrow channels and hard seats, nothing cushy looking in them usually).

I would always recommend you work with a fitter who can check these links for you, it's a jungle out there and it's likely to be the cheaper option long term.

 

[Nasicus]

I know the model well so there are various things on this particular saddle that scream to me but generally the way the leather has worn, the patchy wear that is flesh coloured and irregular, poor quality ENglish saddles tend to have a larger redder patch, the wrinkling on the pads, the curvy tree and upswept panel (no rear gusset, not enough on its own to say it's Indian but it's common). This photo makes the flap shape look reasonably sensible but directly from the side it looks awkward to me eyes, though I realise that it's different for non-saddle fitters!

The double coloured buttons are generally a giveaway for this brand, big awkward Dees on the front rather than neat round "fall down staples", though again on their own that wouldn't necessarily raise the alarm.

I admin https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641386762817197 and we have a rule of no Indian made saddles, the Gallop and Windsor ones are the easy ones to spot.

The other thing to be suspicious of is if, in ads for new saddles, the saddle design rings a bell as they almost always steal photos from other makers. Prices under £1000 for a fancy looking saddle, under say £600 for a more basic looking leather one, under £300 for synthetic. Any used saddle under £100 unless it's clearly a very old English saddle (the ones with narrow channels and hard seats, nothing cushy looking in them usually).

I would always recommend you work with a fitter who can check these links for you, it's a jungle out there and it's likely to be the cheaper option long term.

That's really interesting, thank you for sharing that

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

They are usually stuffed with rubbish and bits of metal I've seen one taken apart they are awful I wouldn't use it.

 

[marmalade76]

Is there a giveaway or tell that's it's Indian made? Just curious

Hard to describe because it's obvious at first glance to me.

 

[Equine mads]

Thanks for all the replies, it will be used as a decorative piece instead. Will continue the hunt for a saddle for him.

 

[dominobrown]

Try a saddle fitter, even if you don't want a new one, the cost of paying someone to try and fit saddles, give a recommendation and then you can find a 2nd one that fits. I often do this with my saddle fitter, and once saddle is bought get her out again to check and flock appropriately, though if she is selling a 2nd hand one at the right price that's also an option, but the price of saddle fitting is nothing compared to buying rubbish saddles its broken trees etc.

 

[Equine mads]

Try a saddle fitter, even if you don't want a new one, the cost of paying someone to try and fit saddles, give a recommendation and then you can find a 2nd one that fits. I often do this with my saddle fitter, and once saddle is bought get her out again to check and flock appropriately, though if she is selling a 2nd hand one at the right price that's also an option, but the price of saddle fitting is nothing compared to buying rubbish saddles its broken trees etc.

Thanks, got the fitter to check saddle pictures and she has said it fits him really well, will use the measurements from this one to find him a different one

 

[sbloom]

Thanks, got the fitter to check saddle pictures and she has said it fits him really well, will use the measurements from this one to find him a different one

I'm really sorry but a fitter can't say whether a saddle definitely fits just from a photo, you can go some way towards it if you fitted it in the first place and are doing a basic visual check otherwise I would not be going on this advice, sorry. And measurements mean so little, you need a hands on fitter to advise which models would work, tree shape, how the middle of the saddle that you can't see sits on him....not someone that says "yeah find something with the same measurements as this one". It's just meaningless.

Saddle fitter of 14 years.

 

[sbloom]

I'm just coming back to this as I think you're new to owning horses? Saddle fitting is really complex, and seldom cheap either. I'm not sure what advice you're getting but it does make me concerned. If you'd like to PM me I can offer a little help (though asking questions publicly helps others too of course) otherwise if you post your general location (county etc), or further questions, then I'm sure we could recommend a good fitter or two for you to consult.

Fitting shoes to humans can just about be done from measurements, if you were thinking of that as a comparison - that usually you know if you're a wide fit or not, and roughly what size you are. Shoes are NOT functional, if you get into barefoot shoes with wide toeboxes then it becomes more complex - just as barefoot shoes allow the whole foot to work correctly, a saddle must allow both horse and rider to move correctly. Not doing so risks long term lameness in the horse, vet and bodyworker bills...and that's without the issues it may cause the rider.

Saddles have wood and steel inside them, this is the tree and it has a very certain shape - there are literally hundreds of tree shapes available out there, without whatever they're making in India (often not the correct ply construction but just solid pine etc, SO dangerous) and the shape needs to be right. This isn't just a tick box exercise to see how the saddle looks on the static back - checking how it looks and feels underneath being part of that - but it must also allow, as I said, the horse to move correctly.

I firmly believe you need better help than you're getting.

 

[Jenko109]

Burn it. On par with them god awful £50 treeless saddles all over ebay

 

[JBM]

Have no helpful advice other than to say I’m with you wouldn’t be able to tell what that was either! Only ever used a saddle fitter and bought second hand ones from her because I am honest with myself that I couldn’t tell a well made one from a bad one

 

[dominobrown]

Sbloom advice is spot on. My saddler wouldn’t look at a picture and tell you whether it’s fits, she likes to see it on the horse, you on the horse and ride/ jump etc in it.
Honestly for the hassle it’s worth getting a good saddle fitter to come out a few times.

 

[ycbm]

Thanks, got the fitter to check saddle pictures and she has said it fits him really well, will use the measurements from this one to find him a different one

No saddler worth using would suggest you put that saddle on a horse's back. It's obvious just from a photo how awful it is. Please change your saddler to someone who will see your pony in person.

 

[Equine mads]

Thanks, got the fitter to check saddle pictures and she has said it fits him really well, will use the measurements from this one to find him a different one

This was ment to read 'got the fitter to check the saddle pictured'*

 

[ycbm]

Didn't she say anything about the quality? My guess would be that if you took a picture from the under side it won't be symmetrical and it will be lumpy.
.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Looks like a snowhill (equestrian wholesaler) indian rubbish. I have seen these sort of saddles at yards when out fitting saddles and the poor client was fleeced 500 quid for it and told it was best English leather and English made in Walsall. Her Husband threw a wobbly when I pointed out what it really was and how much these are sold for trade, thought he was going to punch me actually as his wife burst in to tears!
I lived to tell the tale but like sbloom, I can spot bad saddles a mile off (saddler for 35 years)
Oz

 

[Equine mads]

Didn't she say anything about the quality? My guess would be that if you took a picture from the under side it won't be symmetrical and it will be lumpy.
.

She said nothing about the quality of the saddle, to me it doesnt look lumpy and quite symmetrical but ill get a picture of the underside tomorrow.

 

[Kaylum]

Lots of big brand saddles are made abroad now, much cheaper for mass production, people seem to still buy them thinking they are made in Walsall. Do your homework.
But yes this is indian. We took one of these apart and it had used swabs and bandages inside.