Experience with Saddle company saddles?

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mezereon

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Does anyone have a saddle company saddle and what do you think of it? Looking to get a new saddle for my 18 year old 16h ISH gelding as his Bates no longer fits. He's lost some muscle behind the wither too as he's been out of work and a Saddle Company saddle has been recommended as it's easy to adjust and has the serge panels. I don't know much about them. Also, are they a good fit for short (5ft 2) riders :oops:??? Or any other suggestions? He's quite high withered.
 
I like mine. Mine are leather with a serge panel, not synthetic. There are different models, some which are better than others. The leather also differs per saddle and I have had a couple which scratched and rubbed very easily. My main issue is that if there isn’t a decent fitter in your area then you’re stuck!
 
I’m actually about to get rid of mine! It just doesn’t fit my flat backed barrel connemara. As long as you don’t have one of those they’re a nice saddle! I’ve done a few sponsored rides and found it comfortable despite being in the saddle for 2+hours. The anatomical girth made by saddle company is really nice too.

My Connie has changed shape a lot since I got her and as you mentioned it has been easy to adjust.
 
Ive had two. One from new and one second hand. One a Working Hunter and one a GP. One brown and one black ;-) I loved both and hated parting with them! If I needed another saddle, I wouldn't hesitate to get another. As above, the only issue is finding a fitter. As far as value for money and comfort go, Ive been very happy!
 
ownedbyaconnie said:
I’m actually about to get rid of mine! It just doesn’t fit my flat backed barrel connemara. As long as you don’t have one of those they’re a nice saddle! I’ve done a few sponsored rides and found it comfortable despite being in the saddle for 2+hours. The anatomical girth made by saddle company is really nice too.

My Connie has changed shape a lot since I got her and as you mentioned it has been easy to adjust.
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The same reason I had to sell mine! My GP fitted my last Connie perfect but not this one. We've had to go with Kent and Masters this time.
 
I've had 2 and if you have a really good fitter in your area then worth a try. My problem was the fitter I used didn't have the piece of kit needed to adjust the tree so although she could sort flocking it didn't turn out to be quite as adjustable as I hoped.
 
Thanks for your replies everyone :). I do have a good fitter in the area but I'll check that he can do the tree adjustments, he's not mentioned that. Said he could do the flocking no problem. I was thinking of the leather and synthetic mixed one, with the serge panel.
 
I had one of the early models about 15 years ago to 'test drive'. It was leather upper and the underside of the flaps and the rest of the saddle was synthetic.
The quality was so poor, after 6 months a hole had worn through both flaps where the girth buckles were even though I was using the buckle guards that came with the saddle. I was riding quite a lot (about 2hrs a day) but I would expect a saddle to withstand that level of use.
The Ideal saddle I bought when I returned the Saddle Company one is still in daily use and excellent condition.
The disclaimer on this 'review' is that it was so long ago that they may well be different now!
 
I have one, a 17'' MW GP /Event saddle in brown (for sale soon if you're interested) I've had it for 3 years from new and am fairly happy with it. Its not the most comfortable saddle I've ridden in but I wouldnt say I find it uncomfortable. I'm writing this after spending 5 hours in it today out hunting, so it cant be that bad!! It fits my horse perfectly (16.1 ISH) and is easy to reflock and cleans easily - is 1/2 leather with serge, and doesnt move at all- hunted all day over hedges with no breastplate and it didnt move. The only reason I'm going to sell it is because my husband is wanting to ride more and finds it unbearable after 1/2 hour so need something different for him. I think the main reason people find them uncomfortable is because they have a wide twist which some people dont like.

*for reference I am 5ft6 with short legs and husband is 6ft with very long legs!
 
emilylou said:
I have one, a 17'' MW GP /Event saddle in brown (for sale soon if you're interested) I've had it for 3 years from new and am fairly happy with it. Its not the most comfortable saddle I've ridden in but I wouldnt say I find it uncomfortable. I'm writing this after spending 5 hours in it today out hunting, so it cant be that bad!! It fits my horse perfectly (16.1 ISH) and is easy to reflock and cleans easily - is 1/2 leather with serge, and doesnt move at all- hunted all day over hedges with no breastplate and it didnt move. The only reason I'm going to sell it is because my husband is wanting to ride more and finds it unbearable after 1/2 hour so need something different for him. I think the main reason people find them uncomfortable is because they have a wide twist which some people dont like.

*for reference I am 5ft6 with short legs and husband is 6ft with very long legs!
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Oh that's really interesting. I thought that narrow twist saddles tended to be better for women , especially short ones! TBH I've never ridden in a GFS saddle that I didn't like, but they seem to be really difficult to find fitters for. Loads second hand, but very few fitters, at least in Yorkshire!
 
I had one that was made to fit a Clydesdale altered to fit a IDx. They both seemed to find the saddle comfortable and I like it. I do like serge panels for comfort for the horse and I liked the fact that it was lightweight, too.

ETA, I should add that I am 5'9"
 
Fitter dependent - I have met two awful fitters and one amazing one. We had a GP and an endurance. Both comfy and the GP lasted the NFx pony it was fitted to, for about 12 years until she was pts with minimal adjustment. You can pick them up inexpensively second hand then get the tree adjusted. We had the cheapest model (part synthetic) and it was v comfy. I had one and OH had one - we are both 5ft6 or less though. No idea what it would be like for a taller rider!
 
I had one new and one second hand. The second hand one on my very round cob was comfy but was obviously too adjustable as it would widen within about a month to the point of being flat on her back and she could not jump, i got fed up of it being adjusted back and saved myself money by going back to a regular saddle. We only went for it as she was a bit difficult to fit.

The other was the same saddle so again very comfy and i'm 5'2'' it was the cob event so quite forward cut, except in our lack of knowledge my horse was fitted with a saddle a whole inch longer than she needed, so wouldn't go near the fitter again and not really a fan of the SC ones after that.
 
mezereon said:
Oh that's really interesting. I thought that narrow twist saddles tended to be better for women , especially short ones! TBH I've never ridden in a GFS saddle that I didn't like, but they seem to be really difficult to find fitters for. Loads second hand, but very few fitters, at least in Yorkshire!
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Narrow twists - I loathe them for me (female!), and don't like them for horses either - https://srt2018.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SRT-18-10.pdf

I would encourage everyone considering buying a brand that has its own fitters to ask the company what the fitter training consists of and be very thorough in finding reviews about the individual fitter.
 
sbloom said:
Narrow twists - I loathe them for me (female!), and don't like them for horses either - https://srt2018.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SRT-18-10.pdf

I would encourage everyone considering buying a brand that has its own fitters to ask the company what the fitter training consists of and be very thorough in finding reviews about the individual fitter.
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Hmm. That's a really good point and I know the Saddle Company fitters only attend a short course. On the other hand, I've had dreadful problems with a saddle fitted by a master saddler too :(. It's a minefield! Thanks for the research - I do like a bit of research :) and I'll definitely rethink that.
 
I trained as a fitter because at the point in time that I was introduced to SC saddles the only fitter in scotland left the country!

I started using them because I had exracers (& a non exracer TB that was known on this forum and was bought in very poor condition. Proving again that you can't believe anything that you see in the internet!) so a lightweight adjustable saddle was ideal and I really liked the serge especially for "cold backed" (I know, I know) horses.

Mine were all second hand, it never crossed my mind that they were uncomfortable and were hardworking.

The course to be a fitter literally is a training day on how to adjust the saddle. In no way is it training you how to fit a saddle to a horse never mind any intricacies of correct saddle fitting.

I trained back in 2009 and asked to stay an extra day to specifically work on flocking. When I asked another lady joined me too. The range of experience on the fitting day was quite something. There was a complete novice husband of a not much more experienced wife which was scary!

I felt fairly competent being a horse geek, having worked in a Saddlery (with fitters), McT-C and EBW trained with a focus on saddle fit and the naivety of youth!

I didnt have the templating machine initially and only trained to correctly fit (!) and adjust my own. When someone else appeared in Scotland with a machine I got them out and jeez they were awful! Not a clue how to fit a saddle but super confident. When i eventually said that i was a fitter without a machine their demeanour changed

I eventually got a machine but between saddles and EBW i was seeing some horrors and ignorant/selfish owners. I didnt advertise and it was all word of mouth but I didnt cope well with all the lame and sore horses I was seeing. I think SC possibly had more like that because the saddles really dont hold their value so it did attract a cheap/cut corners crowd in my experience.

Having said all that I liked the saddles and I think they do a job and fill a need.

However like everyone else has said it's very much fitter dependent

Another reason I qualified was because the SMS fitters in my area were also awful. I'm definitely not someone who thinks that you need to always use an SMS fitter but whoever's you do use should at least know all the parts of the saddle and understand about tree fit, panels and gussets...not a given!

Also be aware that all fitters are independent so sont expect any support from SC HQ should anything go wrong. Make sure whatever fitter you use is insured and check all the conditions and small print about ordering a "made to measure" saddle and of there is no contract write your own to cover your back.
 
Back in the days when I was teaching, I went to a horse/girl who were having issues. The horse had come with a rubbish saddle, and the mother of the girl ordered a SC saddle. When it arrived, the horse got worse in behaviour. The mother, and girl herself, blamed the girl. I was called in after a nasty incident on the road, including rearing, running, spinning and a fall.

The saddle was an awful match for the horse (IMO). I mean, it did clear the wither but just did not sit right. It was hard and uncompromising. It did not settle on the horse. I am not a saddler, but thought the panels were over stuffed. It was really hard and perched. The horse was hollow and scooty, very unhappy. I suspected the saddle enough to ask to see the saddle the horse came with (being as the horse had gone OK in it).

My plan had been to use the old saddle for a comparison ride, but it looked like it had a broken tree so I could not. No other saddles available there to try. I finished the lesson there and asked for the saddle fitter to come back out, which they did quite quickly, but on their visit they said the saddle was a good fit and the issues were historical, due to the old saddle.

I went back, 2nd lesson, horse still scooting and unhappy. I decided to hop on bareback (would not have asked client to do this) and horse was improved. SC Saddle back on, with me still riding, and horse was worse again.

I said that I still believed the saddle was the issue, owner believed the saddle fitter. As we had come to an impasse, I didn't go back for a 3rd lesson, but heard later that the horse was sold soon after.

That was my experience with a SC saddle.
 
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I also had a very bad experience with a Saddle Company saddle and would never buy another. The one we bought never properly fitted the horse,
the fitter was called back repeatedly and did little to solve the problem apart from taking money off us and recommending us to swap the saddle for a more expensive one in the range . After we sold the horse I ill advisedly passed on the saddle to a very novice friend with a cob mare. The saddle fitter supposedly altered the saddle to fit the mare but the owner then went on to have terrible problems with saddle slipping and even resorted to jumping bareback because it was so uncomfortable for her to ride in . I felt so guilty because I had believed all the spin about Saddle Company saddles being adjustable and I had trusted the fitter who was really just making a bit of money for herself and actually had no knowledge or moral standards
 
In defense of SC I just want to say that all of the negative comments so far could be said of any brand. It's not the saddle but that it was poorly fitted to the horse and/or rider.

I saw many a sore horse with muscle wastage from very (very!) expensive saddles that didn't fit.

IMO they are a good budget friendly option; lightweight while looking leather, the ones I came into contact with were hardwearing and cleaned up well and I really liked the serge panels (although you can get leather panels too). They are adjustable and I would say more so than the changeable headplate saddles as the fitter should be able to adjust the flocking too.

They won't be for every rider, the same for every brand, but with a good fitter amendments can be made to fit a rider with a long thigh for example.

The crux of this, and every other brand, is finding a good fitter. As the numerous saddle fitter threads on here show that's easier said than done!

I don't have a dog in the fight, I don't fit or sell them and haven't for years, but the bottom line is that any saddle has to fit the horse and then the rider regardless of brand/type/model.
 
I have SCS saddles for my Exmoor ponies. Leather with serge panels. I did have a good fitter and the saddles fitted well and suited the ponies. I chose them as I wanted to buy new and, cost wise, I felt that they were a good buy; not too expensive and not too cheap. I liked the idea that they could be adjusted and they were adjusted as and when needed.
I must admit that I now have a strada saddle on my main riding pony, which I prefer from the riders' point of view, but it would have been out of my price range when I was buying originally.
 
Templebar said:
I had one new and one second hand. The second hand one on my very round cob was comfy but was obviously too adjustable as it would widen within about a month to the point of being flat on her back and she could not jump, i got fed up of it being adjusted back and saved myself money by going back to a regular saddle. We only went for it as she was a bit difficult to fit.

The other was the same saddle so again very comfy and i'm 5'2'' it was the cob event so quite forward cut, except in our lack of knowledge my horse was fitted with a saddle a whole inch longer than she needed, so wouldn't go near the fitter again and not really a fan of the SC ones after that.
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Which fitter did you use?
 
maya2008 said:
Fitter dependent - I have met two awful fitters and one amazing one. We had a GP and an endurance. Both comfy and the GP lasted the NFx pony it was fitted to, for about 12 years until she was pts with minimal adjustment. You can pick them up inexpensively second hand then get the tree adjusted. We had the cheapest model (part synthetic) and it was v comfy. I had one and OH had one - we are both 5ft6 or less though. No idea what it would be like for a taller rider!
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Hi, what area are you in? Can you remember the names of the bad fitters?
 
I have had several SC saddles over the years - always as an interim saddle whilst a horse has been growing/changing. They are usually ok, lightweight, and if you have a decent saddle fitter with the right kit, adjustable to a fairly large degree. I have not found them especially comfortable, nor do they put me in the best position but they are perfectly ok and for me, the 'safe' option for a cheaper saddle. I have just had a new SC saddle (which I bought second hand) which is on the wide-seat/cob tree. It is absolutely lovely to look at in all honesty - an all leather with just serge panels version and my fitter has fitted it to my mare beautifully. I am hoping it will see us good until the horse is established enough/finished growing for a M2M saddle. The one I have just bought is the nicest of the several I have had and they are easy to re-sell too. There is much to like in the SC saddles as long as they are well fitted but they are nowhere near as good as what can be achieved. :)
 
I had one for a short time but it moved so much on my flat backed high withered horse it wore the hair off at the back after only one ride despite being fitted and adjusted by a SC fitter. I never used it again and sold it on shortly after.
 
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