Help with saddle

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Gentle_Warrior

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Horse currently has a Wintec (assume xxxxxxxxxxxwide). Had a lesson the other week and instructor has recommended that I get an Albion GP (obviously not rich so will be second hand). I am having a problem finding one second hand. Saddler does not get them often if at all and has recommended me the GFS Haflinger, which is leather but changeable.

Horse used to have a black country which is now sitting in my garage as he changed shape when started living out.

Instructor recommended the Albion as it has a deeper seat (?) and will help with my position, no that there is an awful lot wrong with it.

Questions!!

Do the Albions have a deep seat ?
Does the GFS Haflinger have the same sort of seat depth ?
What are the Haflingers like ? good and bad please
What are Albions like ? Good and bad please

Thanks Guys

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I have two albion saddles and would buy another one like a shot! One is seven years old i did buy it new but it is still in brilliant condition and the leather does not look its age. You can get a lot of Albions second hand around on the web like ebay, you can have the head plate changed and that is not too dear! ABout 200 i think. I would suggest you get a saddler to come out with the new saddle on the assumption that you want to buy new, try them both and write down which you prefer and model, size etc then google it! I know its a bit back hand but then you know which you like best before you buy. I did this with my Amerigo saddle and saved myself about 1000!!! Good luck i would choose the albion though!
 
Have you looked on ebay? Seem to be some nice second hand Albions on there?

I do like the albions, my old loan mare had GFS Hafliner, and it was comfortable. However in that saddle I REALLY struggled to keep my legs in the right position, the lack of padding around the knee area meant my legs were always creeping forwards, however I did not have this problem in other saddles (maybe the newer GFS versions are better by now?)

I have not heard great things about GFS either with a few belonging to people I know that have broken at the tree, and if I had the choice would rather go for an Ideal or an Albion. Hope it's helpful
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I have an Albion K2 - uncomfortable as sin
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Bought a Heather Moffat seat thingy to make it bearable!

I'd say the best saddle is one that a good saddler has fitted to your horse and to you
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.

I like Bridlepath International - they tell you what they're doing and why and come out with loads of saddles to try. If there is one you're particularly keen on they will try and source it for you to try. Not often I recommend folks (I have picky standards lol), but this lot I love (after trying many other saddlers
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). Wish I'd met them before spending £1200 on the Albion
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Get a saddler out with a selection to try. You may want a particular brand but they may not suit the horse.

Albion are much better quality than gfs but both are better than wintecs for horse and rider. If yourhorse is very wide though he may need a specifically designed saddle for his conformation, rather than just an xxxw version of any saddle.

Best bet is to try a few or you could make an expensive mistake buying untried.
 
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